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| Volume V, No. 1 | January 2000 | ||
| "A Quarterly Resource for NAS Chapter Leaders Across the Nation and Beyond" | |||
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AUDUBON'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE 21st CENTURY |
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Membership in the National Audubon Society is not growing, and has not grown significantly for ten years. Because membership growth is fundamental to the health of our entire organization, and nothing in the future portends an increase in our membership numbers if we do not make some changes, we can no longer avoid dealing directly with this difficult topic. If finding an answer was easy, or pertained solely to the administrative side of our organization, staff would already have dealt with this problem. However, membership growth is a shared concern, affecting all aspects of Audubon. Ten years ago, the board of directors pledged to our members that any time an issue had the potential to directly impact the relationship between National and chapters, we would fully inform members of all aspects of the problem, and involve everyone in finding a solution. Hence, beginning with this special issue of the Chapter Networker, we are hoping to open a dialogue with you. In order to do so and with the unanimous support of the entire board, I have established a Membership Strategy Task Force, co-chaired by Ruth Russell and Dave Pardoe. Their charge is to go to chapter leaders, staff and members to explain the problem and solicit possible solutions. The board is not coming to you with answers in hand; we are beginning the process with a clean slate and are very eager to enlist your help in finding those answers. The issues and full process are described in this special publication and I encourage you to read it, think about the challenges, and help us come up with a positive solution that will move all of Audubon forward. Only with your good ideas and your full support will any proposed solution work. Donal O’Brien
Introduction Audubon is a membership organization dedicated to protecting birds, other wildlife and their habitats. Our members are the source of our volunteer strength and the foundation of our financial support. In our strategic plan, we aspire to a vision of creating a “Culture of Conservation” in communities throughout the country, where conservation is not a special interest but a common interest, and where the obligation of stewardship is broadly accepted. This is a huge challenge, but imagine a world if we achieve it. Our ability to achieve this vision requires a growing Audubon membership that is actively engaged in conservation and that supports our efforts to promote the Audubon cause. Audubon is at a critical juncture in our effort to develop a broad membership base. Several problems rooted in our history and traditional way of doing things have become increasingly serious over the last decade, and now prevent us from attracting the membership we need to meet the challenges of the future. For some of these problems, we have identified solutions and need your help in implementing them. For others, we need your help in finding a solution. The process for developing our strategic plan in 1995 worked so well because we involved our chapters, staff and members from the very beginning. As we now address the challenging problem of how to attract new members in the future, we need your involvement and help once again. In this special issue of the Chapter Networker, we describe the current situation – that Audubon’s membership has not grown in over a decade. We then describe the complex challenge of reversing that trend. We are seeking your ideas for solutions at the beginning of this process. There is probably no single, easy solution, and whatever we eventually implement will require all of us to do some things differently. Your early participation will make this effort more successful. Please share these materials with other chapter leaders, staff and members,
and encourage them to think about how to design solutions that allow Audubon
to move into the new century as the strongest and most effective conservation
organization in the nation.
Membership Growth: 1989-1999
Ten years ago, Audubon’s membership was among the largest of any conservation
organization in the country. Since then, our membership has not grown.
An increasing number of organizations are now passing us by. This situation
will continue until we address the underlying causes of the problem.
Why More Members?
Audubon’s membership serves many purposes, most importantly to
Unfortunately, our current membership strategy has become outdated and no longer sufficiently accomplishes these primary purposes. 1. Generating Revenue First and foremost, our membership strategy should be designed to produce revenue to support Audubon’s chapter, state and national programs. Over the years, the marketplace has changed so that it is no longer profitable to invest in membership growth using our outdated membership strategy. Over 96% of our new members are recruited by the national office, mostly by direct mail. This is similar to most other national organizations. Like them, we incur all the normal expenses of acquiring and servicing new members through direct mail. We continue to audit these expenses to ensure that we are being efficient. Audubon, however, has two additional membership expenses that differentiate us from other organizations in the marketplace. First, we produce a high quality magazine for our members that costs more than the publications of other organizations. Secondly, we pay a dues share of $5.50 annually to our local chapters for every member acquired by the national office in a chapter area. These two expenses add about $12 to the annual cost of an Audubon membership, making it unprofitable for us to compete in the direct mail marketplace. Under our current strategy, it takes about four years to break even financially – that is, for the actual revenue generated from those new members to pay for the actual cost of acquiring and servicing them. We do not generate net revenue until the fifth year. This is true even after including all revenue from membership dues, magazine advertising, list rental income, and additional donations from membership solicitations. Other successful membership organizations break even in less than half the time that it takes Audubon to generate net revenue. In addition, most successful direct mail efforts in the conservation community currently offer $10-$15 entry level memberships. Because of our added internal cost for dues share and for the magazine, Audubon has one of the highest entry-level memberships at $20. Our higher price prevents us from being competitive in the marketplace and offering special promotions for students, seniors, and other target audiences. CHALLENGE: If we want to grow our membership, we need to reduce the
break-even time for new members by responsibly balancing the membership
budget. We need a membership strategy that generates net revenue for Audubon
conservation programs.
2. Engaging People as Volunteers and Activists In addition to generating revenue, Audubon’s membership strategy should attract people who will become committed to the Audubon cause by volunteering and becoming active. In particular, we need to engage more young people, and a broad-based constituency from diverse communities. Our current membership strategy relies primarily on AUDUBON magazine to attract members. While the award-winning quality of the magazine contributes substantially to our education mission, the current role of the magazine contributes to our “one size fits all” approach. Too many of our members now view themselves more as subscribers to our magazine than supporters, donors or volunteers for the Audubon cause. Challenge: We need a membership strategy that continues to enhance the
magazine as a vehicle to educate the public while also using other Audubon
programs to attract and keep members. (For example, the Internet offers
attractive potential as a gateway to people interested in birds, nature
and conservation action locally, statewide, nationally or internationally.)
A New Membership Strategy A new, flexible, member-oriented membership growth strategy for the new century must address a wide range of issues. For some of these issues, solutions are already being implemented. For others, we need your help to find a solution. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO ACQUIRE NEW MEMBERS While it is financially unprofitable for the national office to acquire new members through our current membership strategy, other parts of Audubon also face a lack of incentives to acquire new members. Chapter certification requirements currently force chapters to incur expenses for all new members, such as publishing and mailing a chapter newsletter. If a chapter acquires a new member, they must also share dues with the national office. If a sanctuary or an Audubon center acquires a new member, they receive no revenue. The entire dues income is split between the local chapter and the national office. Yet, the sanctuary or center must admit the new member free of charge in the future. To solve this problem, in September 1998 the Board of Directors approved a series of recommendations from a special task force to create financial incentives for everyone to seek new members for Audubon. Copies of the Report and Recommendations were sent to every chapter president in November 1998. These recommendations are now being tested with success in several states. Once the test period is completed in October, we anticipate rapid implementation in the remaining states. In summary, the task force report recommended a new allocation of net dues revenue from new members acquired by chapters, state offices, sanctuaries, Audubon centers, other programs. These procedures will only apply to new members, and are intended to create the maximum incentive for all Audubon entities to seek new members. They will apply to everyone acquiring new members, except the national office’s membership acquisition program. A. All of the first year’s dues will be retained by the recruiting entity. (Chapters will keep $20 of a normal introductory membership, instead of receiving $15 for the first year of a chapter-recruited member.) B. In subsequent years, all net dues revenue received from a new member will go to the chapter, sanctuary, center, state office, or program that acquired the member for as long as that member renews. Chapters may charge any membership rate they choose, so long as it is at least $15 for student/senior and $20 for a basic membership. NAS will receive a flat fee (currently $10) per member per year for renewing and servicing members; all additional dues will be retained by the chapter. Thus, in contrast to the current chapter share of $5.50 per member per year, chapters would retain $10 of a $20 renewal, $15 of a $25 renewal, $20 of a $30 renewal, and so on. All members will continue to receive AUDUBON magazine and other special offers and benefits. National will continue to provide membership administrative services for all chapter-generated members; however, renewal notices will represent the local entity in signature and text. C. These new members will be part of the Audubon membership list to
be solicited for additional donations like all other members.
STATE PROGRAMS Audubon’s ability to attract and retain members will ultimately depend on our ability to deliver effective conservation programs that are relevant to those who share our mission. In 1995, Audubon approved a strategic plan to move the organization into its second century. The plan called on the Society to sharpen its focus on birds, other wildlife and their habitats and to strengthen its grassroots by establishing a state field program in every state. These state programs, supported by sound science, would use the twin strategies of influencing public policy and providing environmental education through the development of a network of Audubon Centers in each state. Four years later, much has been accomplished. We have established 23 state offices plus the Latin America/Caribbean Program. These programs are beginning to have extraordinary conservation impacts on the ground in their states. Now, we need to finish the job and rapidly establish state offices to
serve the remaining states. At its December 1999 meeting, the Board
of Directors authorized a major new campaign to establish Audubon state
programs in all of the remaining states in the next three years.
COMMUNICATIONS Our members and the public receive a wide range of uncoordinated messages about Audubon which sometimes lead to an unfocused, confusing image of the organization. Overall, we do not effectively tell people enough about what Audubon is doing. As a result, our research shows that the public does not understand enough about what Audubon is doing to protect the environment. We are even more concerned that our members often do not have a much better understanding of what Audubon does than non-members do. This is a significant factor in our inability to acquire new members, retain existing members, and solicit donations from members. To address this problem, we have retained a professional consulting
firm specializing in helping organizations enhance their unique identity.
Our goal is to sharpen the focus of our communications, and to better coordinate
the messages that go to our current and prospective members through all
of our communication vehicles.
CHAPTER CERTIFICATION AND DUES SHARE POLICY At its December 1999 meeting, the Board of Directors agreed that we must re-examine some parts of the relationship between the National Audubon Society and our local chapters as part of the new membership growth strategy. To do that, the Board established a Task Force, co-chaired by Ruth Russell (current Board vice-chair and former regionally nominated Director from the Rocky Mountain Region) and David Pardoe(regionally nominated Board Member from the Mid-Atlantic Region). The charge to the Task Force is to make recommendations to the Board on changes needed to encourage membership growth. Specifically, the Task Force will focus on how to update chapter certification requirements and the dues share policy to encourage membership growth. What follows is a summary of the process we will undertake between now and the June Board of Directors meeting to find the best solution, and the guidelines the Board established for analyzing proposed solutions. Guidelines At the December meeting, the Board adopted several guidelines to help frame the discussion on solutions for membership growth. Overall, the process should focus on problem solving and finding the optimum solution for Audubon. All proposed solutions will be measured against the following guidelines: 1. Does it improve our ability to expand membership?
Process The process for receiving input and for making a decision on chapter certification and dues share policy will be open to all chapters through the June Board meeting, and is as follows: January through June
March 17-19 Board of Directors Meeting
April through June
April 14-18
June 15-18
Calendar Below is a partial calendar of meetings where staff or task force members
will plan to be available to discuss the membership issue and to receive
input. Comments may also be sent by telephone, fax, e-mail, or mail to
Lynn Tennefoss at P. O. Box 8192, Missoula, MT 59807, FedEx address: 8850
O’Brien Creek, Missoula, MT 59804, phone/fax: (800) 542-2748, email: ltennefoss@audubon.org.
You may also contact the Task Force members at: Ruth O. Russell, Co-Chair
David H. Pardoe, Co-Chair
Susan K. Hughes
Amy Skilbred
Task Force Advisors: Leslie Dach and Jack Dempsey
TASK FORCE
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Our
chapters, centers, sanctuaries, state offices and the national office all
share the same membership base. Every part of Audubon is at risk if we
fail to address the current situation. Likewise, everyone stands to benefit
from membership growth. Our chapters need new blood to remain vital. Our
advocacy agenda needs a strong, local constituency that is informed and
ready to be mobilized. Our education agenda requires a broad base of volunteers
and donors.
Chairman
of the Board of Directors, Donal C. O’Brien, Jr., of New Canaan, Connecticut,
has recently retired as a senior partner of the law firm of Milbank, Tweed,
Hadley & McCloy. He is currently Chairman of the Connecticut
Council on Environmental Quality and Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the Atlantic Salmon Federation. After serving as a Director of National
Audubon from 1976 to 1988, and Chairman from 1983 to 1988, Donal returned
to the Audubon Board in March 1991 and was reelected Chairman in March
1994. Between his years as an Audubon Director, Donal served as President
of the International Council for Bird Preservation (now Birdlife International).
He was a founding Director and first Chairman of the American Bird Conservancy.
(Task Force Member ex-officio).
Task
Force Co-Chair David H. Pardoe, of Columbia, Maryland was employed by the
National Wildlife Federation for 15 years, and is currently Eastern Vice
President of Gull Rock Services, providing membership development services
for nonprofit organizations. Dave founded the Audubon Society of Central
Maryland, and served as an officer or Board member for a number of volunteer
organizations. He is the regional director from the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Task
Force Co-Chair Ruth O. Russell, of Tucson, Arizona has served in various
chapter positions, including president of Tucson Audubon Society. An ardent
birder, she bands hummingbirds as part of several research projects. She
was elected to the Board as the Rocky Mountain Region representative in
December 1992, and re-elected in 1995. In 1996 she was elected Vice-chairman
of the Board, and is now serving a third term.
Leslie
Dach, of Washington, D.C. is Vice Chairman of Edelman Public Relations
Worldwide and managing director of its global public affairs practice.
He has previously served as a legislative director with National Audubon
Society, staff scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund, and special
assistant to the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee. He was elected
to a second term on the Board of National Audubon in December 1997.
Jack
Dempsey, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a partner in the management consulting
firm of McKinsey and Company, where he has worked with a number of industrial,
consumer, and financial clients on a broad range of organizational and
operational issues. In 1994-95 he led the McKinsey team which directed
the in-depth strategic planning process for Audubon. He was elected to
the Board of Directors in 1997.
Susan
Hughes, of San Antonio, Texas, has been a member of the Bexar Audubon Society
board in various capacities since 1991. She also serves on the Texas Audubon
Society board and has coordinated the NAS chapter newsletter contest since
1994. Susan is active in water policy issues in central Texas. Her firm,
Wordwright Associates, does business, marketing, and technical communications.
She was elected to the NAS board in 1998 to represent the Southwest Region
Amy
Skilbred, of Juneau, Alaska began her environmental career working with
several national environmental organizations including National Wildlife
Refuges and Alaska Public Lands Director for Defenders of Wildlife. Ms.
Skilbred served as President of the board for the Juneau Audubon Society
for several years and currently serves as its education chair. Nominated
by the chapters in the Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam region, she was elected
by the members in December of 1997.
