An Overview of the Planning Process

The five-year Strategic Plan was developed by a Planning Committee appointed by the SLCS Board in early 1999. The Committee, which was chaired by Peter Van Winkle, included Will Abbott, Rachel Armstrong, Sylvia Bates, John Morgridge, Russ Orton, Bert Read, Glenn Strehle, Angus West and Stephen Wiggins. SLCS's administrator, Jane Blaine, participated in all Committee discussions and supported the Committee's efforts. The Committee engaged Jean Hayes, an independent strategic planning consultant, to facilitate its work.

The Plan was developed by the Planning Committee in a series of eight meetings, during the period from April to November of 1999. Throughout the course of the Plan's development, the Committee communicated frequently in writing with the full Board, requesting the Board's input on specific issues and providing early drafts of sections of the Plan for the Board's review and comment.

Vision and Mission

With input from the Board, the Committee developed a Vision for SLCS in the year 2005 and beyond. In response to the danger of higher density development prompted by increasing tax burdens and intergenerational transfers of land, the Vision anticipates a dramatic acceleration in the first forty years of the Squam Lakes Conservation Society's existence. The Vision also foresees substantial growth and increased professionalism in SLCS's stewardship function and expansion in communication and education activities to foster public awareness and create broad-based local support for land conservation.

The Committee reexamined the SLCS Mission in the context of the Vision and has proposed the following change:

The Squam Lakes Conservation Society is a land preservation and conservation organization dedicated to the protection of the natural environment for the benefit of all present and future residents and visitors to the Squam Lakes Watershed. It achieves the long-term protection of land by seeking, holding and monitoring conservation easements and by accepting land ownership. In addition, the Society communicates its objectives and regularly provides educational programs to the community. Its activities are accomplished in cooperation with state and local authorities, businesses, conservation organizations, residents, landowners and visitors.

The Society envisions a unique region of islands, shorefront, back lands, and mountains, wherein a harmony between the natural environment and mankind is preserved forever.

Current Situation Analysis

Through a Current Situation Analysis that included an assessment of SLCS's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the Committee examined recent relevant external and internal factors that influence SLCS's strategic alternatives. The Analysis identified and examined the significant risks of development and the growing pressure to open areas on and around Squam Lakes to more intensive use. The assessment laid the groundwork for the development of strategies in response to these trends.

Strategic Objectives and Action Plans

In support of the Vision and Mission, the Committee developed six Strategic Objectives, which established the broad strategic direction for SLCS for the next five years. Each of the Objectives is accompanied by multiple Action Plans. The Action Plans, which are specific, definitive and measurable, are designed to ensure the achievement of the Objectives and ultimately realize the Vision.

To assist in the allocation of the resources, each of the Plan's fifty-five Action Plans has been assigned a relative priority. In addition, implementation responsibility for each Plan has been assigned to the full Board, one or more Board Committees, and/or staff as appropriate. Finally, a Target Timeline for each Action Plan has been identified.

The six Objectives and a brief recap of the Action Plans associated with each follow.

Land Conservation - Dramatically accelerate our land conservation efforts, emphasizing the protection of whole places and lands identified by SLCS as strategically important, by increasing SLCS's conservation resources, enhancing our conservation planning capabilities, and partnering with others.

The Action Plans supporting this Objective envision a more pro-active approach to land conservation. The Plans anticipate that SLCS will work with others actively involved in conserving lands in the watershed to develop a comprehensive view of all the lands that have been protected. Additional Plans focus on the development of criteria to identify strategically important lands, the creation of protection strategies for priority lands, and the training of volunteers to establish and cultivate relationships with landowners of priority parcels. The Plans recommended ongoing research to ensure that SLCS remains informed of the most innovative approaches to land conservation, and call for the development of several related policies and processes.

Stewardship - Provide superior quality, comprehensive stewardship for SLCS conserved lands by expanding our capacity through volunteer outreach activities and strengthening the professionalism of our stewardship program.

Recognizing SLCS's responsibility to protect lands in perpetuity, the Action Plans associated with this Objective identify the need to establish and provide initial funding for a pooled stewardship fund. The Plans also emphasize the importance of broadening the base of volunteers to monitor SLCS protected lands, and training them appropriately. As with Land Conservation, the Stewardship Action Plans call for the establishment of a number of related policies and processes. The Plans envision the combination of the Stewardship and Review Committees and expansion in the scope of the Committee's responsibility to include not only annual monitoring, but also stewardship philosophy and strategy, stewardship policies and practices, the ongoing assessment of stewardship funding needs, and stewardship budgeting and accounting practices.

Public Education and Communications - Engage in a broad-range of public education and communications activities, designed not only to appeal to landowners and prospective donors, but also to build support for land conservation among municipal authorities and the residents of neighboring communities.

Action Plans include the development of a number of specific communications vehicles targeted to SLCS's different constituencies. The Plans anticipate the creation of new brochures, case statements, increased frequency of publication of the member newsletter, customized communication packages for the landowners of priority properties, periodic communications with all residents of the watershed, and the development of an SLCS website. The Plans recognize the importance of building a sense of community among historical and prospective donors of land, as well as other supporters and potential contributors, and stress the need to solidify relationships with local towns and municipal authorities. In addition, the Plans speak to the development of communications approaches targeted to local realtors.

Financial Sustainability and Responsibility - Significantly expand annual fund raising activities, build a strong base of major donors, and establish contacts to provide access to additional capital on an as needed basis, positioning SLCS to explore the development of more substantial endowments for land acquisition, stewardship and operations for the long term future.

These Action Plans call for doubling the SLCS membership base, executing strategies to significantly expand the annual giving levels of our members, and seeking the support of a group of major donors to fund the implementation of the Strategic Plan. The Plans also envision establishing a network of donors who may be called upon on an as needed basis to fund land acquisition and stewardship needs. A combined Membership and Development Committee will be created, with the responsibility for developing and executing membership and fundraising strategies. A Finance and Investment Committee will assess and monitor SLCS's financial operations and oversee investment policy, objectives and performance. Near the end of the second year of the Plan, an evaluation of the desirability and feasibility of a capital campaign will be undertaken.

Organizational Capacity - Ensure that organizational resources, including staff, infrastructure, Board and volunteers, keep pace with the growth in conservation, stewardship and public education activities, and enable us to provide high quality conservation planning services to landowners.

To support the substantial expansion in SLCS's land conservation, stewardship and education activities, the Action Plans anticipate the hiring of a full time professional staff member and an additional part time administrative assistant. A land conservation specialist is expected to be engaged on an interim contract basis. The Plans also recognize the need for increased space and the purchase of additional equipment. To complement the staff and extend SLCS's reach, the Plans envision the creation of a network of specialists who may be engaged on an as needed contractual basis, the development of a larger corps of volunteers for a variety of activities, and the creation of an Advisory Council. A Communications and Education Committee will be formed to manage SLCS's public communications and education activities.

Collaboration - Work collaboratively with conservation, other related organizations and government agencies which have an interest in the Squam Lakes watershed in order to clarify public understanding of our respective missions and objectives, explore opportunities for partnering, avoid duplication, and leverage organizational resources.

Action Plans supporting this Objective seek opportunities to strengthen SLCS relationships with conservation and other like minded organizations active in the Squam Lakes watershed and neighboring areas, including the Squam Lakes Association, the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and others. The Plans call for annual or semi-annual forums of Board leadership and staff and periodic reciprocal Board presentations. Additional Plans address SLCS's relationships with conservation commissioners in the eight local communities in the watershed.

Financial Forecasts

The Plan includes two high level, five-year financial forecasts, as well as assumptions and financial forecasts for each of the Action Plans. The "Baseline Forecast" projects SLCS's revenues and expenses in the absence of the Strategic Plan, in effect forecasting "business as usual". The "Strategic Forecast" assumes successful execution of the Strategic Plan and incorporates the financial projections for each of the Action Plans.

Both the Baseline and the Strategic Forecast are founded upon a 1999 projection of approximately $59,000 in total revenues and $41,000 in total expenses. Driven by the acceleration of SLCS activity envisioned by the Strategic Objectives and supporting Action Plans, the Strategic Forecast reflects significant growth in the organization and its resources. Whereas the fifth year (2004) of the Baseline Forecast projects revenues of roughly $75,000 and expenses of $62,000, the Strategic Forecast for the year 2004 estimates revenues of approximately $213,000 and expenses of $208,000.

The growth of SLCS will be funded in part by strategies to achieve significantly higher annual giving from a substantially expanded membership base. In addition, it is envisioned that a limited number of major donors will make multi-year annual giving commitments to fund the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Measures of Success

Measures of Success have been established for each of the Strategic Objectives. The Measures focus on ten high level metrics to be utilized by the Board of SLCS to periodically assess the organization's success as the Plan is implemented and to identify the need for any course corrections along the way. The Executive Committee will assume responsibility for more detailed performance monitoring of the execution of each of the Action Plans, in accordance with the implementation timeline.