I am Sylvia Campbell, the President of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. My husband, myself and many other volunteers founded the centre.

Transcription

1 I am Sylvia Campbell, the President of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. My husband, myself and many other volunteers founded the centre. I appreciate this opportunity of speaking to you about Succession Planning which I feel is a very important step for any non-profit organization to take. I believe we will be having a round table after my talk and if there are any questions they can be considered at that time. 1

2 BACKGROUND: In l984, a non-profit organization developed named the Buckley Bay Wildlife Recovery Association. With a physical relocation to larger and suitable land in Errington in 1988 the organization took on a new life as NORTH ISLAND WILDLIFE RECOVERY ASSOCIATION (NIWRA). 2

3 Flashing forward to the present, over the past thirty (30) years we have gained invaluable experience, and achieved many goals by caring for injured wildlife. As originators, we realize that after giving 30 years of blood, sweat, and tears of total devotion to making NIWRA an operational success, we must have in place plans and systems to ensure its continuity and success. A succession plan is so important as many Baby Boomer, some who have worked 20 years or more in their position are now tendering their resignations. After working thirty years in an administrative position at NIWRA, last year I handed in my resignation and now am only involved in Board decisions.

4 Succession planning is often one of the most important parts of running a business and often one of the most ignored. If not done the results can be catastrophic. Yes, running a non-profit organization is a business and part of a business is succession planning. Too often volunteer boards would rather not have to spend the time and energy it takes to develop a succession plan but it should be part of your societies sound risk management practise. Keeping the initial Society's mission and service goals previously set out are important to the founders of the society and should be kept in mind when progressing with the succession plan with the help of like minded Board of Director's and key workers. A good succession plan also gives funders confident of their past and future resources being used as set out initially.

5 Succession planning. A succession plan means developing a plan where one thing is followed uninterruptedly by another. 5

6 Succession Planning and Actions as follows, are our TOOLS for CONTINUITY and CONTINUED SUCCESS. SUCCESSION PLANNING AND ACTIVITIES ARE: RECRUITING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED BOARD VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE ONGOING GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP AND CONSULTATION TO THE CEO. RECRUITING OR IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS TO FILL KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION, WITH SUFFICIENT ADVANCE TIME TO TRAIN AND DEVELOP THEIR NEEDED SKILLS; DEVELOPING A RENEWABLE LONG-TERM (5 YEARS AND ON) STRATEGIC ORGANIZATION PLAN OF THE MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION;

7 DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A RENEWABLE BUSINESS PLAN TO ENSURE FINANCIAL STABILITY AND FUTURE DIRECTION; DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A WRITTEN MARKETING PLAN WHICH DEFINES SOURCES OF, AND METHODS TO SECURE ONGOING FUNDING; DEVELOPING ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUALS TO ENSURE CONTINUITY AND SUCCESSION 6

8 A. RECRUITING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED BOARD VOLUNTEERS Whatever the model of Board you now have, developing a Governance board is ideal. Historically NIWRA had a working board that took on the many daily tasks of running the centre but NIWRA's board has evolved over the years into a governance board. They now set the tone for the organization and direct NIWRA's future by developing policy and strategic direction. Qualified individuals are necessary to keep the structure and continuity. As we will hear later in this talk, drawing from your volunteer pool is one way of finding good board members. Recently NIWRA has begun advertising for board members and it has been a very successful endeavour. I was surprised to receive many applications from very experienced and professional people. This is your chance to interview them to see where they can help. 7

9 To date, we have found competent Board members who are expert in areas such HR, fundraising, individuals with connections, finances (an accountant), a lawyer, individual knowledgeable of data entry (and invaluable with the policy and procedure manual). Plus they are wonderful people. These are the people who will be sure that your vision and mission is continued. The Board along with the CEO should initiate "Succession Planning" 7

10 B. KEY STAFF SUCCESSION PLANNING: Heaven forbid if one of your key staff personal leave you. Illness, retirement, or other serious personal issues, may mean replacing key staff personal. Having a plan in place means it can be done with minimal interruption to the organization Hopefully you will have at least 6-12 months notice for the vacancy of a CEO or head personnel. This timeframe will be needed to recruit and train a competent replacement. Having well trained and motivated competent staff in key subordinate roles and knowing in advance when vacancies will arise, are essential elements of RISK MANAGEMENT so that planning can be done to ensure your organization s continuity. In other words, watch for subordinate staff that can walk right into the role of the person leaving. This is why the CEO and other key senior staff should always ensure other employees

11 AND volunteers with potential, are recruited and continually trained (mentoring) and upgraded to be able to replace key staff who retire or leave the organization. To retain and train potential employees and volunteers, it is a priority to finding and providing funding for skills training.( i.e. online courses, conferences, bring in experts). Groom your employees and volunteers ready for possible succession. Meet career development expectations to excite employees to remain or to join the team. Build a data base that can be used when there is a vacancy. The new staff member or volunteer should be able to look at that data base and know what their job should entail. (job descriptions, policies, human resource issues, etc.) Develop and implement employee and volunteer evaluation and recognition programs (perks) which promote retention and personal contributions. (be creative) 8

12 RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF VOLUNTEERS AS A SUCCESSION STRATEGY: A vibrant resource pool of interested and committed volunteers is a strong asset to any non-profit organization. Recruitment of appropriate numbers of volunteers is an important ongoing responsibility to ensure adequate resources to support regular employee staff, and an important succession planning activity. Some of your volunteers are retired experts and can are valuable to your organization and may even fill an unexpected position. When and where possible, Volunteer leaders should be included in important planning and administrative activities in order to augment existing staff resources, and provide expanded perspectives on issues. Involved volunteers feel a part of the team.

13 Volunteer recognition programs should be a formal policy and process within your organization, in order to promote retention and commitment of this valuable resource. 9

14 C. LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING: NIWRA has gone through two strategic planning sessions in the last three years. The Board, CEO, and other key senior staff, should develop a formal written document which clearly and succinctly states the Mission, the Vision, and the primary Goals of your organization or society. This written Long Term Plan (three to five years) is one of the key succession planning documents which the Board and Senior Staff will refer to on an ongoing basis, and revise as necessary on an annual basis, to ensure ALL activities continue to be related to the fundamental reasons the organization or society exists.

15 Elements of the Strategic Plan that the Board and Senior Staff will create, include: Being concise and to the point (a few brief sentences) the overall Mission and Vision for the organization Documenting in general, overall plans, time frames, and tactics to achieve the Mission and Vision; Broadly defining the resources human, financial, physical required to achieve the overall goals; and Defining who specifically will be accountable for achieving specific organization goals, and the expected timelines and timeframes to achieve the goals.

16 This is a hypothetical template that you could use for your strategic plan. I am just using NIWRA here as an example. MISSION STATEMENT: NIWRA s Mission is to care for ill, injured and orphaned wildlife and to educate the public on wildlife and environmental issues. VISION STATEMENT: NIWRA will strive to be a self-sustainable, world class, top educational facility dealing with the rehabilitation of wildlife. OVERALL STRATEGIC GOAL: for the next three years To maintain and upgrade the existing services and facilities.

17 TYPICAL SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: To expand the number of animal enclosures and equip them with video monitoring equipment; To implement a telemetry system; and To secure new, and upgrade existing diagnostic, surgical, and medical treatment equipment to enhance care.

18 TYPICAL ACTION STATEMENTS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN: Identify the priority of each goal and objective; Identify the costs and potential sources of funding for each goal or objective; and Identify the timelines and timetable for objectives to be achieved. ASSIGN RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE EACH GOAL AND OBJECTIVE: Document who will be responsible and accountable for achieving each agreed to goal and objective.

19 D. THE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS: The Board and CEO needs to develop and implement a robust WRITTEN Business Plan ( a road map keeping your vision and goals in mind) which specifies: Financial Goals (for the current fiscal year, and for as far ahead as possible); Funding Sources and Expectations; Annual Operations, and Equipment Budgets, Planning Processes, and Timing; and Financial Reporting Systems timing of, and information provided.

20 ELEMENTS OF NIWRA s BUSINESS PLAN: SECTION 1. Executive Summary SECTION 2. The Organization Team : Board of Directors Organization Chart Professional Support (clinical) Government Contacts/Liaison Human Resources

21 SECTION 3. The Business Environment: History Summary Other Wildlife Rescue organizations Vancouver Island, BC Provincial, Affiliates SECTION 4. Marketing: Marketing Background/History Summary Table 1 Goals Increase Revenue; Expand Awareness Table 2 Goals Fundraising Strategies Sponsorship opportunities; Grants and Grant Applications; Legacy Giving

22 SECTION 5. Operations: defines and describes the scope of business activities Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation (what species, what limits) Research and Education activities and limits Education programs define and state limits Gift Shop and Guest Services define Buildings and Grounds (for the wildlife; clinics and labs; for staff; for guests) Administration policies and procedures manuals organization charts; orientation and training manuals

23 SECTION 6. Finances (Review and Write Annually): Financial goals over specific periods 1-year; 5-year; Define regular funding sources, and allocate to specific programs/obligations Specify expected annual funding from grants, legacies, donations Prepare and document formal annual financial budgets for all operations and expenditures, which support the Business Plan defined elements

24 SECTION 7. Risk Analysis (On an annual basis): Identify and quantify risks to the operational and future success of the organization State strategies to avoid the known risks, and identify specific key persons and resources to take any required remedial actions Measure the success of your business plan through your financial statements.

25 E. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING YOUR MARKETING PLAN: Overall aims for developing and implementing a written Marketing Plan for your organization are to: Ensure continued revenues from existing funding sources; Identify, quantify, and document potential new sources of income; Establish specific target amounts and timelines to tie-in with budget requirements; Document strategies/methods to approach the revenue sources; and Assign specific people to approach these potential revenue sources.

26 F. DEVELOPING WRITTEN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: Probably the best thing we have every done. I believe it took at least one year to accomplish this goal. I had to take thirty years of experience and put it down on paper. This is one of the least desirable activities any organization undertakes, but is one of the most important to ensure continuity An active organization engaged in our work with animals is only as effective as the policies and procedures we have in place to ensure QUALITY and CONSISTENCY in our approach to all situations and issues. This is where we go back to key staff members leaving. Without documentation, it's like starting all over again.

27 There are many sources of information and templates available to help you and your organization formalize your policies and procedures (P&P). Many of your P&P are well entrenched in the operations of your organization, but unfortunately, these are usually NOT written down and catalogued in an easily retrievable manner or system. NIWRA used as a reference the software tool: Not-for-Profit Policy Pro 22

28 This is a comprehensive tool which covers the following key policy topics to include in your P&P: Governance processes; Corporate Administration; Financial Management; Human Resources; and Public Policy and Advocacy. P&P are usually reviewed annually, or as circumstances dictate by senior staff to ensure they still express the Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives of the organization and to ensure continuity. Our board is still finalizing our manual and when changes occur, they oversee the changes. This approach allows any key person in the organization to leave for any reason, without threat of interruption to the survival of the organization. Along with the PP Manual, employee, volunteer and board manuals

29 were developed. We have manuals for the CEO, Animal Care personal, and yard maintenance. These are clear and informative manuals that tell your employee/volunteers/board what is expected of them. 23

30 CURVES AND ROADBLOCKS So, with all the planning and work to ensure the continuous operations and success of your work with wildlife, how do you deal with the unpredictable? Many of you have reported that your Soceity does not have final authority or ownership over the land you occupy to operate your organization. The important thing to remember is to include this issue into the succession planning process and engage your Board or advisors for their collective wisdom on solving this key issue. By including this into your succession plan, it will ensure order and problem solving logic. Remember this is a business and solving the acquisition of the land or not, is a good business plan and will promote succession. All the hard work of construction the buildings, ponds, offices and

31 infrastructure may be in jeopardy without continuous planning. The Problem: Circumstances change: - there is the possibility of the Society being asked to leave the property can become a reality. - and the owner is put into a difficult situation. Maybe they want to live on a deserted island and need the funds to do that. How can this be prevented from happening in the future or how can the problem be solved which already exists. WHAT TO DO? So what to do? There may be other scenarios but I can only tell you what I have learned over the years. The day you become a society and begin to acquire money for operations of the centre, start putting money away in a property development fund for the acquisition of the land you are on or to buy other land. Even though you can only afford to give a small percentage to this, it should be done. Over twenty years, it can add up. Be sure it goes into a high interest account. Make those funds "Restricted" on your financial statement and inform Canada Revenue that those funds are for acquiring land. By restricting the money, it does not look bad on your financial statement. If you have been in operation for many years, the same can be done. If you do fundraisers, put a set percentage or all of it away for land acquisition. Tuck the funds away into high interest accounts or GIC's. Purchase a life insurance policy on the land owner with their permission. The premiums are high as the person gets older so start sooner than later. This protects the Society and potential heirs. Secure a long term lease with the land owner. 24

32 If a bequest comes into the centre, use it all or a portion of it for land acquisition if it has not been specifically tagged for a project. Delegate it to a separate high interest account, restrict the funds on your financial statement and build a nest egg. If the land owner is in agreement, have mention in their will that the Society has first option to purchase the land. Without some kind of planning, both the Society and the land owner is in jeopardy. In my experience, I believe having the Society reside on privately owned land is not a good idea without a good succession plan in place. 24

33 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND PATIENCE WITH THE DETAILS. COPIES OF THE ELEMENTS OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM.