SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATION Strategic Plan Fiscal Years:

Transcription

1 SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATION Strategic Plan Fiscal Years: PART I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. Introduction This strategic plan is intended to be a guiding document for the Tree Foundation s Board of Directors and management team. It defines the vision and the goals of the Tree Foundation for the period Plans for the Tree Foundation s programs and services are meant to flow from this strategic plan and support it. This strategic plan was adopted by the Tree Foundation s Board of Directors in June B. Overview Building the best urban forest for the Sacramento region is both the purpose and the vision of the Sacramento Tree Foundation. (The region is defined as including El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties.) The Greenprint is the roadmap for achieving that vision. Through this vision, we can combat global climate change, reduce air pollution, conserve energy, improve our water quality, and create livable neighborhoods and communities throughout the region. Thus everyone living and working in our region will benefit from this vision. This three-year plan details how the Tree Foundation intends to implement this vision. The backbone of this plan is a regional initiative, called the Greenprint, which is the first of its kind in the nation. The Greenprint defines specific principles for regional leadership and urban planning that optimize the environmental, economic and social benefits of the tree canopy. Through the hard work of the Tree Foundation s staff, volunteers and partners, and early commitments made by elected officials, the Greenprint has begun to take shape. However, it will ultimately depend on the good will and efforts of hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the Sacramento region for it to succeed. In this sense, it is a call to action for everyone. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 1

2 PART II: STRATEGIC FOUNDATION A. Purpose The purpose of the Sacramento Tree Foundation is to build the best urban forest for the Sacramento region. We define the best urban forest as one that optimizes the social, economic and environmental benefits of trees. In this context, the urban forest refers to the tapestry of trees and other vegetation that support healthy urban and suburban communities. Building the best urban forest for the region means we must: Optimize tree canopy benefits Achieve maximum canopy Ensure the canopy is healthy and safe Ensure that the people who live within the urban forest understand, appreciate, and support it. The Tree Foundation sees its role as catalyzing and building the best urban forest for the region it serves and in so doing provide a legacy for future generations. B. Core Values Core values are essential to achieving the organization s purpose and thus are the most important things that it does. The Tree Foundation s core values are to: Ensure continuous investment in the urban forest Educate and advocate on behalf of the urban forest Foster citizen leadership and community building Have trained, qualified, and dedicated board, staff and volunteers Be open, honest, and trustworthy Be science-based Work collaboratively with the public, private, educational and nonprofit sectors of our community. Be financially sustainable as an organization Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 2

3 C. Vision The vision of the Sacramento Tree Foundation is to succeed in building the best urban forest for the Sacramento region by mobilizing citizens, businesses, and local governments. As a result: Peak summer ambient temperatures will be reduced 3-4 degrees on average. Energy use will be reduced by 30% during summer months. Air pollution will be cut significantly, particularly the levels of nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulates. Up to 925 tons of carbon will be sequestered per day. Water quality will improve because of reduced levels of pollutants and storm water runoff in our rivers and streams. The quality of life for people living in the Sacramento region will rise, as a result of living in safer, greener, and more sustainable communities and neighborhoods. Achieving this vision will deliver billions of dollars in net benefits to the region over 40 years, assuming 5 million new trees are planted and cared for. See Appendix A for a detailed breakdown. D. Trends These important trends will affect the Tree Foundation in the course of this plan and beyond. There will be increasing validation from the scientific community of the economic, environmental and social benefits of trees. There will be a large-scale investment in combating global climate change due to California s Climate Change Initiative. Sacramento is projected to be one of the top five fastest-growing regions in the United States, one of the most diverse regions in the country, and one of the nation s top ten non-attainment areas for poor air quality. Average residential lot sizes in Sacramento will shrink while development densities rise, limiting the available planting sites for large canopy shade trees. There will be increased influence from the development community on the infill and new growth areas of the urban forest. There will be increased efforts to connect young people to their natural environment. Corporate and family volunteerism will continue to grow in popularity. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 3

4 PART III. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goal 1: Optimize the Benefits of the Urban Forest Objective 1.1: Initiate a comprehensive and science-based canopy assessment and tree planting campaign throughout Sacramento County and the region. a. Ensure completion of the regional urban forest census by October Responsibility: Volunteer Coordinator b. Greenprint Regional Steering Committee adopts the regional tree planting master plan by January Responsibility: Greenprint Director c. Ensure the inclusion of trees in the Air Quality Implementation Plan by May Responsibility: Greenprint Director d. Adopt and implement a State Implementation Plan tree planting campaign by all Greenprint Regional Steering Committee members by May Responsibility: Greenprint Director e. Implement a voluntary carbon offset program by May 2008 if grant funds are received. f. Ensure SMUD, NATURE, and NeighborWoods program annual goals are met. Responsibility: Sacramento Shade Director/NATURE Program Manager g. Expand shade tree energy saving programs throughout the region. h. Map and monitor all non-private and private trees planted by the Tree Foundation by January Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator Objective 1.2: Facilitate the implementation and advancement of Greenprint in each jurisdiction in Sacramento County. a. Ensure that each jurisdiction has completed their baseline urban forest assessment, including their position within the growth rings by Jan Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 4

5 b. Develop and publish a growth ring assessment and scorecard annually. Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator c. Establish and convene a Sacramento County Greenprint County Steering Committee to prioritize and coordinate the advancement of the growth rings by Feb Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator d. Orient NeighborWoods, Sacramento Shade and Community Shade to support the Greenprint goals. Responsibility: Sacramento Shade Director e. Increase the number of neighborhood urban forest master plans under the NeighborWoods program. Responsibility: Sacramento Shade Director Objective 1.3: Support the implementation of Greenprint in each jurisdiction outside Sacramento County. a. Support each jurisdiction in their efforts to complete the baseline urban forest assessment including their position within the growth rings by Jan Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator b. Develop and publish a growth ring assessment and scorecard annually. Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator c. In conjunction with California ReLeaf, facilitate the development of local nonprofits in each county to spearhead the effort to ensure that each jurisdiction is progressing through the growth rings by May d. Convene two Greenprint Regional Steering Committee meetings a year. Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator Objective 1.4: Leverage the NATURE program to pursue mitigation efforts across the region. a. Secure three new mitigation partnerships by June Responsibility: NATURE Program Manager Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 5

6 Goal 2: Create an Informed and Active Citizenry Objective 2.1: Increase education and advocacy. a. Hold How to Get Involved Greenprint workshops for citizens in every jurisdiction by June Responsibility: Greenprint Director b. Develop a Master Citizen Forester Certification Program and hold an initial training for a minimum of 30 people by June 2008 and 150 people by March Responsibility: Education Coordinator c. Develop a Greenprint neighborhood and community certification program in conjunction with the local Building Industry Association. Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator d. Develop and advance the We live in an urban forest communications campaign, stage one, through June Responsibility: Communications Coordinator e. Expand formal education programs: Seed to Seedling and Volunteer classes. Responsibility: Education Coordinator f. Convene and coordinate Greenprint ordinance and policy committee. Responsibility: Greenprint Coordinator g. Work with California Releaf, the California Tree Collaborative, and the Alliance for Community Trees to increase federal, state and local funding for urban forestry in the region. Responsibility: Executive Director h. Develop and deliver training workshops for urban forestry professionals, landscape architects, engineers and planning professionals Responsibility: Greenprint Director i. Implement web-based and education outreach campaign for urban forestry professionals, planning professionals, business community and private citizens to access useful tools and materials by June Responsibility: Communications Coordinator j. Develop and disseminate the Greenprint initiative to enlist neighborhood and business participation. Responsibility: Greenprint Director Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 6

7 Objective 2.2: Expand our youth movement. a. Expand and support, Acorn Kids Club by June Responsibility: Education Coordinator b. Create a Greenprint Certified school program by September Responsibility: Education Coordinator Goal 3: Increase Funding Objective 3.1: Increase our base funding to three million dollars by June a. Increase our capacity to attract major gifts. Responsibility: Executive Director Objective 3.2: Achieve 100% financial participation by Greenprint members by June a. Achieve equitable underwriting support. Objective 3.3: Achieve 10% growth in gross, unrestricted revenues. a. Increase membership revenue by 10% annually. Responsibility: Development Coordinator b. Achieve 5% growth in revenues from general giving per year. Responsibility: Development Coordinator c. Increase number of and size of grant asks. Responsibility: Development Coordinator Objective 3.4: Ensure all programs are 100% funded with 25% built in for administration and overhead where possible. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 7

8 a. Negotiate 25% overhead for all contracts to extent possible. Responsibility: Chief Financial Officer Objective 3.5: Invest in a long-term financial sustainability funding plan. b. Establish a planned giving program by July Responsibility: Development Coordinator c. Launch a capital and endowment campaign by April Responsibility: Development Coordinator Goal 4: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Productivity Objective 4.1: Invest in building staff competencies and skill sets to achieve strategic direction. a. Orient the staff to the strategic plan and provide staff monthly updates starting in August b. Develop annual staff training plan. Responsibility: Chief Operating Officer Objective 4.2: Increase our staffing level to successfully implement the objectives listed in this plan. a. Implement staffing plan (see Appendix B) starting in July b. Invest in staff competencies. Responsibility: Executive Director Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 8

9 Objective 4.3: Invest in Board communication and development. a. Create a Board training plan. Responsibility: Board Development Committee b. Improve level of communication among and service to Board members. Responsibility: Executive Assistant c. Ensure 100% Board achievement of Board goals. Responsibility: Executive Director Objective 4.4: Expand our volunteer base. a. Foster and create an integrated plan through NeighborWoods Foresters, NATURE, Administration, Development and all other programs to increase recruitment and retention of volunteers. Responsibility: Volunteer Coordinator Objective 4.6: Partner with the City of Sacramento, the Natomas Basin Conservancy and others to build an Urban Ecology Center. a. Resubmit Kresge Foundation grant for planning, design and engineering by September b. Develop a final plan with articulated conceptualizing of programs and services and identification of partner roles and responsibilities by June c. Urban Ecology Center business plan completed and approved by Board of Directors by June d. Hire a consultant to prepare a capital campaign readiness study by fall e. Partner with environmental educators to develop urban forest education platforms/activities for proposed Urban Ecology Center. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 9

10 PART IV: PERFORMANCE SCORECARD The following scorecard will be used by the Board of Directors to measure effectiveness in achieving our strategic plan: Goal 1: Optimize the Benefits of the Urban Forest Target Years Measures of Success Baseline Progress Fr. FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 Number of advancements in Greenprint growth rings As of 9/07 M Publication of Greenprint Report Card starting in September 2007 A Increase the number of NeighborWood master plans 20 groups Q Regional tree census Summer 07 census 5 yrs 0 0 Achieve optimal survival rates for: Nature 95% NeighborWoods 80% Sacramento Shade 70% Nature 92% NeighborWoods 80% Sacramento Shade 80% 93% 86% 86% 94% 88% 88% 95% 90% 90% SA Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 10

11 Goal 2: Create an Informed and Active Citizenry Target Years Measures of Success Baseline Progress Fr. FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 Increase in media partnerships and stories generated (2) 0 Q Number of participants at training/education classes unknown Q Increase in advocacy actions 1 0 Q Public opinion surveys 0 A Program sign ups through website 35 Q Goal 3: Increase Funding Target Years Measures of Success Baseline Progress Fr. FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 Increase in base level funding 10% annual $1.8 million Q 1,980,000 2,178,000 2,395,800 1 Advocacy actions: Policies that directly effect the urban forest- tracking staff, contacts with elected officials, and campaigning 2. annual study, urban forest issues. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 11

12 Goal 4: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Productivity Target Years Measures of Success Baseline Progress Fr. FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 Increase in annual number of volunteers and volunteer hours 3,830 /?? Q Achieve 100% of staff training plan 50% Q 80% 100% 100% Achieve 100% of board training plan None Q 50% 75% 100% Achieve 100% of Urban Ecology Center Development Plan 25% Q 50% 75% 100% Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 12

13 Appendix A: The following tables show the average 40-year benefits and costs of new trees (both residential and public) in our region. Residential trees Benefit of 1 tree: Avg. 40 yr: Cost of 1 tree Avg. 40 yr: Cooling $ Tree and planting $ Heating $ Pruning $ Net energy $ Remove/dispose $ Net CO2 $ Pest/disease $ Air pollution $ Infrastructure $ Hydrology $ Irrigation $ Esthetics/other $ Cleanup $ Liability/legal $ Administration $ Total: $ $ Public trees Benefit of 1 tree: Avg. 40 yr: Cost of 1 tree Avg. 40 yr: Cooling $ Tree and planting $ Heating $ Pruning $ Net energy $ Remove/dispose $ Net CO2 $ Pest/disease $ Air pollution $ Infrastructure $ Hydrology $ Irrigation $ Esthetics/other $ Cleanup $ Liability/legal $ Administration $ Total: $ $ Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 13

14 The following table shows the total net benefits of planting 5 million trees in the Sacramento region over 40 years. Item: Totals: Net cumulative benefits, 1 residential tree (40 years) $ Number of residential trees projected Total cumulative benefits, residential trees $ $ Net cumulative benefits, 1 public tree (40 years) $ Number of public trees projected Total cumulative benefits, residential trees $ Total net benefits $ Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 14

15 Appendix B The following shows the projected staffing changes over the three-year period. Open Positions Filled Greenprint Coordinator, Robin Evans August 2007 Current Positions Upgraded Development Coordinator to Development Director March 2008 Communications Coordinator to Communications Director March 2008 New Positions Greenprint Director, Gordon Mann July 2007 Chief Operating Officer September 2007 NeighborWoods Coordinator September 2007 Development Associate September 2007 Education Coordinator January 2008 GIS Systems Operator January 2008 Carbon Debt Program Administrator February 2008 NATURE Program Manager, Regional July 2008 NATURE Field Assistants (2), Regional July 2008 Website Coordinator PT Fall 2008 Greenprint Coordinator Fall 2008 Greenprint Coordinator Fall 2009 Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 15

16 Appendix C The Tree Foundation is a non-profit organization serving the greater Sacramento region. It is governed by a Board of Directors (the Board ). An executive director and a senior management team manage its operations. These are the key moments in the Tree Foundation s history: 1981: City of Sacramento Mayor Phil Isenberg and County Board of Supervisor Illa Collin call for the creation of a nonprofit tree foundation dedicated to trees. 1982: California Arbor Day (March 7) marks the founding of the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Ann Kohl volunteers to be the first Executive Director on a half-time, volunteer basis. 1983: The Tree Foundation successfully plants 400 trees in its first year through its community grants program for trees in parks, schools and streets. 1985: The Year of the Oak celebrates native trees throughout Sacramento County. 10,000 new oaks are planted and the Sacramento Tree Foundation develops a new school activity: Seed to Seedling growing native oaks in the classroom. 1990: The Tree Foundation launches Trees for Tomorrow campaign a plan to plant 1 million trees by the year The Tree Foundation hires Ray Tretheway to be its first full time executive director. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) pledges to plant 500,000 trees dedicated to energy efficiency in partnership with Sacramento Tree Foundation. 1991: As a result of the Sacramento Shade Program partnership with SMUD, outreach expands from a thousand people and a thousand trees a year to more than 25,000 people and 25,000 trees a year. Sacramento Tree Foundation s budget grows from $150,000 to $ 1.6 million. 1993: The Sacramento Shade Program pushes Sacramento Tree Foundation to plant 48,000 trees in a single year. The Alliance for Community Trees is founded as a national network for community tree planting, care conservation and education. Its initial three years was headquartered at Sacramento Tree Foundation, and it is now based in Washington, D.C. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 16

17 The Tree Foundation, in collaboration with Congressman Vic Fazio, establishes the U.S. Forest Service Western Center for Urban Forest Research and Education at Davis, California. 1994: A citizens group called Save the Elms Program (STEP) creates a volunteer monitoring program to combat Dutch elm disease. STEP is housed at Sacramento Tree Foundation. 1995: The Western Center for Urban Forest Research is founded, one of only three in the Forest Service system, and the only one located west of the Mississippi River. 1996: Sacramento Tree Foundation issues Sacramento s first State of the Trees Report, subtitled creating a shared vision for stewarding a sustainable urban forest. 1998: NeighborWoods is launched with support from the County of Sacramento. Its purpose is to foster neighborhood-led planning for tree plantings and stewardship of local urban forests. The Tree Foundation petitions the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to include Sacramento in its urban heat island initiative. Sacramento is selected along with Salt Lake City and Baton Rouge. This marks the beginning of the Sacramento Cool Communities Project. 1999: Sacramento Tree Foundation launches a tree replacement mitigation program, NATURE Native Trees in the Urban and Rural Environment, under the management of the County s Department of Environmental Review and Assessment. It results in the planting of thousands of native trees annually. 2000: NASA completes its series of aerial photographs mapping the urban heat island effect in Sacramento, a major contribution to the Sacramento Cool Communities Project. The Tree Foundation releases its second State of the Trees Report. It calls on local governments to create a regional urban forest master plan and a community-wide renaissance to promote the importance of trees for future generations. 2001: Arbor Day marks the successful completion of the Trees for Tomorrow Campaign, renamed the Millennium Tree Celebration, to plant a million trees in Sacramento. A celebratory marker is placed in Cesar Chavez Park, across from City Hall. Sacramento Tree Foundation partners with the California Energy Commission s Cool Roof Program to install reflective roofs, light surfaces and shade trees. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 17

18 The Tree Foundation initiates the Sacramento Regional Urban Forest Framework, involving local governments in the six County Sacramento Area Council of Governments regions in support of the Greenprint, a unifying vision for building the best urban forest for the region : The Tree Foundation establishes an annual Tree Hero Awards program, recognizing extraordinary accomplishments by an individual and an organization, and also recognizing an extraordinary tree or grove. 2003: The Sacramento Shade program, a landmark partnership with SMUD, plants its 350,000 th shade tree. 2004: The Tree Foundation institutes Global Information System (GIS) urban forest mapping and monitoring system. 2005: The Greenprint is adopted by official resolutions in 6 Counties and 22 Cities 2006: Sacramento Tree Foundation is named Regional Organization of the Year by Sacramento Area Council of Governments. 2007: The Tree Foundation celebrates the 25 th anniversary of its founding. 2007: First National Workshop: Sharing the Greenprint Model sees over 35 participants. 2 The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) comprises the six regional counties El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba and all the cities within those counties. Sacramento Tree Foundation: Strategic Plan Page 18