Attendees: Dennis Clower, Mark Crawford, Mario Gangemi, Holly Hannum, Doug Hill, Joe Janusz, Larry Klevans, Dan Schneckenburger, Hinda Smith, Barbara Snyder, Dan Speakman, Rick Waterhouse
Ralph Young and Janet Fallon were also in attendance.

Dan Schneckenburger called the meeting to order at 6:15 P.M.

President’s Report: Dan Schneckenburger

Need for a person/position to coordinate all aspects of fund raising.
Current fund balance: $16,130
Review in break out sessions five areas of fundraising/finances.
Personnel Committee will develop position description/recruitment plan in next six months so that we could be in a position to hire by Fall 2004.
Coincides with new officers in June 1, 2004.
How can we be in a position to be ready to recruit an executive director (development officer) by June 1, 2004 and to be ready to hire someone by Fall, 2004?

Financial Report as of Dec 31, 2003 (L. Klevans)
1. In Dec. 2003 income ($5000) exceeded expenses ($37) by $4963 .
2. The majority of income items were a $4,500 grant from the Soil Conservation District and a $500 grant from the Rising Sun Lions Club.
3. Major expenses for Dec. 2003 were $93 for telephone. Note there was no payroll in December as planned. In January all hours worked in December will be paid.
4. As of December 31, 2003 our Year to date Income (YTD) totals
$ 98,711 vs a budget of $109,730, while YTD expenses total $98,577 vs a budget of $109,730. Thus, our YTD net income is + $133. Good execution guys and gals!
5. The Fund Balance as of Dec 31, 2003 was $16130.
6. We are preparing a request for our regular $5000 appropriation from Cecil County Government.

Comparative Budget Review for the Last Five Years:

Larry Klevans, Treasurer

FAIR HILL ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION
2003 Annual Report of the Treasurer
January 10, 2003
The attached chart shows the financial performance of the Fair Hill Environmental Foundation for Fiscal Year s(FY) 2002, 2003, and shows the budget for FY 2004.
The organization had a net gain of $134, for FY 2003, and ended the year with a fund balance of $16131. We started the year with a fund balance of $16,051
In reviewing the data the following are brought to the attention of the Board of Directors:
1. For FY 2003, income was $98,711, and this was $11,109 under budget, while expenses were $86,577, $10,953 under budget.
2. Conventional donations were significantly below budget, but were somewhat balanced out by larger than budget donations from the United Way of Delaware and United Way of Cecil County. It is difficult to forecast these donations, and the 2004 budget shows lower numbers. Grants were significantly higher than budget, especially $9,000 from the Soil Conservation District, $6,000 from the Cecil County Bar Foundation, $2500 from the Waterfowl foundation, $1000 from the Arts Council, $516 Aquatic Grant from the State of MD for $515 and $ 500 from the Rising Sun Lions Club.
3. Membership income is down about 15% from last year and needs a push.
4. Cecil County Public Schools revenue was very close to budget.
5. Summer camp was up slightly over last year, and above budget,
6. Expenses, Staff salaries were below budget, as there was no increases in wage rates during the 2003, nor was there an increase in the 2004 budget. This should be evaluated during the year as it has been almost 2 years since there was an increase.
7. Our Special Fund Raisers brought in $11423; $9,286 from the SpringFest, $1900 from FoxTrot Ball, and $245 from Frog Frenzy

Although we showed a net gain for the year, we did so by not spending what we had budgeted. This covered up our shortfalls in fund raising.
Looking towards the 2004 budget, we really need to improve our donation income measurably and sustain our grant income. The IMLS grant, which is a matching grant, will require the nature center to supply about $7-10,000 in wages and donated services for the current and the next two years, 2005 and 2006. There is no line item for this grant in the budget.

I, conservatively estimate, that a fund balance of about $45,000 is needed to support hiring an executive director, and to carry our long-delayed repairs. It will require a major commitment and effort to reach that figure.

Lawrence M. Klevans, Treasurer
January 10, 2004

Break out Sessions (45 minutes)
1) Fund Raisers (Mario, Barb, Janet, Hinda)
a)Springfest
(2003 raised $9000, set goal for 2004)
b)Fox Trot Ball
(2003 raised $1900, set goal for 2004)
c)Other efforts

NOTES:
We should view the preparation for Spring Fest as the fundraising period and the actual day as a “thank you day” and a celebration of the efforts of our sponsors, workers, members and the Board. We should have a wine and cheese event the night before and invite sponsors. We should set a goal of raising $18,000 at this year’s Spring Fest. We could have a 5K run/walk in lieu of the trail walk, with the money being raised by the entrance fee. Hinda may have someone to arrange the entry fee. If we do a 50/50 raffle, we should start selling tickets earlier than last year; ie. as soon as possible.
For the Fox Trot Ball, we should set a goal of $4,000. Holly would chair this event if she could be freed from some of her teaching duties. We should stay with the price of $50/ticket. Some changes need to be made in the food service and in the type of music/band that we hire. We are already on the schedule with DNR for September 18, 2004. We need to increase advertising for this event and we need to get an early start on its organization.
Other fund raising suggestions: naming rights for the Nature Center facilities and selling goods such as pizza, candy, etc.

2) Grants
a) IMLS
(how will disposition of funds help fund balance, plans from grant in 2004, etc.)
b) Others (Cecil Partnerships, St. Mary's, Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
c) Goals for 2004
NOTES:
We did not have a break out session for this topic. Short discussion on disposition of funds for 2004 detailed a website development program by Karen Aspinwall with this expenditure being funded by the IMLS grant. Rick indicated St. Mary's will give us $750 in 2004 as a grant.

3) Corporate donors/ Sponsors (Dan Speakman, Doug, Dennis, Rick)
a) Video program-why did it not work in 2003; how do we rejuvinate?
b) Large sponsors (Cecil Bar, Patsy Dupont) did not donate as much as anticipated)
How do we get them back or replace?
c) Any new initiatives
d) Goals for 2004

NOTES:
With regard to presentations to potential corporate donors, some Board members are uncomfortable with this role; many companies did not respond to requests to meet with us; “cold calls” are not effective; an executive director should do this and would be much more effective at it.
Corporate donations: there are not many large corporations in Cecil County; many other organizations are seeking funding as well. One strategy would be to try to include more corporate representatives on our board.
Some ideas to help recruit company and organizational sponsors: sell corporate advertisements in the Buzz or newsletter; provide a plaque as a “thank you”, which a company or business could display on their premises; in exchange for a corporate sponsorship, give them a “corporate membership” which would allow all of their employees to attend FHNEC programs and events free of charge; put corporate or company logos on the banners we hang over Rt. 273 to advertise our events; have a company sponsor a specific grade level, school, or class’s visit to the Nature Center; have classes who visit the Nature Center write a “thank you” to the companies that donated funds; renew the idea of having a corporate-sponsored calendar for 2005.

4) Membership (Dan Schneckenburger, Ralph, Joe, Holly)
a) How to increase and retain members (fees, fees for programs, etc.)
b) Look at new areas for recruitement (New London, PA and Newark)
c) Calendar promotion
d) Enhance summer camp fees and offerings
e) Goals for 2004
NOTES:
Membership is the number one area where the Nature Center could make the biggest difference in improving the financial situation. We discussed targeted areas. Nearly 8000 school age children visit the Nature Center annually with 3500 being in grades 1,2, and 3. We have no knowledge of what percentage of this target group are members despite good experiences from our attendees. We know there are 19 PTO organizations; presentations to them may help. Finding addresses for this 8000 will be difficult as this information may not be released by the School Board. Even handouts for grades 1,2, and 3 would be helpful. We just really haven't asked these families to join! Even a 10% goal of having the families of this group join would dramatically increase our membership.
Summer camp is another attendance success without tangible membership benefits. We had 270 attendees and estimated that 90 (Pat Holleran may know the real number) of these are not members (one third). To change this, we need to make it financially lucrative for this 90 people to join by making the price difference between members/ non members much larger. Prices for summer camp, schedule, and the new non-member pricing needs to be ready by March 1.

We discussed the calendar proposal (sponsors for months and calendar sold/given to members) and found it to be a good investment, which could garner $4000 for the Nature Center. This should be pursued for the 2005 calendar year.
We discussed other areas to recruit where we have little membership (Newark, New London, PA, Rising Sun) and ways to get there (sorting by zip code, list of community organizations, telephone).
We also discussed the 15% drop in membership reported by Larry. A thorough review of the database, how we are billing, and the delivery of renewal notices are needed to see where improvements could be made. This needs to get done in the next few months. One area for renewal that would help is put an individual line item in the BUZZ to alert members for renewal.
In summary, we need a better handle on who our members are, where they live, and a better plan to follow up on non-renewals. We should target the parents of students who visit and parents of campers as potential members. This could be done through school PTOs with a presentation at a meeting.Could we possibly get into a Welcome Wagon package for new residents of the area, so people know about us right away?

5) Financial (Larry, Mark, Dennis)
a) Commissioners solicitation (ask for more than $5000)
b) Loans (equity line, etc.)
c) Credit card payment options (implement; how can this help us)
d) Goals for 2004

NOTES:
There is a large imbalance between the services we provide the school district and what they pay for. They receive roughly about 80% of our services for a contribution of $14,000 a year.
We should ask the county commissioners for $10,000 instead of the $5,000 we have been getting. If we approach them with an explanation of the Development Officer’s position, and told them that we are requesting more so we can fund this position and start supporting ourselves to a greater extent, we might get a better response from them.
County Bank has shown the willingness to provide us an equity credit line, which could be tapped to get the start-up funds for a Development Officer’s salary.
Thoughts on Executive Director: Theresa Clower gets help through Americorp/VISTA - continue to work on this as a source; offer a paid internship to a college undergraduate or graduate student in Marketing or a related field; remember to calculate all of the extras that go along with this position (overhead costs, computer and phone service, travel expenses, etc.); make sure the position has clearly defined goals, that the person knows what has been done before and what the Nature Center is looking for them to accomplish, and that the person knows the line of authority above them - to whom they should report - one person only - the Board President; title the position as “Development Officer” rather than Executive Director; need delineated financial goals with the incentives (percentage they would get of the funds they bring in) available to the candidate.
-this person needs to promote the Nature Center
-primarily a fund raiser (look at commission structure)
-person separate from staff
-person needs to increase membership (would greatly help in all discussion areas of this retreat)
-for corporate sponsorships, we would have one voice
-need very detailed position description to be approved by the Board
The Personnel Committee (H. Smith, chairperson) is charged with coming up with the appropriate title, position description, and recruitment strategy for hire in third quarter 2004.

New Business:
St. Mary Anne's Church has tentatively agreed to give us $750 this year for third grade programs at the Center.
There will be a Spring Fest meeting Wednesday, January 21, at 4:30 p.m., at the B.O.E. building.
Next Board meeting: February 10, 2004, 6:30 p.m. at Nature Center (or otherwise designated location)
We are concerned that board member Nancy Simpers has a serious illness; we wish her the best and will make attempts to contact her to see how we can help.

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Thanks to Mark Crawford and Sandy Cove Ministries for hosting us!

Respectfully submitted by Rick Waterhouse

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