STRATEGIC PLAN
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY
Pennsylvania's First Conservancy - Founded in 1932

V. Maintain a healthy organization

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WPC's board and management are committed to insuring a healthy organization, which adheres to its mission and follows board-approved ethical guiding principles, including the highest standards of fiscal management and conflict of interest. WPC adheres to a management style which advances an open flow of information, teamwork, and integration of programs across the organization. WPC's management strives to empower staff at all levels, and provides mechanisms for problems to be brought forward to the highest level. WPC relies on its constituents for continued and active engagement and support and seeks to optimally utilize volunteers and interns to maximize capacity and to expose the general public to its programs. To remain healthy, WPC recognizes the importance of diversified revenue sources and will continue working to build individual giving, and seek revenue through entrepreneurial opportunities.

A. Attract and retain diversified and committed leadership, staff, volunteers

Background and future direction

The WPC Board of Directors, together with its various committees, governs WPC and provides significant and involved leadership to the organization. The board is comprised of up to 36 volunteer members elected to 3-year terms, and presently 25 seats are filled. The board has appointed an Executive Committee which has the full powers of the board. The Executive Committee primarily handles land transactions that need attention in the intervening months on which the full board does not meet, and other matters on an as-needed basis. Committees of the board include Finance, Personnel, Audit, Nominating, Fundraising and Board Development for recruitment of perspective board members. To provide valuable input to staff, the board also appoints various program committees, which include both board member and non-board member community leaders. The WPC Board of Directors seeks to:

• Advance and adhere to ethical standards and principles in governance, program operations, human resources, financial management and fundraising
• Diversify its membership to appropriately represent the diverse regional community and areas of professional expertise
• Annually assess its operation and make adjustments as appropriate
• Uphold the well-defined line of its governance and policy setting role, and that of the chief executive officer, who is charged with carrying out policy set by the board and managing day-to-day activities
• Participate actively in strategic planning
• Establish human resource related policies including compensation
• Provide close oversight of invested funds, and monitoring of annual income and expense and overall organizational assets
• Directly participate in fund raising and building a strong constituency base
• Attend the Annual Meeting of Members and other WPC events

Background and future direction

WPC's human resource management practices are linked to WPC's mission and are designed to enhance and maximize the strategic value of WPC employees. WPC seeks to attract and retain talented and qualified individuals to carry out its work. WPC constantly works to increase staff diversity at all levels of the organization, with special emphasis on improving minority representation. WPC seeks to create an inclusive, “all-embracing” organization that draws upon the strength of the diversity of our staff and constituents. WPC continues to review staffing needs and required job responsibilities to insure the optimal use of human resources. WPC's performance management process includes conducting timely, accurate and documented annual employee performance appraisals based on clearly defined, measurable objectives and individual accountability. WPC will:

• Create a Diversity Plan with outreach objectives to attract and retain minority representation by first quarter 2004.
• Provide statistical quarterly diversity report showing number of minority outreach efforts, number of minority interviews, and number of individuals employed to monitor efforts toward reaching diversity goals.
• Perform on-going review of staffing models, positions and the skills required to carry out organizational operational plans. Continue to perform annual performance appraisals for all staff including measurable performance objectives.

Background and future direction

To maintain a competitive and equitable compensation program and to attract and retain qualified employees, WPC will continue to perform a biannual, independent market review of salaries and benefits for all positions. WPC will continue to carefully manage benefit needs with fiscal prudence. Our compensation program is designed to link performance achievements to salary increase considerations. The Personnel Committee of the Board reviews performance appraisals and approves all executive salary changes under IRS Intermediate Sanctions Rules for disqualified persons.

Goal 4: Advance teamwork and integration of program areas across the organization

Background the future direction

WPC operates with a management style that encourages staff to work in partnerships across the organization that promotes a team-based, cross-functional approach to project development and implementation and addressing opportunities or challenges. The bringing together of skills and ideas from various program areas results in:

• Building staff relationships,
• Creating effective organizational teams
• Capitalizing on a diverse skill base
• Cost efficient high quality work products
• Fostering mutual sharing of accountability of the outcomes of the team's goals as well as accountability to each other on the team
• Advancing staff understanding of multiple areas of WPC's work resulting in a more highly trained staff.

Background and future direction

A skilled workforce is essential in meeting strategic objectives, so emphasis will be placed on maintaining and upgrading both technical and developmental skills of employees. Specifically, WPC will focus on:

• Identifying opportunities cross-departmentally to build skill levels
• Assessing education/training and competency levels of current staff, identification of skill gaps, and development of individual development plans
• Continuing to provide organization-wide training to enhance overall staff knowledge and awareness in particular areas

B. Continue to undertake regular strategic planning

Background and future direction

WPC has in place a Board-approved strategic plan. The current strategic plan extends to the year 2010 for broad planning purposes, but is focused on shorter time intervals where programmatically appropriate. The board and staff realize the importance of refocusing on the vision and priorities essential to guiding programs, allocating resources and evaluating programs and activities.

C. Expand and maintain a variety of funding sources

Goal 1: Expand revenue sources

Background and future direction

Organizational financial stability is strengthened through a broad diversity of funding streams and program applications. Predominant reliance on any one source increases vulnerability to the changing conditions and priorities of funders that are beyond WPC's control. We will seek opportunities to expand existing relationships and initiate new partnerships to increase restricted as well as unrestricted funding.

Background and future direction

Our members—both individual and corporate—and the foundation community are the key to WPC's future. They provide financial support for programs and activities, advance the cause of conservation through their own efforts, and provide public engagement with the cause.

We will build on the comprehensive fund-raising program we have created in the past two years, and develop it into a mature development program. With an aggressive approach to fund-raising and continued investment and organizational support, we will have a mature program by 2010.

Through refinement and strengthening of the current comprehensive development program, WPC will build a base of donors who have a strong allegiance to the organization, allowing WPC to grow and prosper over the long term. This can be accomplished by continued growth of our direct mail, personal cultivation, stewardship, solicitation and planned giving programs.

WPC's membership solicitation program at Fallingwater has been an excellent source of new members. WPC will regularly re-examine this program, including the WPC film at the end of the Fallingwater tour, to ensure optimum effectiveness.

Particular attention will be paid to exploring and testing new strategies for acquiring donors and increasing gifts from current donors, including internet giving, and monthly donor and workplace giving programs. We will also continue to build the successful Leadership Circles and Heritage Circles programs for major donors, and also increase the mid-level group of donors.

WPC plans to expand both unrestricted and restricted corporate support. Through research, we will identify, cultivate and solicit new corporate prospects for the Business Associates and Community Conservation programs, while also working to increase annual giving from current corporate donors. We will re-structure our corporate benefits and recognition programs to better meet the interests and needs of businesses

To build and maintain donor relationships, WPC is obligated to be a good steward of contributed funds. We are also obligated to be accountable to our donors about how their investments are used to further WPC's mission.

Background and future direction

Our goal is to implement a comprehensive planned giving program that will result in a more reliable stream of income to WPC from planned gifts. Recent focusing of resources on the planned gift program—including acquisition of planned giving software, development of the Heritage Circle recognition program, and design of planned giving website including on-line calculator—has already shown positive results.

We will continue to promote life income gifts as well as bequests through marketing and personal cultivation. Marketing plans include communications in all WPC vehicles, including:

• CONSERVE
• Web site
• Brochure
• Targeted mailings
• Targeted events

Background and future direction

Opportunities exist to expand existing relationships and initiate new partnerships with federal, state, county and municipal agencies. WPC will seek to identify additional federal funding sources from the Environmental Protection Agency, the USDA Forest Legacy program, the National Science Foundation, and expand funding from Federal Transportation Enhancement funds. WPC will seek opportunities to combine multiple WPC program areas in securing funding. For example, we will seek funding for community projects focused on both neighborhood greening and watershed restoration and protection.

Background and future direction

Significant government funding opportunities have enabled substantial growth in WPC programs, particularly in WPC's Natural Heritage and Watershed Assistance Center programs. The issue of sustaining current program size is a challenge in this economic climate. In response to this challenge, WPC will seek to:

• Meet short-term contractual and grant obligations through high-level (post-graduate) internships and other temporary staff positions
• Meet fieldwork obligations through part-time positions
• Solidify partnership with Student Conservation Association Pittsburgh office to provide internships and conservation associate positions to regional residents
• Increase program integration when servicing grants to maximize staff ability to tap a variety of funding sources

D. Adhere to conservative financial planning

Goal 1: Continue to balance operating costs and revenue and identify efficiencies

Background and future direction

WPC has grown significantly in the past eight years; the operating budget has doubled. The recent downturn in the economy will continue to put pressure on the operating endowment and other sources of funding, which fund core activities and support functions.

Goal 2: Engage all staff across the organization in identifying revenue sources and cost reductions

Background and future direction

WPC holds all staff accountable for contributing to the identification of new revenue sources and controlling costs. This requirement is included as an annual goal for all staff, and is included as a factor in appraising performance. In addition, WPC implemented a recognition awards program, which includes awards to staff for identifying ideas resulting in significant cost savings or new revenue. Opportunities for new revenue sources include consulting within areas of WPC staff expertise, using staff expertise to reduce out-sourcing, research new funding sources and advance entrepreneurial ideas.

Background and future direction

The first business plan for WPC was developed in 1998 and spanned five years—1999 through 2003. This plan was updated in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The plan was largely built around an aggressive capital campaign. Due to the economic down turn in 2001 and 2002, the business plan will be redesigned with changing assumptions covering a 3-year period spanning from 2003 through 2005.

Background and future direction

WPC's endowment has decreased in recent years because of economic conditions. The endowment was $43 million in 1999 and $32 million in 2003. WPC plans to grow the endowment through sale of land holdings not needed to carry out programs, receipt of capital gifts and reduced draw-down for annual operating costs.

Having recently completed an $11.5 million campaign to restore Fallingwater, WPC is undertaking a major capital campaign, with a goal of $18,000,000, to increase our capacity to carry out our conservation mission. Nine million dollars of this campaign will be devoted to a “revolving fund” for land protection, with a great emphasis on our new forestry program. As such, these funds will move in and out of WPC's invested funds. Three million dollars of the campaign will be directed to support of the Watershed Assistance Program, established in 2001. In addition, there is a $6,000,000 campaign goal to build the endowment for Community Conservation programs.

Background and future direction

In 1994, WPC received less than $300,000 a year in grants and contracts (about five to10 grants). Government grants and contracts for operations now exceed $2,000,000 a year, plus another $2,000,000 in annual government capital project support. WPC will seek to recover direct and indirect costs of these externally supported projects by including all costs in the grant proposals. This is important to minimize or eliminate taxing WPC's general fund or unrestricted assets.

Background and future direction

WPC has acquired for conservation over 210,000 acres of land. Most of this land was conveyed to public land management agencies. On many occasions, WPC was unable to recoup all of its out-of-pocket costs and in no instances was there any provision for covering WPC costs associated with the planning and execution of land acquisition projects. Historically, WPC accepted gifts of conservation easements without any provision for covering the costs of monitoring and managing the easements. As a result, WPC provides this stewardship using revenue from general sources. In the future, WPC will work to recover all costs. In addition, WPC has opportunities to realize revenue from its land holdings. WPC will:

• Recover all costs associated with acquisition of large forested parcels
• Recover all costs associated with acquisition of land to be conveyed to public land management agencies
• Raise funds to cover management and stewardship activities of land holdings
• Explore water, gas, wind and other revenue opportunities on WPC holdings

Background and future direction

Over the years, WPC has engaged in acquisition of various parcels with the intent of selling the lands to public land management agencies such as the Pa. Game Commission and the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. WPC will work aggressively to divest these properties to the appropriate agencies or, in some cases, appropriate municipalities. In addition, WPC also holds lands that resulted in the acquisition of certain parcels that were part of a “package” of lands identified for acquisition. WPC will aggressively sell these lands with appropriate conservation restrictions as described previously in this plan.

E. Increase entrepreneurial activities in all program areas

Goal 1: Continue to seek opportunities to provide professional services

Background and future direction

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has acquired seasoned expertise in a broad range of conservation, restoration and greening areas. The scope and depth of this acquired expertise and experience presents an opportunity to help address the need for professional guidance and services to government agencies, municipal governments and other non-profit organizations. The development and marketing of a comprehensive menu of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy professional services adds yet another dimension to our ability to advance meaningful conservation and greening throughout the region.

Goal 2: Increase revenue opportunities through the World Wide Web

Background and future direction

As a socially responsible entrepreneur seeking to meet the needs of 21st-century citizens responding to our mission, WPC can combine business-like discipline with a market-driven approach to develop new Web-based revenue sources. In this way, we evolve our communication and outreach strategies and insure long-term good health.

WPC will:

• Develop a strategy for campaigns and outreach offerings, which systematically capture permission-granted email addresses
• Identify plans for appropriate cyberspace outreach venues, e.g., event registrations, listserves, regular downloads (Fallingwater recipe a month), online book clubs to create community, webcasts or streaming video, e-newsletters, email blasts and interactivity that focuses on advocating, buying, joining or giving
• Seek external support to advance web-based entrepreneurship

Goal 3: Increase revenue from tourism opportunities

Background and future direction

Tourism is the second largest industry in Pennsylvania and, like all industries, is constantly evolving. It is essential that WPC stay abreast of current trends in both tourism and museum operations with a goal of improving our market position. We must also review and adjust our planning and goals regularly to take advantage of new opportunities and developments.

• Seek accurate and positive media coverage
• Survey Fallingwater visitors regularly to evaluate quality of experience and to collect demographic information
• Assess the admission price annually and increase admission when appropriate
• Analyze success of paid advertising and marketing efforts annually
• Participate in local, regional and state tourism organizations
• Participate in Tourism Conferences

Background and future direction

The demographics of the typical American traveler are changing as the demographics of America change. We must proactively seek ways to attract a broader, more diverse audience and widen Fallingwater's appeal. To advance this goal, WPC will refine its tour program content to be inclusive of the diverse audience and will provide diversity training to staff.

Goal 5: Increase revenue from mission-related product development

Background and future direction

WPC is fortunate to have an audience that is self-identifying. They are primarily interested in nature and architecture, especially Fallingwater, and as such provide a market for new mission-related products. We will test new products with this audience before large investments are made, and draw on the expertise of museum shop staff in finding suppliers and determining prices.

F. Communicate effectively to engage constituencies

Goal 1: Develop a comprehensive communication plan to guide organizational communications

Background and future direction

WPC has begun to develop a five-year Communications Plan, which will focus on an objective-based strategy. The plan will ensure the success of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's mission, and outline the institutional philosophies that guide communications.

The plan will chart the course for developing and sustaining both internal and external awareness and understanding of the organization's mission, programs and activities. It will be aligned with WPC guidance documents: the WPC Strategic Plan, the Case for Capital Campaign and the Business Plan. The plan will include communication strategies to establish a coordinated, proactive institutional approach to issue management and help provide synergy in program advancement and promotion, from concept through implementation. The plan will be developed in 2003, with feedback provided from the Community Outreach Advisory Committee, a committee appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Background and future direction

The highest levels of awareness and affinity for the mission of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy occur when we can communicate with our audiences effectively. Key to that effectiveness is having distinguishing, consistent and compelling messages that reach their audiences.

While we have a wide range of programs that have unique elements to be conveyed, we have an overall message that is universal to our body of work. We should communicate at all times that we are community-based, forward thinking, science- and fact-driven, and committed to the human connection with the natural world.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has been in existence for more than 70 years, and we have a reputation for excellence. That reputation will be enhanced by promoting the message that we are forward thinking, offering new conservation tools for a future generations of Pennsylvanians; and, that we are committed to our belief that the human connection with the natural world is most important. WPC will:

• Continue to advance accurate and positive media coverage
• Continue to foster internal communications that provide all staff and volunteers with timely and effective messaging
• Identify distinguishing factors to describe work
• Increase web-based interactions and communications
• Increase adherence to branding program that unifies WPC communication efforts areas, and is consistent in imaging