Chapter-National Partnership

In recognition of the importance of Chapter work in achieving National Audubon Society goals and carrying out programs at the local, state and national levels, national staff and programs seek to provide resources and services to Chapters including the following:

1. Support network of National Audubon Divisions and Programs (e.g., Chapter Services, State Programs, and National Conservation Programs including Education, Science, Policy)
2. Financial support through Collaborative Funds, Baseline Funding, Membership Incentive Payments, TogetherGreen and Global Warming grants)
3. Training and development of leadership, fund-raising, and recruitment skills;
4. Membership recruitment, renewal and record keeping services, including assignment of members residing in the Chapter’s territory and Web access to the Chapter’s list of Audubon members
5. Education support in the form of resource materials, program development, and center development and management, as available from the State Program or national staff;
6. Advocacy support in the form of resource materials, national campaign development, and staff assistance as available from the State Program or national staff;
7. Publications that establish a common Audubon identity and distribute information of interest to members and the public;
8. Technical assistance with online tools, reports, issues and programs that support Chapter efforts;
9. Timely communications regarding current Audubon issues, programs and policies including Newswire, the monthly e-newsletter, and the National Audubon Society Annual Report;
10. Review of and response to Chapter Annual Reports; and
11. Eligibility to participate in the nomination of a member from its region to the National Audubon Society Board of Directors.

National Board-approved policies defining the relationship and role of Chapters and National Audubon Society

Ad Hoc Chapter Committee 2004
Improving Partnerships: Recommendations to Board from Ad Hoc Task Force, 5/05

Chapters' service to National Audubon Society

• Birding & conservation opportunities for members at the local level
• Advocacy on local, state and national conservation priorities
• Annual report feedback to share activities and accomplishments
• Ideas to share among Chapters and National programs
• Data for various bird counts

Benchmarks

These benchmarks provide a general outline for Chapter best practices.

Overview

1. The Chapter is well known in, and its purpose understood by, its broader community
2. There is a feeling of good fellowship among the board and members, and a positive attitude toward the goals and work of the Chapter

 Relationship with National and State offices

1. The Chapter understands and takes advantage of the benefits of being a Chapter of the National Audubon Society
2. The Chapter develops a beneficial relationship with National and State offices

 Organizational Structure

1. Chapter is incorporated in their state, and federally tax-exempt
2. Appropriate non-profit charity registration forms, Federal and State tax returns (or e-postcard) are filed annually
3. Chapter annually renews its Audubon Charter by sending an Annual Report including a Chapter Leader Report Form by the August 15^th of every year to its State Office (if applicable) or to Chapter Services
4. Records of the organization’s history are updated regularly

 Chapter Board

1. A Chapter Board is in place, meets regularly and has active committees.
2. The Board is comprised of a demographically diverse group of individuals, with a wide variety of experience and skills applicable to Board Officer and Committee positions
3. Board meetings begin and end on schedule, and utilize an agenda that has been circulated to all Board members in advance of the meeting
4. New Chapter Board members and Committee Chairs receive an orientation to the Board, and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities
5. Information is passed from retiring to incoming Committee Chairs
6. The Board develops an organizational budget annually
7. All Board members review the Chapter’s current financial status at least annually, and preferably quarterly
8. All Board members are familiar with the Chapter’s budget, programs, and activities
9. Board bylaws are reviewed and updated periodically
10. All Board members participate in fundraising for the Chapter
11. All Board members contribute financially to the Chapter
12. Board members participate in an annual planning session
13. Board members turnover regularly according to agreed-upon terms of office

Planning

1. Chapter has a clear mission and vision
2. Chapter has a three to five year strategic plan (or alternately an annual plan), reviewed regularly and updated as needed
3. Chapter goals and activities are based upon the organization’s mission and vision, and drafted in an annual planning process
4. Most Chapter activities are focused on achieving the annual plan’s goals

Programs

1. Chapter works to achieve at least one major education, advocacy, or conservation project
2. Chapter collaborates with the Audubon State Office on at least one project of mutual interest that is outlined in the Chapter Annual Plan and the State Strategic Plan
3. Chapter leaders periodically (e.g. at least every 18 months if not more frequently) evaluate educational programs such as membership meetings and field trips to identify key audiences, measure efficacy of programs, and refresh and revise program offerings
4. Chapter participates in a statewide grassroots activist network
5. If statewide or regional meetings to develop Audubon policy priorities and action-oriented strategies on issues of common concern are held, Chapter representatives attend and participate
6. Chapter participates in the Important Bird Area program or another local conservation project by nominating sites and/or designing and implementing conservation plans for a local site. This could include Chapter-owned sanctuaries
7. Chapter is engaged in a local public/private/Audubon Center

Outreach and Communications

1. Chapter reaches out to traditionally under-served members of their community, including families, teens, young adults, and members of diverse populations
2. Chapter develops positive working relationships with key decision makers in their community, including politicians, business-people and other community leaders
3. Chapter communicates regularly with their members through written and/or electronic methods, working towards a high level of electronic usage and literacy within the Chapter leadership. Chapter also utilizes a broader communications network to inform their greater community about issues of importance and about upcoming activities
4. Chapter communicates regularly with the Audubon State Office through participation in their Council, State Board and/or Board Committees
5. Chapter provides input to the State Office on policy and advocacy issues of state and national concern

Membership and Fundraising

1. Chapter provides opportunities for its members to learn, take action, educate, enjoy fellowship, and in general, to get involved
2. Chapter recognizes and thanks volunteers regularly
3. Chapter promotes membership in Audubon (local and/or national) through a mission-based membership campaign that is integrated with Chapter program goals and activities
4. Chapter holds a minimum of one major fundraising event each year. This could include sending an annual fundraising letter to members, organizing a Birdathon, or holding a major event (annual meeting, garden tour, art show, bird seed or native plant sale, etc.)
5. Chapter annually reviews its ZIP Code territory and provides updates to National as needed
6. Chapter develops a diverse strategy for fundraising (including National/State funds, community/business sponsors, foundations and major donors, sales of products/services, events) and membership development (member recruitment and retention strategies, evaluate member giving levels and incentives)

External Resource:

Organizational Structure (Marc Smiley)

Territories

ZIP Code Assignments and Change Requests

A Chapter territory consists of postal zip codes that are assigned by National in consultation with the Chapter and its State Office or the Chapter Services Office if there is no State Office. Territories may vary in size, but the designated territory should be of a size that members find comfortable to travel to meetings and events, a distance usually from 15 to 30 miles (or 45 minutes maximum driving time). Actual size will depend upon the area requested by those forming the Chapter and is finalized at the discretion of the State Director or Chapter Services Office responsible for helping to create the Chapter. If you would like to review your Chapter’s list of ZIP codes and/or a map of your territory, please contact Chapter Services (please keep in mind that PO Box ZIP codes will not show up on the map, so you'll need to get a list of those from your post office to make sure you aren't missing any ZIPs within the geographic boundaries of your territory). Chapters are encouraged to review this list at least once after every US Census, because the Postal Service sometimes adds ZIP codes, and to contact Chapter Services if changes are needed. 

Membership and Recruitment Outside of a Chapter's Territory

Member recruits that do not live within your Chapter's territory--either in another Chapter's territory or in an unclaimed territory that is not feasible to add to your Chapter's territory--may be added to the Chapter's roster as long as the proper coding is used on the membership form. Likewise, current Audubon members who live outside the Chapter's territory but would like to be part of the Chapter can contact Member Services and request to be "hard-coded" to the Chapter of their choice (must provide the 3-digit Chapter code).

Governance

External resources from Marc Smiley Organizational Development:

• Strategic Planning
• Board Development
• Organizational Structure
• Staff Management
• Fundraising
• Assessment
• Other Tools

Bylaws

Bylaws are developed during the pending/incorporation phase of a Chapter. They are the rules that govern internal Chapter management and are written by the organization's founding directors. Because bylaws are legal documents, and because the inclusion requirements for them vary from state to state, you should consult a lawyer or other professional before adopting any bylaws. Bylaws cover topics such as how directors are elected, how meetings of directors are conducted, and what officers the organization will have and their duties. As the organization grows and changes, it may be necessary to convene the directors for an update of the bylaws in order to be certain that they continue to reflect the needs of the Chapter.

Please be sure to send a copy of your Chapter's bylaws to Chapter Services and keep that office apprised of any updates that are made to the document.

ARTICLES REQUIRED IN BYLAWS

One of the following two options must be included in your bylaws in order for your Chapter to remain a chartered Chapter of National Audubon Society. Please refer to Sections V. C., I.D. and V.D. relating to Chapter bylaws in the Audubon Chapter Policy.

EITHER Option One (two provisions)

COMMITMENTS

This SOCIETY shall not enter into any commitments binding upon the NATIONAL SOCIETY without written authorization by the NATIONAL SOCIETY, nor shall the NATIONAL SOCIETY, without written authorization by this SOCIETY, enter into any commitments binding upon this SOCIETY.

DISCONTINUANCE

This SOCIETY may terminate its status as a Chapter of the NATIONAL SOCIETY, and the NATIONAL SOCIETY may terminate the status of this SOCIETY as a Chapter of the NATIONAL SOCIETY, pursuant to procedures set forth in the 2001 Audubon Chapter Policy adopted by the NATIONAL SOCIETY’S Board of Directors on December 8, 2001.

OR Option Two (one provision)

CHAPTER POLICY

The relationship between this SOCIETY and the NATIONAL SOCIETY shall be governed by the Chapter Policy. 

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ARTICLES PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED AND NOW OPTIONAL

Membership

Section 1. Any person interested in the purposes and objectives of this SOCIETY is eligible to apply for membership.

Section 2. The classes of membership of this SOCIETY shall be the same as the classes of Membership maintained by the NATIONAL SOCIETY. All members of this SOCIETY must be members of the NATIONAL SOCIETY.

Section 3. The minimum membership dues shall be as established by the NATIONAL SOCIETY.

Section 4. All members of this SOCIETY shall enjoy at a minimum all the rights and privileges accorded to the members of the NATIONAL SOCIETY.

MEETINGS

Regular meetings of members shall be held on the  _________ (1st Monday, 2nd Tuesday, etc.) of  ______ (each month Sept. through May, June, August or whenever), but such regular meetings shall be held not fewer than five times in any calendar year.

Board of Directors

There shall be at least five regular meetings of the Board of Directors in any one calendar year. The dates for the regular meeting shall be determined by the Board at its first regular meeting following the annual meeting of members.

ACTIVITIES

This SOCIETY shall follow the National Audubon Society’s Chapter Policy and fulfill the Required and Recommended Activities included in that Policy.

Committees

This SOCIETY shall have the following standing committees and such other standing and special committees as shall be determined by the Board of Directors:

Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee shall work on at least one major conservation or environmental project. The Committee may also lead or actively participate in a local conservation campaign and take an active role in supporting a major National Audubon Society campaign or other projects of the SOCIETY’S choice.

Education Committee

At a minimum, the Education Committee shall work to further the National Audubon Society’s education goals locally while informing and educating the public about the natural environment.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee is responsible for keeping the SOCIETY’S membership records (under the direction of the Membership Chair) and for promoting membership in the National Audubon Society through a local campaign to enroll new members and renew current members (under the direction of the Membership Promotion Chair).

Program Committee

The Program Committee shall coordinate a minimum of six open membership meetings each year.

Field Trip Committee

The Field Trip Committee shall offer at least four field trips each year.

Publicity Committee

The Publicity Committee shall use newspapers, radio, TV and other publicity media, to publicize the purposes, aims and programs of the SOCIETY.

Newsletter Committee

The Newsletter Committee shall publish and mail a newsletter to every chapter member at least six times a year.

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning should be invigorating, exciting, eye-opening, and motivating. Planning is not just about deciding on what programs and field trips the Chapter will run next year; it clarifies who you are, why you're here, and how you can achieve your conservation vision.

In planning for your Chapter, be sure to review the list of ideal Chapter Benchmarks, the Essential Elements of a Chapter  (Section II of the Chapter Policy) and the Planning Guide (document references on this page). In addition, Joyce King, President of Santa Fe Audubon Society (FL) and Audubon's Southeast Regional Director, has created guidelines for an Extreme Makeover for Chapters. Get out the whiteboard, coffee and doughnuts and convene your board for a thrilling series of planning!

External Resource:

Strategic Planning (Marc Smiley)

Annual Reporting

Background

The Annual Report is the primary vehicle for sharing your accomplishments with National Audubon. The information you provide about your Chapter’s activities and achievements is greatly valued. Increasingly, all levels of the organization look to the Chapters as partners, as sources for innovative programs and groundbreaking new approaches to shared conservation concerns, and as examples of conservation successes to share with other Chapters, Audubon’s Board of Directors, staff and members, and the public. The details you provide will help us direct resources to you including new funding opportunities, and will help connect Chapters working on similar projects with each other. The report also allows Audubon to demonstrate that funds spent by Chapters are used in accordance with guidelines for non-profits set by the IRS. Finally, completion of the Annual Report form is a requirement for annual re-certification as an Audubon Chapter as described in the Audubon Chapter Policy.

Baseline Funding

Provision of annual Baseline funding is also tied to the annual reporting process. Baseline payments are generally made in the month following receipt of all completed report components. The complete report must be received by November 30th for the Chapter to be eligible for payment. Please let the Chapter Services Office or your State Office know if an extension is needed.

Reporting Period

The period on which you are asked to report is your most recently completed fiscal year as of July 1st. We do not require Chapters to have the same fiscal year as National Audubon (July 1 - June 30), so if you operate on a different fiscal year (e.g., Jan 1 - Dec 30), please report on that period.

Report Components

There are typically three parts to the Chapter Annual Report:

• Questionnaire - 40-50 questions on your activities during the previous fiscal year
• Financial Report - basic financial information for the previous fiscal year
• Annual Plan - plan for the coming year

Chapter Annual Report Forms

Instructions for completing the report for your Chapter's most recently completed fiscal year.

Chapter Leader Report

The Chapter Leader Report (CLR) is a current listing of all Chapter staff, officers, board members and committee chairs. The CLR used to be a required component of the Chapter Annual Report; however, we are now requesting the CLR as soon as Chapter elections have been held and committee chairs have been selected. Any time a change occurs in a leader’s position or contact information throughout the following year, please update the Chapter Services Office in a timely manner. It isn't necessary to fill out a new form for just a few updates--simply email or call them in to Chapter Services.

Logo & Use Guidelines

Audubon’s logo began with a sketch of the Great Egret from renowned bird artist David Sibley. The sketch was digitally adapted and combined the streamlined Great Egret with the word Audubon in teal green. We chose green for the word Audubon because of its strong associations with nature and the environment, and gray for the Great Egret’s outline because this color is also natural and warm.

If Chapters wish to use the national logo, or any of its Program variations, please follow guidelines below for various publications and other materials to ensure that any usage is fully consistent with Audubon’s branding protocol. Please note that prior permission must be granted for logo use on signage, interpretive displays, posters, invitations, and brochures. Audubon reserves the right to exercise quality control over all uses of the Audubon logo.

The Audubon logo must be a separate, stand-alone logo, and cannot be merged with any other logos, including Chapter logos. Please contact Audubon’s Chapter Services Office to obtain an electronic or print copy of the logo. The logo files will be accompanied bygraphic specifications for color and logo placement, which must be followed whenever the logo is used.

Please request the logo image from Chapter Services; do NOT make copies of the logo from the Audubon website, or other electronic or printed materials.

1. Chapter Newsletters: Chartered Audubon Chapters may use the Audubon logo to identify themselves as Chapters of National Audubon Society in their newsletters, as outlined below:
   • The Audubon logo may not appear on newsletter masthead, or be incorporated into a Chapter logo.
   • The Audubon logo may be placed at the bottom of the first page, on the back page of a newsletter, or within the body of the publication, as a separate and distinct logo.
   • The following phrase must appear in close proximity to the Audubon logo. “YOUR CHAPTER NAME Audubon Society is a Chapter of National Audubon Society, Inc.”
2. Chapter Websites: Chartered Audubon Chapters may use the Audubon logo to identify themselves as Chapters of National Audubon Society on their web sites, as outlined below:
   • The Audubon logo may not be incorporated into a Chapter logo, or web page header design.
   • The Audubon logo may be placed on a Chapter website, and may be used to identify a link to Audubon’s homepage, audubon.org. The logo must always be accompanied by the following phrase: “YOUR NAME Audubon Society is a Chapter of National Audubon Society, Inc.”
   • The logo should not be used on any web page that includes banners or other advertising without prior approval of Audubon’s Director of Marketing & Communications. (This is to ensure Audubon’s compliance with agreements with licensing and other partners.)
3. Other Chapter Projects or Chapter Program Materials: Use of the Audubon logo in any other Chapter-produced materials must be approved by the Vice President of State Programs and Chapter Services. State logos must be approved by the director of your State Office. Examples of situations where advance permission for use of the Audubon logo or the State logos is required:
   • Signage for a Chapter-owned sanctuary or any other site
   • Interpretive panels
   • Signage for exhibits
   • Posters or invitations for events
   • Brochures, including materials used in fundraising or membership recruitment
4. Chapter or Council Letterhead, Envelopes, Business Cards: Chapters and Councils may not use the Audubon logo or State logo on letterhead, envelopes, business cards or other stationery.
5. Use of Logo by Other Entities: National Audubon Society has the sole and exclusive right to use, or permit the use of, the Audubon logo (such as in connection with the licensing, manufacturing, advertisement and sale of merchandise and services). Chapters may not provide either the Audubon logo or any Audubon State logo to any third party to be used in conjunction with any activity, including, for example, the endorsement or approval of commercial products or activities, such as birdseed, mugs, videos, books, travel programs or special event promotions.

Logo Color Scheme

The word Audubon is:
PMS 3288
C:100% M:0% Y:56% K:18%
00907E

The Great Egret is:
PMS Warm Gray 11
C:0% M:15% Y:34% K:60%
806F59

Chapter Insurance

As an independent corporation, a Chapter and its activities are not covered under the National Audubon Society's insurance coverage’s. Each Chapter will need to carefully evaluate its insurance needs, and decide what types and level of insurance is needed. As a courtesy to Chapters, National Audubon has identified several companies that can provide policies at various levels of cost and coverage for Chapters to consider.  As other opportunities come to our attention, we will notify Chapters.

It is the responsibility of each Chapter to learn as much as possible about each policy and then relate it to the specifics of their individual Chapter structure and activities.

Some key considerations in evaluating an insurance provider should include:

1. Does the policy cover all activities that the Chapter conducts? What activities are excluded from the policy? It may be helpful to make a list of Chapter activities and discuss EVERY one with a potential broker.
2. How is the policy priced? Understand how claims affect your premiums.
3. Is the broker responsive? How are questions handled? What is the process for filing claims? Is there an exclusion for claims filed for the coverage period if you change brokers?
4. Be sure to obtain all documents from your broker (i.e., policy, certificates) and READ them carefully.
5. It is always recommended that each Chapter seek advice from local advisors before making a final decision to purchase a policy.

Following are companies that can offer insurance for Chapters:

- Alliant Insurance Services arranges insurance coverage for several large nationally known Conservation/Preservation non-profits. They have a discounted insurance program through Chubb Insurance Company.

The basic Program consists of a Package policy, which includes general liability, non-owned/hired auto and property coverage’s. Optional additional insurances available include umbrella liability, workers' compensation/employees liability, volunteer worker accident and directors' and officers' liability. For more details regarding the Conserve-A-Nation Insurance program, please contact:

Cheryl Dolan, Account Manager, Cheryl Dolan
Anna Hill, Account Manager, Anna Hill
Phone (800) 298-7373
Fax (703) 397-0995

- Pachner & Associates, LLC describes its specialty as insurance programs for nature education, environmental conservation, environmental research, trail associations, outdoor activity clubs, and commercial non-motorized outdoor recreation around the U.S.  They are members of the The Conservation Alliance.

The following group insurance program is specifically designed for and offered only to certified chapters of National Audubon Society. The basic rate includes coverage on typical chapter activities for commercial general liability, legal liability to participants, participant excess medical payments coverage, professional liability and non-owned/hired automobile liability. Property insurance on buildings and discounted Group Directors & Officers Liability is available on a separate policy. An optional menu of additional coverage is available to meet the additional insurance needs of the chapter. 

Contact them via email at kestrel-at-pachner.info or phone toll free (888) 582-4884. Their mailing address is POB 926, Bedford, NY 10506-0926. Program information, brochures and applications can be accessed on their web site at www.pachner.info/nonprofit-nas.html.

- R.V. Nuccio and Associates offer a basic policy for Chapters that do not own land, rent offices or have staff. Underwritten by Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, the basic policy offers general liability insurance protection as low as $265 with additional options for bonding, business personal property replacement, and directors' and officers' liability coverage for as low as $88 a year.

For any questions about the policy, please contact R.V. Nuccio and Associates directly at:

Robert V. Nuccio, President and Chief Executive Officer
R.V. Nuccio and Associates
Tel.: 1-800-567-2685
Fax: 1-909-866-4659

State Incorporation & Federal Tax Exemption

Chapters of the National Audubon Society share membership with the national organization, but the management and legal structure of the Chapter is separate and controlled by its Board of Directors. Because they are autonomous local organizations, local Chapters do not fall under the National Audubon Society’s tax-exempt status.

It is strongly urged that each Chapter incorporate in its state and then apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, for protection of the organization and its local Board of Directors as well as for fundraising advantages.

Each state has different incorporation processes and requirements. Please browse the links below regarding incorporation/tax exemption and related issues. We recommend that you find a local attorney who can guide you through the processes of incorporating in your state (thereby assuring that your Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws are in compliance with your particular state’s rules) and of applying to the IRS for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

After your Chapter has been incorporated, please send a copy of your certificate of incorporation, bylaws and IRS tax-exempt determination letter to your State Office and to the Chapter Services Office. When changes to these documents are made, please send copies of the new versions to these same offices.

Managing Challenges

Chapter troubles can arise at any time for a variety of reasons. If any variable within the Chapter falls out of balance--leadership, finances, membership, strategic direction, etc--things could spiral downward quickly if a solid process is not in place to address the issue(s) at hand.

The Chapter should review the Fundamentals for Chapter Success and Chapter Benchmarks, to further identify areas that require strengthening. A good Chapter planning session may be needed, and/or a review of the Chapter's bylaws. Many problems can be solved by referring to the bylaws or strategic plan--they serve as guidelines for the Chapters operations and activities. If your leaders have lost enthusiasm for the Chapter mission, it might be time for an Extreme Chapter Makeover.

List of Chapter Codes

Content Settings

Document: 

chapterroster.xls

When a new Chapter forms, it is assigned a unique, 3-digit code. When communicating with Audubon staff, it is helpful to know your Chapter code. Please find your code on the list below and keep it for handy reference.

The code is also used as part of the 8-digit membership source code for recruiting and tracking Audubon members. Read more

Board of Directors

Description: The Chapter's Board of Directors is composed of elected Audubon members who jointly oversee the activities of the Chapter.

Role: A Board's powers, duties, and responsibilities are described in the Chapter's bylaws. The bylaws also specify the number of members of the board, how they are to be chosen, and when they are to meet.

Duties (excerpted from Chapter Benchmarks):

• The Chapter Board meets regularly and has active committees
• The Board is comprised of a demographically diverse group of individuals, with a wide variety of experience and skills applicable to Board Officer and Committee positions
• Board meetings begin and end on schedule, and utilize an agenda that has been circulated to all Board members in advance of the meeting
• New Chapter Board members and Committee Chairs receive an orientation to the Board, and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• Information is passed from retiring to incoming Committee Chairs
• The Board develops an organizational budget annually
• All Board members review the Chapter’s current financial status at least annually, and preferably quarterly
• All Board members are familiar with the Chapter’s budget, programs, and activities
• Board bylaws are reviewed and updated periodically
• All Board members participate in fundraising for the Chapter
• All Board members contribute financially to the Chapter
• Board members participate in an annual planning session
• Board members turnover regularly according to agreed-upon terms of office

External Resource:

Board Development (Marc Smiley)

Executive Director

A Chapter Executive Director is a paid employee who manages the organization. His/her role is to design, develop and implement strategic plans for their organization in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner. The Executive Director is also responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization, including managing committees and staff and developing strategic plans in collaboration with the board for the future of the organization. In essence, the board grants the Executive Director the authority to run the organization. He/she is accountable to the President of the Board and reports to the board on a regular basis - quarterly, semiannually, or annually. The Board may offer suggestions and ideas about how to improve the organization, but the Executive Director decides whether or not, and how, to implement these ideas.

• The first and foremost task of an Executive Director is to plan strategies and developmental plans for the welfare of the organization.
• Coordinate with the Board of Directors for the development and implementation of such programs.
• He/she has to perform all the management functions at the organizational level.
• Ensure that the developmental programs are designed in a way to meet the organizational goals and objectives.
• Work on the management succession planning of the organization, so as to ensure that a capable management is in place to handle work effectively.
• Maintain various official as well as higher management documents and produce them wherever necessary for the Board.

President

Description: Audubon Chapter Presidents are leaders of the Chapter membership they serve. Ideally, the individual who is elected as Chapter President has served the Chapter historically through other leadership roles, cultivated a healthy relationship with members and the community, and can effectively manage the Chapter through prioritization, facilitation, and delegation. One of the most important things the Chapter President can do for the Chapter is ensure that the appropriate talents and skills are built into each of the active committees. The following list of duties should serve as suggestions to help new Chapter Presidents define their roles.

Duties

• Preside over meetings of the Board and, in consultation with the Board, develop agendas for those meetings.
• Lead the Board in developing goals, objectives, annual plans and budgets.
• Be sensitive to Board members' needs. Offer encouragement and praise when needed and resolve internal Board disputes if necessary.
• Provide encouragement and recognition to volunteers. Ensure that committees have chairs and members and are fulfilling their mandates. Consult often with other Board members and committee chairs.
• Identify and cultivate emerging leaders. Be sure they are provided the training needed to move into positions of responsibility.
• Act as a spokesperson for the Chapter in the community. Be prepared to field a wide variety of phone calls that come from members of the community, the press and elected officials. Stay abreast of national and regional issues through the Chapter Networker and Audubon Newswire & In The News, and work with the Conservation Chair to be properly briefed on issues that may require response or press work.
• Encourage involvement in Audubon’s programs and participation in national issues. Maintain a relationship with Audubon by keeping up with correspondence from the State Program (if applicable), Chapter Services, the Policy Office, and other Audubon program offices.
• Fill out and return the Chapter Annual Report. Ask the Treasurer to assist with the financial reporting component of the Annual Report.
• Complete a Chapter Leader Report immediately following Chapter elections and committee assignments. Throughout the year, if leaders step up or down, or if any leader's contact information changes, send the update to Chapter Services and your State Office (if applicable).
• Make sure the Chapter has legal assistance as needed. Stay alert to any activities that may be inappropriate for a 501(c)(3) organization.
• Oversee administrative matters of the Chapter. Delegate appropriate responsibilities to other officers and members.

Chapter calendar for awards, grants and reporting

Vice-President

Description: Vice Presidents are often viewed as heirs to the Chapter presidency, but not always. Some Vice-Presidents have very specific functions within the Chapter, or they may act more as a backup to the President. Most importantly, the Vice President should be a right hand assistant to the President and be ready to accept delegation of a number of responsibilities. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will direct and administer all phases of the Chapter subject to instruction from the Board. Some larger Chapters have more than one Vice President and can distribute these responsibilities among them.

Duties

• In the absence of the President, conduct the affairs of the Chapter and preside at meetings of the Board and meetings of the membership.
• Serve as parliamentarian, guiding the conduct of meetings.
• Serve ex officio as a member of any standing committee or stated committees, if appointed by the President or the Board.
• Assist the President in any way designated. The responsibilities of the President are considerable. Delegation of specific duties to the vice-Presidents will help to avoid Presidential burnout.
• Ideas for specific duties to be delegated to the vice-President:
  • Handle routine correspondence for the President.
  • Oversee recognition and awards.
  • Administer at least one major Chapter program or activity.
  • Obtain legal advice for the Chapter.
  • Oversee the performance of one or more committees.
  • Train new committee chairs and volunteer activists.

Treasurer/Finance

Description: The Treasurer is custodian of the Chapter’s funds and is responsible for keeping accounts and dispersing funds in accordance with the Board’s direction and Chapter policy.

Duties

• Collect all Chapter funds and deposit them in a bank account so as to maximize return on deposit, and maintain their security and accessibility.
• Keep Chapter Services informed of any changes in the Chapter bank routing number and checking account number, to facilitate direct deposits from National (membership incentive payments, baseline funding, Audubon grants, etc.). Please note: to have the EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) descriptions included on your bank statements, you must contact your bank to request this service.
• Prepare an annual budget with the advice and approval of the Board.
• Produce an annual financial report for the Board laying out assets and liabilities as well as income and expenses.
• Produce monthly or quarterly financial reports and maintain accurate books that are available for Board scrutiny at monthly meetings or as requested.
• Keep track of any Membership Incentive Payments by registering for a My Audubon account, if you don't have one already, and requesting access to the Chapter Reporting System's Payments page.
• Disburse Chapter funds as directed by the Board, either through approval of a specific expenditure or through approval of criteria for expenditures.
• Provide leadership and ideas for fundraising initiated by the Board and Chapter for Chapter programs.
• Apply for and maintain the tax exempt status of the Chapter unless this responsibility is specifically designated to another Board member. Obtain at least three copies of the IRS 501(c)(3) letter; keep one for yourself, give one to the president and send on to Chapter Services.
• Report to Audubon annually using the financial portion of the Chapter Annual Report. This will require registering for a My Audubon account, if you don't have one already, and requesting access to the Chapter Reporting System's Annual Report page.
• Maintain an accurate accounting of funds deposited by National into the Chapter checking account, including baseline funding (annually after submittal of the Chapter Annual Report), collaborative funding or other Audubon grants, and membership incentive payments (quarterly).
• If the Chapter has a substantial budget, arrange for an annual audit, and submit it to the Board.

Resources

Treasurer Job Description (San Fernando Valley Audubon Society)
Internal Accounting Guidelines (external resource: Labyrinth, Inc.)
Non-Profit Financial Management (external resource: Free Management Library)

Secretary

Description: In most Chapters, the Secretary is a voting member of the Board of directors. He or she is expected to attend meetings and give timely reports.

Duties

• Attend all meetings of the membership and the Board.
• Provide the President with an agenda for each meeting and, in the absence of both the President and the Vice-President, call meetings to order and preside until a President pro tem is elected.
• Maintain custody, order and access to records of the Chapter, including taking and distributing minutes of meetings.
• Send notice of meetings to appropriate members of the Chapter and Board.
• Submit Chapter Leader Report Form (linked below) to the state or Chapter Services office following Chapter elections and notify that office of any changes.
• Record minutes of all membership and Board meetings and share with the Board at subsequent Board meetings. Make copies and mail or email the minutes to all Board members prior to the next meeting. Minutes should contain the following information: Name of the Chapter and type of meeting, date, location, chair of the meeting, and a list of attendees.
• For membership meetings, include the approximate number of members. For Board meetings, include a brief description of the business that was discussed, and any decisions that were made, the exact wording of any motions, including the names of persons making and seconding the motion, and resulting votes. Also include the Secretary’s name.

Audubon Adventures

Description: Audubon Adventures makes learning fun and brings science and nature to life for children wherever they live. The program supplies teachers with kits that contain resources for nature study. The Audubon Adventures Chair works with local schools to incorporate the 3-5^th grade in-school program and/or the middle school after-school program. The Chair also coordinates fundraising to purchase the kits.

Resources

• Audubon Adventures – for Chapters

Bird Seed Sale

Description: If your Chapter decides to sell bird seed as one way of raising funds, the Bird Seed Sale Chair coordinates the one-time event or ongoing sales.

Duties

• Work with Finance and Fundraising Committees to review last year’s sales (if applicable) and determine budget and target revenue for this year’s sales.
• Locate a seed vendor and trucking company (if needed)
• Coordinate media with Publicity Chair, Webmaster, etc.
• Take customer orders and collect payments
• Order seed and arrange for storage
• Coordinate volunteers for delivery or to staff the pickup site

Resources

• Tips for Running a Successful Bird Seed Sale (Bedford Audubon Society)
• Sample Sale Brochure (Audubon Miami Valley)
• Audubon’s Bird Feeder Guide
• Audubon’s Bird Feeding Basics Guide
• Audubon’s Seed Guide

Bird-a-thon

Description: This individual coordinates the Chapter’s annual Bird-a-thon event, which is a fundraiser much like a walk-a-thon or bike-a-thon where individuals or teams count the number of different bird species seen or heard in a 24 hour period. Each participant collects pledges from family, friends, relatives, neighbors or businesses for each species found.

Duties

• Form a committee, if necessary, to plan and coordinate all aspects of the event.
• Work with Finance and Fundraising Committees to review last year’s Bird-a-thon revenue (if applicable) and determine budget and target revenue for this year’s event.
• Recruit individuals and organize teams; offer suggestions for seeking pledges
• Locate and solicit businesses, foundations and other major donors for donations
• Work with the Publicity Chair to publicize the Bird-a-thon
• Coordinate an awards banquet or other recognition event for volunteer participants and donors

Resources

More Birdathon Info
Chapter Bird-a-thon website (Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, CA)
Chapter Networker Article (Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, CA)

Christmas Bird Count

Description: Each Christmas Bird Count circle is led by a Count Compiler. Find detailed resources specifically for CBC Compilers at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/compiler.html.

Duties: 

• Recruit/organize volunteers, including feeder-watchers
• Orient new CBC volunteers
• Schedule the count
• Manage census route and counting methods
• Submit data online through My Audubon

Climate Change

Description: The Climate Change Action Committee (often a subset of the Conservation Committee) and its chairperson provide the focus for the Chapter’s role in assisting Audubon with reaching its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 2% per year, accomplishing an 80% reduction by 2050.

Duties

• Work with the Board to establish climate change action goals for the Chapter as part of the annual planning process.
• Working with the committee, develop climate change action objectives, strategies and budgets for the Chapter Board’s approval.
• Provide leadership to the committee in implementing the strategies. Delegate responsibilities according to the experience and interests of committee members.
• Recruit Chapter members to the committee. Brainstorm with current members on ways to increase participation on the committee. Use specific efforts such as a targeted letter writing campaign or personal carbon footprint reduction projects to interest and involve non-committee members in the Chapter's climate change action efforts.
• Keep the President, other appropriate Board members and the media informed of climate change action activities and the Chapter's position on local environmental issues. Be prepared to handle inquiries from the media and community leaders.
• Notify your state director or Chapter Services Office (in states with no state office) of regional- or state-level Chapter climate change activities and keep the committee informed of Audubon's positions on national and state issues. Coordinate with Audubon to avoid conflicts.
• Provide regular articles for the Chapter newsletter on climate change activities. This duty can be delegated to committee members. If appropriate, provide information for Audubon’s Chapter Networker and the Audubon Newswire & In The News.
• Inform the Board about the Chapter’s climate change activities activities, Audubon’s priority campaigns and other regional and state campaigns through regular reports at Board meetings and member meetings. Delegate these presentations to others when necessary.
• Advise the Board on developing climate change policies in developing and adopting position statements.

Resources

• Audubon’s Information on Climate Change
• Global Warming Fact Sheets
• Climate Change Powerpoint Presentation
• Audubon's position on wind power
• Sign up for Audubon Action Alerts

Conservation

Description: The conservation committee and its chairperson provide the focus for the Chapter’s commitment to advancing the Audubon mission in the community.  Many Chapters work on several important conservation issues and most Chapters carry out at least one major conservation project each year. The conservation chair oversees the development and implementation of goals, objectives and strategies for all conservation issues and projects.

Duties

• Work with the Board to establish conservation goals for the Chapter as part of the annual planning process.
• Working with the committee, develop conservation objectives, action strategies and budgets for the Chapter Board’s approval.
• Provide leadership to the committee in implementing the conservation strategies. Delegate responsibilities according to the experience and interests of committee members.
• Recruit Chapter members to the committee. Brainstorm with current members on ways to increase participation on the committee. Use specific efforts such as a targeted letter writing campaign or habitat restoration project to interest and involve non-committee members in the Chapter's conservation efforts.
• Keep the President, other appropriate Board members and the media informed of conservation activities and the Chapter's position on local environmental issues. Be prepared to handle inquiries from the media and community leaders.
• Notify your state director or Chapter Services Office (in states with no state office) of Chapter conservation activities and keep the committee informed of Audubon's positions on national and state issues. Coordinate with Audubon to avoid conflicts.
• Provide regular articles for the Chapter newsletter on conservation activities. This duty can be delegated to committee members. If appropriate, provide information for Audubon’s Chapter Networker and the Audubon Newswire & In The News. [link]
• Inform the Board about the Chapter’s conservation activities, Audubon’s priority campaigns and other regional and state campaigns through regular reports at Board meetings and member meetings. Delegate these presentations to others when necessary.
• Advise the Board on developing conservation policies in developing and adopting position statements.

Resources

• Audubon's Policy Office
• Sign up for Audubon Action Alerts

Education

Description: Education of both members and the public on ecology and environmental issues is a major goal of most Audubon Chapters. The main focus of the education committee often is to generate education programs in schools, and for youth and adults in community settings such as nature centers. The education committee program should be developed as a part of the annual planning process, should include ideas from the Board as well as the committee, and should link to the Chapter’s overall conservation goals.  Because education programs and Chapter activities vary widely, the following guidelines may be more useful than listing specific duties.

Duties

Determine overall community needs for environmental awareness and understanding within the scope of the Chapter’s mission.

Identify and develop a project that will best fill these needs and fit the talents of the committee. Choose a project that will involve as many Chapter members as possible. For example:

• Introduce or strengthen an environmental education program in the school system.
• Develop a community-wide educational event.
• Address a pending local issue, such as recycling.

Identify the audience the Chapter would like to reach.

Determine the methods and resources the Chapter will use and how much time and money are needed to implement the project.

• Delegate tasks to the education committee and Chapter members.
• Develop criteria for evaluating the project before implementing it. Evaluating formal or informal education programs is often difficult because success is hard to quantify. However, education programs can always be refined and enhanced. For example, rather than focusing on the number of students enrolled in Audubon Adventures, try to identify how the teachers used the materials, what success they had and what difficulties they may have encountered with the materials.

Resources

• Program & Field Trip Ideas
• Education and outreach materials
• Tabletop Exhibit Tips and Tricks
• Audubon Education programs and information
• Audubon at Home
• Audubon Adventures
• Join the Audubon Educators Yahoo Group

E-Communications

Description: Chapters may choose to designate one individual to receive emails from members and the general public, and it is up to that person to either respond or forward the message to the appropriate officer or chair. If the Chapter maintains multiple types of electronic communications, such as email, websites, newsletters, blogs, forums and social networking sites, it may be helpful to form an E-Communications (EC) Committee.

Duties

• Together with the Committee, develop a comprehensive EC plan that determines proper and consistent Chapter branding and messaging, as well as appropriate usage for all Chapter EC.

Resources

E-Outreach & Networking

Field Trip

Description: Field trips, like membership programs, benefit from the ideas of as many Chapter members as possible. Ideas for trips are usually generated by the membership, but sometimes they need to be solicited. In some Chapters, the Board plans the annual schedule of field trips and monthly programs. In other Chapters, the field trip chair establishes a committee of people who are willing to lead trips.

Duties

• Maintain a file of trips taken in recent years with notations of successes and failures.
• Maintain a file of ideas for possible trips that include names of leaders, contact people, and other relevant information.
• Evaluate priority conservation and education projects to see if they lend themselves to field trips. Consider scheduling an outing to monitor birds at an IBA or as part of a habitat restoration work day.
• Research other potential sources of ideas for interesting field trips. Check out other Chapter newsletters. Ask for ideas from your state office, other Chapters in your state or region, university outing clubs, outdoor stores, and national, state and county park officials. You may also want to review newsletters of other related organizations, such as garden clubs, etc.
• Lead your Board in a discussion of field trip ideas and coordinate field trips with other planned activities.
• Work closely with the newsletter editor to be sure all field trip logistics are publicized well in advance.
• Announce upcoming field trips at all membership and Board meetings.
• Coordinate publicity for field trips in the community and in the press.
• Handle the logistical arrangements for each trip with the help of the Field Trip Committee
• Ask field trip leaders to take a head count of participants for inclusion in the end-of-year Chapter Annual Report tallies, and to circulate a sign up list to be shared with the Membership Chair.
• Procure membership forms and other general Audubon and Chapter information for leaders to distribute to new participants.
• Encourage field trip leaders to greet and welcome all participants, and to be familiar with and encourage all participants to follow Birding Etiquette.
• Be sure to thank all field trip leaders. Consider recognizing one field trip leader at each annual banquet.

Resources

• Program & Field Trip Ideas
• Audubon's Birding Etiquette
• American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics
• Sample email reminder to field trip participants
• Education and Outreach Resources (Audubon brochures and other publications)

Hospitality

Description: Smaller Chapters may need to have the entire Board or the program committee serve as the Hospitality Committee. In fact, ideally all Board members will participate in greeting newcomers at events and helping them get started in Chapter activities. Generally, the Hospitality Chair is encouraged to recruit a committee of five to eight members to assist in one of the most crucial activities of the Chapter monthly meeting—guaranteeing that participants feel welcome, have an enjoyable time, and leave the meeting wanting to come back again.

A well-organized Hospitality Committee has three areas of responsibility: to provide refreshments at Chapter meetings, to greet and welcome new members into the fold, and to provide door prizes.

Duties

• Be sure committee members know exactly what their responsibilities are as greeters.
• Coordinate with the Program Chair to plan, purchase and deliver refreshments for each meeting.
• Provide name tags at member meetings.
• Display Chapter and Audubon materials to keep old and new members informed.
• Collect all bills for refreshments and/or prizes and submit to the Treasurer.
• Circulate a sign-up sheet early at each member meeting to identify names of newcomers.
• Brainstorm with the committee about door prizes to present at member meetings.
• Acknowledge and thank all volunteers at each meeting.

Resources

• Audubon Outreach Materials (Audubon brochures and other publications, door prizes--hats, decals, pins)

Membership

Membership Chair, List Manager, and Promotion

Membership Chair

Description: In most Chapters the Membership Committee is responsible for helping to maintain membership records and recruiting new members.  If the Chapter is committed to recruiting new members, the entire Board should be involved in planning and implementing membership drives. Member recruitment is too big a job for one, usually small, committee.

The Membership Chair has one of the more challenging jobs, especially in larger Chapters. It is strongly recommended that the Chapter consider splitting the position into two – one to keep track of the membership lists used for mailings (List Manager) and one (Membership Promotion) to focus on bigger picture, strategic planning for membership recruitment and enhancement. 

Duties

Resources >>

Membership List Manager

Description: Manages the Chapter membership list through the online Chapter Reporting System and integrates that list with any internal Chapter lists.

Duties

• Request access to the Chapter Roster, Chapter Change Reports, Mailing Labels and Incentive Payment Reports through the Web-based Chapter Reporting System.
• Check the monthly Chapter Roster and Chapter Change Report produced by Audubon for accuracy and to update your files if needed.
• Send errors in the Roster or Chapter Change Report to Membership Customer Service. Please be sure to include your Chapter's code and each member’s ACS ID in the message.
• If you are the Admin for your Chapter on the Chapter Reporting System, add and remove delegates as needed. If you are handing over the Admin position to someone else, contact Chapter Services to make the update.

Resources >>

Membership Promotion

Description: Promotes membership cultivation, acquisition and welcome to the Chapter.

Duties

• Work with the hospitality committee to welcome new members at Chapter programs.
• Promote membership participation by sending new members a welcome letter, the current newsletter and schedules of programs and field trips.
• Order and distribute National Audubon Society membership forms - being sure to print the proper membership source code on each form
• Promote membership by working with the committee and the Board to advertise the Chapter in a variety of ways in the community. Any large membership recruitment effort will require the involvement of the entire Board.
• Make the toll-free number for Membership Customer Service available to members for problems with their magazine subscription, to update their contact information or to renew by phone (800-274-4201).

Resources >>

Newsletter

Description

The Newsletter Editor coordinates production of the Chapter newsletter, in printed form and/or as an online version.

Duties

• Register for the Chapter Reporting System to access contact information for the Audubon members in your Chapter's territory.
• Determine strategy for newsletter distribution--either by email/website or mail or both. If mailed, understand the requirements for using non-profit standard mail service (bulk mail).
• Write and solicit newsletter content. Design newsletter and set deadlines for receiving content and publishing.
• Coordinate newsletter distribution.
• Track email statistics (if sent through a bulk email program) to determine rate of opening and number of clicks. Alter strategies to produce improved results.
• Add Chapter Services to the newsletter distribution list
  Preferred by email: chapter_services@audubon.org
  Or mail a hard copy to:
  Audubon Chapter Services
  30 Fort Missoula
  Missoula, MT 59804

Resources

• Chapter Leader Update (weekly e-newsletter for all Chapter leaders, including you)
• E-Newsletters
• Bulk E-Mail Software
• Electronic Mailing Lists/E-Groups
• Audubon Wingspan (National Audubon Society e-newsletter)
• Using USPS Standard (Bulk) Mail
• USPS Move Update Standards for Bulk Mailing

Program

Description: The Program Chair is responsible for planning the Chapter program schedule for the year and coordinating the programs at each scheduled membership meeting. The Program Chair may want to conduct program planning at an open Board meeting, drawing on the ideas of as many people as possible. S/he must be able to organize well in advance of each meeting, managing speakers and all other logistics.

Duties

• Organize the feature program for each membership meeting.
• Maintain a file of recent programs and speakers including addresses, phone numbers and comments on their success.
• Develop a schedule of future programs, for the entire year if possible, and work with the newsletter editor to print the schedule.
• Develop a check-list for each program that includes items such as: confirming dates with speakers, arranging for meeting space, obtaining audiovisual equipment as needed, refreshments, publicity, thank-yous, etc. Arrange to delegate some of these responsibilities whenever necessary.
• Periodically survey members for program interests and ideas.
• Work with the publicity chair to promote programs in the community and in the press (See Hospitality Chair job description).

Resources

Chapter Program Ideas
Education and Outreach Resources

Publicity/Marketing

Description: This individual is responsible not only for publicizing Chapter news and events, but also for working with the Board to develop a Marketing Plan that will enable the Chapter to deliver consistent branding and messaging to members, other donors and the general public. This is important for developing your Chapter’s brand recognition and trust in the community. The Publicity Chair may work closely with the Newsletter Editor, Electronic Communications Chair and Webmaster.

Duties

• Create Marketing Plan with Board of Directors
• Publicize Chapter meetings, events, programs, field trips and other Chapter activities as directed by the Marketing Plan
• Create Chapter news press releases for public (e.g., newspaper, radio, television, community websites) and Chapter media (e.g., website, social networking sites, newsletter, e-mail lists) as directed by the Marketing Plan
• Make personal contact information available for the media/public to ask questions about the Chapter activity or news item
• Seek creative ways to distribute the Chapter’s general and activity-specific information (e.g., partnering with agencies, organizations or businesses)

Resources

Post your Birding Festival or Event
Audubon Newswire (monthly Audubon news and updates)

State Council Delegate

Description
A Chapter leader is nominated to represent the Chapter at all State Council meetings. It is a good idea to appoint an Alternate Council Delegate in case the primary Delegate cannot attend.

Duties

• Attend all State Council meetings, or send Alternate Council Delegate if unable to attend
• Prepare a summary of major Chapter accomplishments in the past year, or any other information that the Chapter is asked to prepare
• Actively participate in meeting proceedings; volunteer for follow-up tasks
• Prepare a verbal and written report of meeting proceedings to the Chapter at the next board meeting or other scheduled meeting
• Work with Chapter to follow up on assigned tasks

Resources

• State Council Meeting Dates

Volunteer Coordinator

Description: The Volunteer Coordinator oversees the recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, and scheduling of volunteer workers and ensures that the activities of the volunteer workers meet the needs of the organization. Volunteer supervision may or may not be necessary depending upon the type of work and skill level of the volunteers.

Whether your Chapter has paid staff or not, volunteers are the power behind the activities and actions of the organization. Developing a strong workforce of volunteers starts with strenght of the Chapter's mission, leadership, advocacy work and programming. The more effective and successful your Chapter becomes at serving the community and the environment, the more people will want to volunteer for your cause.

Volunteer recruitment is a bit like membership recruitment--every opportunity must be made to capture names and contact information. Creating a volunteer database that keeps track of things like skills and availability is essential for managing volunteers. A good database ensures you won't be left in a lurch when the birdseed sale, invasive weed removal, or birding festival arrives.

All of us need to feel that we are making a valued contribution--make sure to let your volunteers know how much they are appreciated and the real impact they are having. Take the time to recognize volunteers personally, through handwritten cards, names on a bulletin board, awards and appreciation banquets.
Read more about Volunteer Recognition

Website

Description: The Webmaster mangages the Chapter website and potentially other online social media.

Duties

• If there is not currently a Chapter website; the webmaster will work with other leaders in the Chapter to determine the need for and purpose of a website, explore how best to present the Chapter online, and create the website or work with a website creator.
• Make frequent updates to the website, including Chapter contact information, listing of Chapter leaders, Chapter mission/goals, how to become a member or renew membership, how to donate to programs, list of upcoming activites with detailed information, etc.
• Be the point of contact for questions from the public and for leaders who would like info added to the website
• Manage sociahttp://chapterservices.audubon.org/chapter-leader-gl media or coordinate with social media manager to maintain continuity between various forms of online media
• Analyze website statistics; adjust website strategy if needed

Resources

• Website-building FAQ
• Social Media
• Graphics Resources

Advocacy

Audubon's Public Policy Office in Washington, D.C. houses our dedicated team of advocates, experts, and grassroots outreach staff. The Policy team has developed the following resources for Chapters. If you have any questions about the content on these pages, or about any national policy issues, please contact Policy staff.

• Policy Issues and Action website
• Sign Up for Audubon Action - encourage your members and others to keep informed and take action on important conservation issues through these email alerts from Audubon
• Using Audubon's Action Alert System - Do you need help spreading the word about priority issues affecting birds, wildlife and their habitat to elected officials or other decisionmakers? Audubon's Policy team can help! Download the factsheet for using the Action Alert System and the Action Alert template.
• Endangered Species Act

Chapters with a State Program are also encouraged to work closely with state staff on state-level conservation issues.

Citizen Science

Citizen Science

• Audubon At Home
• Great Backyard Bird Count
• Christmas Bird Count
• Important Bird Areas (IBAs)
• State of the Birds

Land Stewardship

Resources for Important Bird Area Adoption

Land Conservation Options for Chapters - presentation by Debi Osborne, Audubon Director of Real Estate. Audio/visual recording (visuals begin about 3 min, 40 sec into the presentation)
Download slides as PDF

Program & Field Trip Ideas

Run out of ideas for Chapter programs or field trips? Use this list as inspiration! And if your Chapter has offered a program you don't see listed here, please contact us and we'll include your idea to inspire others.

Programs

• Wildlife and Habitat Programs
• Conservation Programs
• Bird Watching/Identification Programs

Field Trips
Workshops, etc.
Movies
Children and Youth Programs
Tips
More Fun Meeting Activities

Programs

Wildlife and Habitat Programs

• Airborne Ants and Smashing Shrimp: Accident and Intent in the Evolution of Movement (Bedford Audubon Society, NY)
• All about bees, bats, butterflies, mushrooms, geology, native plants, lichens, moss, dragonflies, amphibians, reptiles, etc.
• All about bird banding (Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, PA)
• The Asian Long-Horned Beetle and Other Alien Tree-Killers (Bedford Audubon Society, NY)
• Bird Brainiac...Little Feathered Thinkers - discover how the avian mind works relating to intelligence, sentience, tools, language and learning. (Prairie Woods Audubon Society, IL)
• Bird species information (e.g., why species x is in decline)
• A Bird's Eye View: How Birds See the World - a review of the latest research on bird vision and how birds use their senses to perceive and interact with their world (Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, NY)
• Birds and Aging - Birds live longer then similar-sized mammals despite having a number of traits that should cause them to age quickly. Given this, birds are an excellent model to study the aging process. Mark’s presentation will focus on how cellular aging mechanisms impact species lifespan and individual survival, and how studying aging in birds can teach us about how we age. Presented by Mark Haussmann, Professor of Biology, Bucknell University. (Seven Mountains Audubon Society, PA)
• Birds of the Ancient and Modern Maya (Monmouth County Audubon Society, NJ)
• Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood Feeding Creatures (Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, NY)
• Butterflies and blooms slideshow
• Chimney Swifts and People (Elisha Mitchel Audubon Society, NC)
• The coloration of birds (Clearwater and St. Petersburg Audubon Societies, FL)
• Effects of light pollution on wildlife
  
• Effects of urban noise on song structure in bird species (Fresno Audubon Society, CA)
  
• Feathered architects: the fascinating world of bird nests (Pilchuck Audubon Society, WA)
  
• Geology of the _____________ hills/mountains/etc.
  
• The History of Our State Park and Forest System (Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, PA)
  
• How Birds Create their Wonderful Colors (Presque Isle Audubon Soceity, PA)
• The invaluable ecosystem services of the humble dung beetle (Bedford Audubon Society, NY)
• Keeping Amphibians in the Backyard and Beyond: How Pesticides and Land Use Impact Amphibian Communities (Audubon Miami Valley, OH)
• Local Landscape Pre-settlement - what did your area look like before all the towns, developements, roads...etc? (Madison Audubon Society, WI)
• Nature Superstitions - (Good for Friday the 13th!) Black cats and broken mirrors are associated with bad luck.  Four leaf clovers and rabbit feet are associated with good luck. Some superstitions and myths are based in truth. With others, it is a puzzle as to where they originated. In this program, we’ll discuss some common nature superstitions, where they come from and if there is any truth in them. We will also introduce participants to some of live animals that don’t have the best reputations.  “You will get warts if you touch a toad.” “Snakes are slimy.” Now is your chance to see the animals up close and personal.(Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Primal Dancing: Social language that binds crane families (Arctic Audubon Society, AK)
• Solitary Bees in our Landscapes (San Joaquin Audubon Society, CA)
  
• "Tongues, Toes, and Tails"- Our Amazing Wookpeckers (Buena Vista Audubon Society, Oceanside, CA)
• Wildlife in the Bedroom - explores the bizarre and fascinating courting and mating behaviors of our native wildlife (Washington Crossing Audubon Society, NJ)
  
• Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation (Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, NY)
  

Consevation Programs

• Bird's Eye View of Climate Change (Rogue Valley Audubon Society, OR)
• California’s Marine Life Protection Act: A Bird’s-Eye View (Golden Gate Audubon Society, CA)
• Ecoroofs for Biodiversity - slide show and of latest design approaches being applied in Europe to promote insect diversity and habitat for ground-nesting birds. Discussion of challenges and opportunities of expanding biodiverse roofs in the local area. (Portland Audubon, OR)
  
• Home Improvements for Birds (Bitterroot Audubon Society, MT)
  
• How to landscape for birds/pollinators
  
• How to propagate native plants
  
• Info on local conservation campaigns, initiatives
  
• Is it Rescue or a Kidnapping? – Wildlife rehabilitator will discuss how to tell if wildlife needs rescuing or to be left alone. (West Volusia Audubon Society, FL)
  
• Landscaping with Bird-friendly Plants (South Mountain Audubon Society, PA)
  
• Nature Deficit Disorder What is it and how do I cure it? - how to connect people with nature (Pelican Island Audubon Society, FL)
  
• One of Audubon’s Global Warming presentations
  
• Our beaches are moving – but where and why? (Central Westchester Audubon Society, NY)
  
• Penguins in Peril: How Climate Change Impacts Penguins Worldwide (Bedford Audubon Society, NY)
  
• Rain Gardens (Potomac Valley Audubon Society, WV)
• Residential renewable energy options/incentive programs (sometimes the power company or a local non-profit organization will have info)
  
• Restoration of the ____________ river/prairie/marsh/etc.
  
• Roads and Wildlife (Maine Audubon, ME)
• Storm Water - What you can do at home to protect lakes, streams, rivers and other wetlands from contaminants. (Canton Audubon Society, OH)
  
• The Web - Water, Energy, Birds - It's All Connected! (Audubon of Florida) Many energy and water saving measures involve modifications within the home. Yet an average of 50 percent of our water and the energy to provide that water goes onto our landscapes. We will explore not only the conservation measures you might consider indoors, but the huge benefits that landscaping with native plants and habitat restoration can have on your pocketbook, the birds and our global environment.Why buy local? (presenters from various local producer groups – farmers markets, small businesses, etc.)

Bird Watching/Identification Programs

• Bird Art Through the Centuries: Humans Conveying their Love of Birds (Pelican Island Audubon Society, FL)
• Bird Feeding Class – selecting feeders and birdseed; discouraging squirrels and diseases, feeder cleaning (Audubon Society of Greater Denver, CO)
• Bird ID Panel - The Chapter develops a PowerPoint presentation of regional birds from photos emailed by members. Then, a panel of Chapter experts works to identify each bird and explain to the audience their methods of thinking. (Lahontan Audubon Society, NV)
  
• But it Doesn't Look Like...  ...The One in the Book! - explore the art of identifying birds in the field by examining why birds so rarely look exactly as depicted in field guides. (Pasadena Audubon Society, CA)
• eBird! Learn What It Is and How to Use It (Pasadena Audubon Society, CA)
• Exotic birding trip report (e.g., New Guinea Rainforest)
  
• Finding Birds in the Digital Age: From eBird to Listservs to Smartphones to Facebook (Los Angeles Audubon Society, CA)
• How and why birds sing (Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, NY)
  
• How our Brain Identifies Birds - Birding Identification Like a Pro (Los Angeles Audubon Society, CA)
• Raptor specialist brings birds for “show-and-tell”
  
• Technology - How to set up a bird cam, post video on YouTube, and share photos and bird sightings on the web.
  
• Telling the Hard Ones Apart - learn the characteristics that distinguish similar-looking bird species from one another; welcome attendees to bring their own photos depicting an ID dilemma (Rogue Valley Audubon Society, OR)
  
• Understanding and describing bird sounds - Receive a checklist of characteristics of bird sounds and and practice describing sounds using them. Learn how to read sonograms, powerful visual tools for learning and describing sounds. (Central Sierra Audubon Society, Pasadena Audubon Society, CA)

Hands-On Programs

• Bring your favorite bird/wildlife/plant photos (top 3 or 5, depending on how many participants you end up with) – create a PowerPoint presentation with these slides and have each individual describe his/her slides
• Identification of animal scat, tracks, bones & fossils, fur etc.
• Nature photography (also good for the field)
  
• Orienteering - learn how to use a compass (Jamestown Audubon Society , NY)
  
• Plant Exchange (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Seeing the Cosmos without a Telescope - learn basic knowledge and skills to find your way around the sky and use it for navigation and time-telling. (Audubon Society of Portland, OR)

Field Trips

• Adopt-a-Trail work day (remove invasive weeds, pick up trash, etc.)
• Advanced birding
• Aquarium, conservatory, refuge, etc. tour
• Backyard Habitat tour 
• Basic birding
• Birding and Optics Fest & Field Trip - Test various brands of spotting scopes and binoculars and enjoy a short birding walk
• Birding by bike, raft, x-country ski (try a full moon ski looking for owls!), snowshoe, horse, stroller (moms and babies), etc.
• Birds Bees and Archaeology (Desert Rivers Audubon Society, AZ)
• "Birds, Boats, & Barbecue" event (Plumas Audubon Society, CA) - featuring guided bird and flower walks, canoe/kayak trip and barbecue social.
• Butterfly, mushroom, pollinator, geology, astronomy, insect, etc. walk
• Cave Bat Emergence Field Trip (Travis Audubon Society, TX)
• Cross-Country Skiing and/or Snowshoe Field Trips (Flathead Audubon Society, MT) - Explore the winter landscape by ski or snowshoe to learn the stories written on the snow by the mammals and birds who winter there.
• Edible trees and plants
• Full Moon Nature Walks (Maine Audubon, ME)
• Grandparents and Grandkids fieldtrips (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Native plant identification
• Family birding at the park
• Intermediate birding
• Moth Lighting at Night (Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society, PA)
• Native tree identification
• Nature Journaling (Orange Audubon Society, FL)
• Owl Calling, evening trip. It’ll be a hoot!
• Photographers for Pollinators (Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society, PA)
• Raptor/songbird banding
• Trip to local sanctuary or center
• Visitng Vernal Pools (Maine Audubon, ME)
• Waste management tour (landfill, sewage treatment plant, recycling center, etc.)
• Wildlife tracking (Great Salt Lake Audubon, UT) - From wildlife scat, tracks, walking patterns and clues on the landscape - explore how animal behavior and adaptations allow them to survive the wintry wonderland.

Workshops etc.

• Backyard Beekeeping (Fresno Audubon Society, CA)
• Becoming an Outdoors Woman (Minnesota River Valley Audubon Society, MN)
• Bird feeder/house-making workshop
• Bird/nature drawing workshop – bring in feathers, seeds, flowers, pine cones, etc. (also good for in the field – sketch trees, squirrels, landscapes, rocks, etc.)
• Birding on the Farm - explore why organic farms are key to the conservation of some of our most important bird species. (Wachiska Audubon Society, NE)
• Energy Conservation Workshop - basic things to do around the home to save energy and money (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Learn about lichens - Lichen ID, ecosystem services (e.g., birds use lichens in nesting material), ethnobotanical uses. This is a good one for winter because wind and snow knock them out of trees and there are fewer leaves to hide them in foliage. (North Central Washington Audubon Society, WA)
• Field Trip Leader Training (Travis Audubon Society, TX) – Three Austin area field trips led by some of our most experienced leaders; two, one-hour classes, out-of-town field trip
• Inside Birding – Cornell Lab of Ornithology - try offering this as a 4-part series workshop: play each episode and follow it with slides of local birds to practice the lesson learned
• Master Naturalist Workshops (Potomac Valley Audubon Society: expert instruction on specific natural history topics)

Movies

• Winged Migration - 89 minutes. This 2001 documentary film was directed by Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debats and Jacques Perrin, showcasing the immense journeys routinely made by birds during their migrations. DVD feature: The 52-minute making-of documentary on Winged Migration recounts the dangers both birds and crew faced during shooting, and reveals that the crew was able to get close to the birds by using "imprinting" to make them think the crew were their parents.

Children and Youth Programs

• Birds and Girl Scouts (Peregrine Audubon Society, CA)
• Body Armor (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY) From turtle shells to porcupine quills, prey animals have some unique armor they use to stay safe. Investigate different body coverings to see how they help animals survive.
• Bushcraft - Learn primitive skills for wilderness living, make tools from stone and bone, start fires without matches...etc. (Audubon Society of Portland, OR)
• Creatures of the Not So Deep - explore ponds with dip nets and learn about the insect life that lives under water (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Dressed in White - Many animals change the color of their fur in winter, investigate how the winter adaptation of camouflage helps animals survive. (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• The Enchanted Forest (a good one for October) - Walk along trails lit with glowing jack-o-lanterns as you visit nocturnal animals portrayed by costumed interpreters who will regale you with stories about their lives. A magical event for all ages! (Buffalo Audubon Society, NY)
• Exploring Owl Pellets (Flathead Audubon Society, MT)
• Junior Wildlife Vet - learn about the care of injured and orphaned wildlife with wildlife rehabilitators (Audubon Society of Portland, OR)
• Making Tracks - Learn which animals make which tracks, try to move like some animals, and make tracks of your own (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Nature Babies - learn about which babies are around in the spring/summer and look for some on a nature walk, especially notice some babies look nothing like their grown-ups. (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Owl Discovery & Craft - Provide program on owls, what they eat, how they find food, can they really see in the dark?...etc. after program create pinecone owls (glue googly eyes, a felt beak and feathers onto a pinecone) and dissect an owl pellet to see exactly what they eat. (The Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, NY)
• Raising a Monarch Butterfly - Learn everything you need to know to be a monarch caretaker (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Scary, Slimy, Scaly (Audubon Society of Corvallis, OR) - nature program about misunderstood Halloween animals (bats, spiders, and snakes)
• A Seed is Sleepy - learn about different seeds, collect some and see how they grow. (Jamestown Audubon Society, NY)
• Welcome to Camping, Kids! (Tahoma Audubon Society, WA) - introduced families to the world of camping; a local outdoor recreation equipment store loaned tents and other camping gear; demonstrations of Dutch oven cooking, foil packets, stick cooking; s'more making
• What's On Your Plate? - a film by Catherine Gund with Sadie Hope-Gund and Safiyah Riddle - is a witty and provocative documentary about kids and food politics. Learn more at www.whatsonyourplateproject.org
• Wildlife Origami (Flathead Audubon Society, MT)

Tips

The subject of a program can have many different twists. For example “Insects”:

• Dragonflies and damselflies
• Butterflies and caterpillars
• Creating a pollinator garden
• Value of insects and their relationships to birds, through the link of our native plants
• Invaluable ecosystem services of the dung beetle

More Fun Meeting Activities

• Birders’ Breakfasts, Supper with the Swifts
• Have an informal bird quiz while enjoying pizza (Llano Estacado Audubon Society, TX)

Child and Youth Education

Audubon Adventures
Audubon's environmental education program about the natural world and how to protect it can be implemented in any classroom or after-school program. Audubon Adventures gives teachers many ways to help students meet required educational performance and content standards in science and language arts. Audubon Adventures fosters in children a stewardship ethic to last a lifetime. Learn more

Tips for Bringing Nature into the Classroom

Tips for Teaching Outdoors

Chapter Youth Outreach

• Getting Young People out Birding - Bergen County Audubon Society
• Bridging the Generation Gap through Nature - Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
• Developing a Mobile Classroom - Lahontan Audubon Society

Christmas Bird Counts for Kids
Every year for over a century, Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) have been organized across the Western Hemisphere through Audubon, mainly for adults. Because families with young kids have not always felt invited,  we created the CBC 4 Kids – a stand-alone half day event instilling some of the important basic ingredients of this grand tradition. The objective is to have fun and potentially create a hometown team of birders and conservationists for the future while encouraging families to enjoy and respect nature together. It only takes 2-3 teams to get started. Target a date between the 2^nd weekend in December and  the 3^rd weekend in January. It is a wonderfully simple, healthy, holiday celebration for almost any school, youth group, Audubon Chapter or nature center, wildlife refuge or local community. Contact Tom Rusert for details.

Flying WILD
A program of the Council for Environmental Education that inspires young people to discover more about the natural world through learning about migratory birds. The instructional materials are adapted to support state and national science education standards and assessment criteria for middle school grades. Their Additional Resources page offers many downloadable PDFs of kids' activities.

Project Learning Tree
PLT uses the forest as a "window" on the world to increase students' understanding of our environment; stimulate students' critical and creative thinking; develop students' ability to make informed decisions on environmental issues; and instill in students the commitment to take responsible action on behalf of the environment. The website has many downloadable teaching resources.

Public Outreach Ideas

Need some ideas for how to get your Chapter's name out there? These Chapters have found some unique ways of doing just that!

Bridgerland Audubon Society (UT) uses the airwaves for outreach with their Wild About Utah program on Utah Public Radio: www.bridgerlandaudubon.org/wildaboututah/

Using the Chapter Reporting System

Audubon provides Chapters access to the list of national members residing in their Chapter territories through a Web application called the Chapter Reporting System (CRS). Through the CRS, Chapter leaders may access:

1. Membership Records, including current and archived membership Rosters and Change Reports (the latter showing changes to the membership that have occurred since the previous month’s roster); printable Mailing Labels for the current membership roster
2. Membership Incentive Payment Reports; posted quarterly, in the month following the close of the quarter (i.e., April, July, October, January); shows the amount and date paid by new Chapter-recruited members.
3. Chapter Annual Report forms and archived reports

Please note that the Member Lookup feature is now located here (search for members by their ACS/member ID, or email address, mailing address, and ZIP code).

The CRS is a password-protected website that is separate from the publicly-accessible Audubon.org website. If you don't already have a CRS account--or if you're not sure whether you have one--contact Chapter Services. (Note: the CRS user database is separate from the Chapter leader database that is updated by Chapter Services through receipt of your Chapter Leader Report. Therefore, in order to access or be removed from access to the CRS, you must make a direct request to Chapter Services. When doing so, please indicate your 3-digit Chapter code or Chapter name and role in the Chapter, e.g., President, Treasurer, Membership Chair, Newsletter Editor.)

Click to download a video tutorial on using the Chapter Reporting System.

Forgot Your Login Info?

LOGIN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
The images below are for tutorial purposes only and do not link to the live site. Go to http://netapp.audubon.org/chapterservices/ to retrieve your login information.

1) If you forget your login information, click the Forgot my Username/Password link

Your username for the Chapter Reporting System is the email address that Chapter Services has on file for you (submitted through your Chapter Leader Report). However, if you wish to retrieve your username, click the Forgot my Username/Password link below the login area at http://netapp.audubon.org/chapterservices/ as shown in the image at right. On the next screen, type your email address into the upper text box and click the "Request Username" button. Then check your email inbox for a message containing your username.

If you have forgotten your password, click the Forgot my Username/Password link below the login area at http://netapp.audubon.org/chapterservices/ and enter your email address in the lower text box and click the "Request Password Reset" link. Check your email for a message with instructions for resetting your password.

2) On the login retrieval page, obtain your username (top option) or reset your password (bottom option)

Still having trouble?

If the system does not recognize your email address, or if you don't yet have an account, contact Chapter Services at 1-800-542-2748.

Roster, Change Report, and Mailing Labels

Document: 

Key to Roster and Change Report Field Names

Key to Change Report Change Reasons

Tips for working with CSV files in Microsoft Excel v. 2003

Images are for tutorial purposes only and do not link to the live site. To access the Chapter Reporting System, go to http://netapp.audubon.org/chapterservices/.

1) Select the Roster, Change Report & Mailing Labels link

After logging into the Chapter Reporting System, mouse over the Membership tab. The dropdown menu will display two items:

• Roster, Change Report, and Mailing Labels
• Incentive Reports

After clicking the Roster, Change Report & Mailing Labels page, you will see three additional tabs on the next screen: Roster, Changes, and Mailing Labels.

Jump to instructions for:

• Mailing Labels
• Changes

Roster

The Roster contains all National Audubon Society members in the Chapter’s territory who were current as of the end of the month prior to the “Date Posted” (e.g., if posted July 1, current as of June 30). Current members are those who have donated $20 or more to Audubon within the last twelve months as well as those whose membership has been expired for 6 months or less. Archived Rosters are also available for the previous 12 months. The current file is at the top of the list.

Chapters may use Roster information for engaging, serving, and soliciting their members via newsletters, annual appeals, email lists, phone trees, etc. However, the membership list belongs to Audubon and may not be shared or exchanged without permission from the National Audubon Society.

Please refer to the key to of roster and change report field names for an explanation of the information provided.

Change Report

The Change Report lists changes to the membership list that have occurred since the previous month’s Roster was posted. New members will appear on the Change Report that was posted after the date Audubon processed their payment (Date Paid), not after the date their membership began (Start Date). 

Please refer to the key to of roster and change report field names for an explanation of the information provided.

Working with Roster and Change Report Pages

Both the Roster and Changes web pages are displayed and function in a similar manner. These are the steps to working with and creating exports for both sets of data:

Click the Roster tab and select a month to display

SELECTING report month: Select a month to display from the dropdown menu. The data are current through the last day of the month shown (e.g., January 2013 rosters show membership data through 1/31/2013; and the change report will show changes made to the data during that period). Your Chapter's membership records may take up several pages--scroll to the bottom of the displayed page to find the list of pages to click through.

 

 

Click any field header 1x to sort in ascending order or 2x to sort in descending order

SORTING records: The default sort order of the displayed data is ascending by ACS ID (this differs from the old site, which was default-sorted by ZIP code). You can now sort the data by any one field by clicking on the field header (e.g., if you want to sort by Last Name, click on the Last Name field header).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Type your search criteria below the relevant field header to filter the records

FILTERING records: The displayed data can be filtered according to criteria you enter in the white boxes below each field heading. For example, on the change report, if you want to display a report with only the new members, type Add in the white box below the Change Status header and the table will automatically filter to show only the members who are new since the previous month's roster was posted. You can filter based on multiple levels of criteria by typing those criteria into the filters on the other search fields. If you click the magnifying glass icon to the right of the filter box, you will be presented with a number of other filter options. For example, if you want to see all records except for the new members, type Add in the filter box below Change Status, then select "Doesn't contain" from the filter menu. All records except for the new member records will be displayed.

 

EXPORTING to a file: To export your data as shown on the screen, select your download file format of choice and click to download the file. Keep in mind, if you have applied any filters during this session, they will be carried through to the export. If you want to set the file back to the default (i.e., all records displayed, sorted by ACS ID), click the link to clear the filters that appears in the first column with the # header (will only appear if a filter(s) has been applied).

 

 

Mailing Labels

The tool on the Mailing Labels page rapidly creates mailing labels for the current membership list and may be exported in a variety of formats. Please note: only the current months full roster can be exported (with the exception of any omitted ACS IDs). Any filters applied on the roster page will not be applied to the labels.

 

1. Select either a 2- or 3-column label format (Avery 5162/8162 or Avery 5160/8160 labels, respectively)
2. Select “Yes” if you would like to display “OR CURRENT RESIDENT” on the label, or “No” if not. Enter the ACS IDs of any members you wish to omit from the mailing list (e.g., individuals who have requested electronic-only versions of the Chapter newsletter). Separate multiple ACS IDs with commas.
3. Click the Create Labels button.

 

 

Your labels will be created and a new toolbar appears. The most common export method is to save a PDF to your computer. The image at the right shows the appropriate icon to select for that option.

To ensure your labels print correctly, make the following adjustments to your Print Settings in Adobe Reader: Go to “File” --> “Print” on the Menu Bar, and the Print Dialog box will open. Set document scaling to “None” (your print dialog box may display options somewhat differently).

Other Resources

USPS Move Update Standards FAQ (for bulk sending mail)

Incentive Reports Page

Images are for tutorial purposes only and do not link to the live site. To access the Chapter Reporting System, go to http://netapp.audubon.org/AAP/Application/ChapterServices.

The second item in the Membership dropdown menu in the Chapter Reporting System is Incentive Reports. These reports show new National Audubon Society members recruited by the Chapter, the first year donation amount, and the date Audubon processed the payment. Chapters receive 100% of the first year donation for any new National Audubon Society member they recruit (read more about how to recruit and get credit for new members). The Membership Incentive Payments are directly deposited on a quarterly basis to your Chapter’s checking account (generally in the month following the quarter—April, July, October, January) and the Incentive Reports are posted the same month. In order to assure that payments are received, please inform the Chapter Services Office of your Chapter’s updated banking information for direct deposit (i.e. routing and checking account numbers).

A sample quarterly membership incentive payment report

Payment Report Terminology

Note: Each payment report is named in the following format: ChapterCode-Year-Quarter_Incentives (e.g., N53-2013-Q1).

• ACS # - Unique number used to identify each member.
• Chapter - Chapter code – the unique, 3-digit code for your Chapter consisting of one letter followed by two numbers (find your Chapter's unique code on this list)
• Date Paid - Date Audubon processed the membership payment
• Dollars - The first year membership payment = amount credited to the recruiting Chapter
• Name - Full name of the new member

Payment FAQs

What if a new member we recruited does not show up on the payment report?

In order for a new member's donation to be credited to the Chapter, prospective members must either join through the online Chapter member recruitment form or mail-in form containing the Chapter's code along with the membership source code. Chapter-recruited member payments cannot be processed by phone at this time.

It may also take several weeks for the membership form and payment to be processed. Depending upon when the information is processed, the member may not appear on the next incentive payment report, e.g., if the next report is July, they may not appear until the October report. In the interim between payment reports, you can check the monthly change reports to see if the member shows up in the last column as "Chapter Recruited". If a member is not listed on the reports after a reasonable period of time, please contact Membership Customer Service - (800) 274-4201.

What if your bank’s deposit record doesn’t match the Incentive Payment Reports?

Occasionally, multiple payments are combined in a single deposit, e.g., two incentive payments, or an incentive payment and the annual baseline payment or a Collaborative Funding payment. If you have questions about direct deposits from Audubon, please contact Chapter Services - (800) 542-2748.

Recruitment

Although each Chapter already serves the members in its territory, and National Audubon is always recruiting new members, Chapters are also encouraged to actively recruit members. This will continually infuse your Chapter programs and other activities with new life, provide funds to the Chapter, and will cultivate a larger and more diverse pool of potential Chapter leaders.

Membership Services contact

General member information on the Web:

General membership questions (FAQ, membership benefits, update individual member contact information)

For questions regarding magazines, national mailings, premiums (calendars, tote bags, etc), address changes for national mailing, requests for removals from mailing lists – contact Palm Coast Data at:

National Audubon Society
P.O. Box 422250
Palm Coast, FL  32142-2250
(800) 274-4201
Email

Be sure to include the member's ACS ID in order to expedite your request.

For questions about registering for and using the Chapter Reporting System to access Chapter member rosters, change reports, labels and membership incentive payment reports:

Lynn Tennefoss (VP) & Rebecca Richter (Program Associate)

Audubon Chapter Services
(800) 542-2748

Reporting Seasonal Address Changes

When members move between one location and another on a seasonal basis (snowbirds), they may not remember to contact Audubon about their preferences as to where to send their magazine or Chapter mail. If the member makes his/her preferences known to you, please contact Membership Customer Service, (800) 274-4201 or email, with the following:

Address 1 with effective start and stop dates

Address 2 with effective start and stop dates

Additionally, if a snowbird member is not "hard-coded" to your Chapter, they will automatically become a member of another Chapter (if one) during their time away from your Chapter's territory. If the member requests to be "hard-coded" to your Chapter, they will always appear on your membership roster even when they move outside of your Chapter's territory. Please let Membership Customer Service know if the member should be hard-coded to your Chapter.

Sending Mailings

We recommend (but do not require) that Chapters send a physical mailing to their membership at least twice a year, as not every member can be contacted by email. Mailing a colorful, inspiring annual report, invitation to an event, welcome letter to new members, or even a solicitation--such as an annual appeal or Birdathon donation request--can help reconnect you to your membership.

Please note that standard (bulk) mail must comply with USPS Move Update standards. Learn more about bulk mailing and the Move Update standards.

Audubon Funding for Chapters

Audubon provides funding to its Chapters In order to build and strengthen the Audubon grassroots network to be a more effective force for conservation. Chapters and State Programs (if one available) are also encouraged to work together to seek additional new funding from local and state sources through joint fundraising.

If your Chapter has received a direct deposit from Audubon, it will either be Baseline Funding, Membership Incentive Payment, Collaborative Funding Grant or another Audubon Grant (e.g., TogetherGreen). Please browse the links below for more details on each type of funding or contact Chapter Services to ask the purpose of the deposit.

Current Grant and other Funding Opportunities

The following are grant opportunities that may be of interest to Audubon Chapters. Listings are alphabetical within each category of year-round and time-sensitive. If your Chapter is successful in receiving any of the listed grants, please let us know. Thank you!

Year-Round

Ben & Jerry's Foundation: Grassroots Organizing for Social Change Program
AMOUNT: Up to $15,000
The National Grassroots Grant Program offers competive grants to not-for-profit grassroots community organizations throughout the United States, that are working to bring about progressive social change by addressing the underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems. Broad goals are to further social justice, protect the environment, and support sustainable food systems. Letters of interest may be submitted at any time – there is no deadline for applying and the Employee Advisory Committee meets nine time s a year to review proposals. Funding priorities, guidelines and restrictions, and information on the application process are available online. Only organizations with budgets of less than $500,000 will be considered.

Eagle Optics
Matching donation program for purchase of qualifying sport optics – please contact Chapter Services for details

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation
AMOUNT: $5,000 - $25,000
Primary philanthropic focus areas are community improvement projects and public education (for the latter, priority is given to K-12 public schools). Get to know your local Lowe’s store manager – local store support is imperative in the consideration of grant applications.
In addition, Lowe’s is the exclusive retailer for the Audubon color palettes under the Olympic brand paint.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Grant opportunities for projects that sustain, restore, and enhance our Nation's fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats.

Norcross Wildlife Foundation

AMOUNT: $5,000 average; up to $10,000
Targets grassroots organizations who seek funds for practical, immediate use (i.e., land protection, program-related office and field equipment/technology, and public education materials).

Patagonia Environmental Grants
DEADLINE: year round for application to Patagonia store in your city; April 30 and August 31 yearly if no store in your area
AMOUNT: $ 5,000 – 8,000
Patagonia funds environmental work by grassroots organizations that identify and work on the root causes of  problems and that approach issues with a commitment to long-term change.

Planet Connect
Green grants for youth

Sound Approach Bird Fund
AMOUNT: up to $15,800
Seeks projects that will have a significant conservation benefit, making a real impact on the survival of globally or nationally threatened bird species or globally important sites. Focus is on small, grassroots groups, rather than large national or international organizations, and projects which are are difficult to raise funds for.

TechSoup - technology resources

TechSoup provides other organizations with software, refurbished computers and other technology from more than 40 donor partners — including Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Intuit, and Symantec. All donated and discounted products are available to non profit organizations and libraries for a small admin fee that supports TechSoup's work in the United States and around the world. Techsoup also provides free learning resources, including articles, blogs, webinars, and forums that keep non-profits up-to-date on the latest technology.

WMAN/IEN Mining Mini-Grants Program
DEADLINE: February 1, June 1 and October 1; applications for Emergency Grants are accepted anytime and should be for time-sensitive unforeseen challenges/opportunities.
AMOUNT: Up to $3,000
The Mining Mini-Grants Program is a joint project of WMAN and the Indigenous Environmental Network and funds work dedicated to mining-related issues. The goal of the Mining Mini-Grants Program is to support and enhance the capacity building efforts of mining-impacted communities in the U.S. and Canada to assure that mining projects do not adversely affect human, cultural, and the ecological health of communities. Indigenous-led organizations will receive at least 50% of the grants made each cycle.

Time-Sensitive

Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®
Bank of America’s signature philanthropic program recognizes, nurtures, and rewards community-based organizations, local heroes and student leaders working to improve their communities. Areas of focus include education, community development/neighborhood preservation, arts and culture, and health and human services. Limited to 45 specified markets (cities).

Student Leaders®
DEADLINE: January, 2012
Five young adults in 45 markets, recognized for their passion for improving the community, participate in a leadership summit in Washington, DC and a paid internship with a local nonprofit/charitable organization. (US: high school juniors and seniors)

Circle K
Supports 501(c)3 organizations that assist youth-at-risk and education. Requests for financial contributions are reviewed in January and February for funding the next fiscal year. Requests for in-kind donations are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Fund for Wild Nature
DEADLINE: Feb 1, May 1, Sept 1
AMOUNT: $1,000 - $5,000
Provides small grants for campaigns to save and restore native species and wild ecosystems, with particular emphasis on actions designed to defend threatened wilderness and biological diversity. FWN funds advocacy, litigation, public policy work, development of citizen science, and similar endeavors.

The Home Depot Foundation’s Community Impact Grants Program
APPLICATION PERIOD: Feb 6 - August 13, 2012
AMOUNT: Up to $5,000
Grants are available to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public schools or tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community. Funds are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. More competitive grant proposals will specifically identify projects for veterans, seniors, and/or the disabled and will include housing repairs, modifications, and weatherization work.

National Forest Foundation
Matching Awards Program
DEADLINE: Jan 14, 2012
AMOUNT: Awards averaging $30,000 are available to match non-federal funds for direct on-the-ground and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting America's national forests and grasslands.

EPA Urban Waters Small Grants
DEADLINE: Jan 23, 2012
AMOUNT: $40,000 - $60,000
MATCH: A minimum non-federal cost share / match of $2,500 is required

Chapters may be interested in this grant opportunity as potential funding for projects within Important Bird Areas. The goal of these Urban Waters Small Grants is to fund research, studies, training, and demonstration projects that will advance the restoration of urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities. The funding is part of EPA’s Urban Waters program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve, and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding land. Read the full RFP here: http://1.usa.gov/vCugHb.

Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
DEADLINE: Jan 24, 2012
AMOUNT: matching grants of up to $50,000 available to nonprofit partners for the implementation of on-the-ground conservation projects that directly benefit National Forest Wilderness Areas.

Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act 
DEADLINE: Nov 30, 2011
AMOUNT: up to $250,000
The U.S. Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act established a competitive grants program to support projects that promote the conservation of neotropical migratory birds and their habitats in the United States, Canada, Latin America or the Caribbean. Many grants of up to $250,000 are awarded every year. Proposals for the next yearly grant cycle must be sent no later than 1 November 2010. More information and application instructions are available at http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NMBCA/index.shtm

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
DEADLINE: August 20, 2012
AMOUNT: $1,500 - $5,000
We are offering a seed grants program to increase the number and effectiveness of organizations interested in assisting the Refuge System nationwide and their work and projects to support the System. Capacity-building and start-up grants are the focus for 2012. Eligible applicants are official refuge Friends organizations that are either tax exempt under section 501(c) or in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status. Learn more and apply online. For more info, contact Connie Mahan, National Audubon Society, 202-861-2242 ext 3036, cmahan@audubon.org.

The North Face® Explore Fund™ 
DEADLINE: April 15, Sept 1, Oct 15, Nov 7
AMOUNT: up to $2,500
Explore Fund supports organizations that encourage youth outdoor participation, focusing primarily on creating more connections of children to nature, increasing access to both front & backcountry recreation, as well as providing education for both personal & environmental health.

Birdathon

Birdathon has caught on as an effective and fun way for Chapters to raise money because it works so well and serves several purposes all at once.  First, the Birdathon gets your Chapter working together and building a sense of teamwork, bringing birders and non-birders together for an adventure in many of the different habitats we are all trying to protect.  Second, the Birdathon spreads the Audubon mission and brings in people – brand new supporters as well as old – as sponsors (your brother, dentist, or hairdresser) that might not have the opportunity to support the environment or Audubon if it were not for you.  There is no limit to the number of participants and sponsors Chapters can involve in their Birdathons, and, therefore, no limit to the amount of money that can be raised.  Members who are new to birding will find the Birdathon a wonderful introduction, and people who may have difficulty asking others for money will find it far easier to ask for pledges for their Birdathons.  The Birdathon also can generate substantial local publicity for your Chapter. 

In addition, Birdathon provides an opportunity for meaningful partnership with Audubon.   Many Chapters choose to direct a portion of their proceeds to an Audubon program important to their activities.  Supporting the state Important Bird Area (IBA) program, Audubon Adventures, or a nearby Audubon sanctuary are all ways Chapters turn a portion of their Birdathon proceeds into an investment in Audubon’s programs and the overall health of the organization.

BIRDATHON EVENT IDEAS

Traditional Birdathon:

Birdathons are held throughout the United States from April to June, with times for local events coinciding with peak bird migration.

Participants meet in groups across the country and scan skies, trees and wetlands to identify as many bird species as possible -- up to 200 in some cases -- in a one-day period.

Participants obtain pledges form sponsors, ranging from 25¢ up to $10 or more for each species spotted.

Nontraditional Birdathons:  Any creative variation of the traditional Birdthon that your Chapter can come up with.  Here are some ideas:

• The lunch bunch:  Decide how many species your group will see in the morning, stop after you have found that number, and go out to lunch!  Ask your prospects to sponsor you based on the number of species you promise to see.

• “A funny thing happened on the way to the office…” A Birdathon geared toward busy executives.  Bird from 6:00 am to 9:00 am (in your business suit!) and then go to work.

• Single sex:  Competing men’s and women’s teams.

• Pedal power:  An energy efficient Birdathon on a bike.

• The big sit:  For the ultra busy, the sedentary, the relaxer, the incapacitated, or the just plain lazy!  Sit in your favorite chair or spot in the park, your house or yard, or your friend’s yard.  Ask your prospects to sponsor you based on the smaller number of species you will see from your spot.

• Naturally novice:  Create an event that will include novice birders.  They are usually the ones who do not get invited to be in a Birdathon – but of course have the same fundraising potential as birders do.  Orchestrate a day, or part of a day, dedicated to novice birders – members, friends, relatives, anyone who wants to come along.  Knowing they will only see a small number of species, help them determine a number on which to base their requests for sponsorship.  You will raise more money for the Chapter’s event, and make new birders, new friends, and perhaps new members!

• The age range:  Organize competitive teams by age groups, i.e. 0-25, 30-50, 50+.

• Kids Birdathon day

Family field day:  Do a variation on regular field trips.  Consider charging for these trips if they are normally free, or charge a bit more than usual during your fundraising period.  Special “discount” prices for families are a great incentive.

VIP field trips:  If you have a “celebrity” birder, or a celebrity who would like to go birding in your area, put together a very special birding day, including a wonderful lunch.  Make it an exclusive event – keep it small and set the ticket price relatively high.  Some Chapters charge $25 to $50 for these types of events, depending on the popularity of the VIP.

Special Event day:  Work with local organizations, such as other environmental groups, garden clubs and scouts, as well as the park service, to organize a “mini-fair” in the park.  This event is a natural vehicle for sponsorship, public relations and education about environmental issues.  It is also a great opportunity for membership recruitment.  Here are some suggestions:

• Ask local businesses to help sponsor the event and feature their products at the fair.

• Alert the local media and advertise the event throughout the community.

• Provide visible, attractive kiosks with information about Chapter programs and conservation issues.

• Be sure to have volunteers available to answer questions and recruit members.
• Include booths of nature related services and products.
• Organize activities throughout the day, such as “interpretive” bird/nature walks. These can be designed as “do-it-yourself” trips or can include a guide.  Be sure to include a trail/route map, drawings of birds and plants likely to be seen, etc.

Additional Resources

Chapter Bird-a-thon website (Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, CA)

Planned Giving

Gift Planning
Jan Hesbon, VP & Director
212-979-3033

Promotion of Bequests:

The National Audubon Society has received over $300 million in revenue from over 1,500 bequests and settled life income gifts since the inception of planned giving program in the mid-1980s.  Approximately 60% of these estates provided unrestricted income that supported Audubon’s mission through the years. The median bequest ranges from $10,000-12,000, by individuals who leave Audubon a percent of their residual estate.

Most planned gifts are simple bequests from wills and living trusts as well as beneficiary designations in life insurance policies and retirement plans. Bequest gifts are the cheapest dollars to raise; they require fewer resources to manage than any other source of contributed income. Bequest gifts average 50-200 times more value than total lifetime giving by that donor.

Promotion of bequests requires a long-term commitment; once started, it should not be discontinued for any reason.  Bequest income from settled estates has provided 5.5 times more value than new planned gifts, and has also provided National Audubon with about 15% of its annual income – excellent results from long-term commitment.

Promotion includes:  newsletter, website, on-line, check-off for information on reply device in regular mail; seminar by outside professionals, special receptions, special mailing to all members; testimonials (see Audubon website on gift planning)

Suggested Language
I bequeath _____ % of my residuary estate (or $________) to the __________ (name of chapter or society, Inc. a not-for-profit environmental conservation organization, with its principal offices located at ________________________________, for its ongoing environmental conservation and educational purposes.

Reply to inquiries promptly by letter with a brochure including legal language and Tax Identification Number, or follow up by phone. Do not be afraid to talk with fellow members about making a bequest. Older, loyal members are already thinking about future generations, and want to learn how to benefit Audubon for that future.

Treat people who have included your Chapter in their wills ("expectancies") like major outright gift donors. Expectancies who are treated like loyal members are likely to keep your organization in their wills, to increase their investment, and to make the largest outright gifts they can afford.

National Audubon has provided a bequest flier template--please substitute your legal Chapter name and other information, as well as your own logo and other images.

Special Appeals

Chapters of any size stand to benefit from a special appeal--that's a letter, an email message, social networking campaign or a phone call to your constituents asking for a donation, generally for a specific cause, project or program. Annual appeals are popular with non-profits just before the winter holidays. People are generally in a more giving mood and are also interested in making tax-deductible contributions.

Launching a successful appeal requires good planning. You will essentially need to be able to sell the concept of your Chapter's mission, your program or project to the prospective donors. But it's not all about the organization--you must connect with the individual on the other end of the line or letter and show them how they are relevant to the success of your Chapter and the great blue heron, or whatever cause you are promoting.

Plant the seed and then cultivate. Build relationships with your prospects gradually--don't ask them for $500 right away. Encourage them to increase what they give over time--being sure to educate yourself on their giving history and ask for more each year. If they aren't comfortable giving more, indicate what they gave last year and ask them if they can give at the same level. Recognize also that a person's economic situation may have changed, and they really can't give as much as last year or at all.

Network for Good says that a good appeal must answer four basic questions:

Why me?
Why now?
What for?
Who says?

Read their suggestions for answering these questions.

Special Appeal Training DVD Available

Craig Breon, former Executive Director of Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, developed a training DVD for Chapters on conducting a special appeal. To order a copy of the DVD, contact Chapter Services at 800-542-2748. See a preview of the DVD online.

More Tips for Appeal Letters

Personalize Greeting and Information
If you don't already mail merge information from your database to any letter or email message you send, start now. Would you be more likely to respond to a solicitation that said "Dear Member" or "Dear [your name here]"? Talk to the individual, not to the masses. If you have the information, merge in the amount they gave last year (and thank them again for it), and add in any other details that seem fitting.

Summarize Accomplishments and Goals
Let your prospects know what great things donor contributions made possible last year and what continued/additional programs and projects will be possible with their support. Don't get long-winded--just stick to the most significant--and sellable--bullet points.

Handwrite Notes
If you're sending appeal letters, a personal handwritten note in the margin goes a long way. Have a note-writing party at a board member's home and invite all Chapter leaders to participate. If someone personally knows a particular donor/prospective donor, that person should write the note. There's no need to write an essay. A short, sincere message will suffice, e.g., "Bob & Lucy--it was fantastic to bird with you at Loch Ness. Hope to see you on the trail again soon!", or "Laura--thanks so much for helping us during River Cleanup Day--glad you had a chance to see those osprey chicks!"

While you have those volunteers gathered, have them hand-address each envelope and affix first-class postage. This makes the mailing look more personalized than a machined bulk mailing.

Reply Card and Envelope
The reply card should be well-designed and contain only essential information. If it is overcrowded or lengthy, prospective donors may cast it aside. Be sure to have a place for them to fill in their name and contact information and possibly answer a small number of questions by marking checkboxes, e.g., "I am interested in volunteer opportunities with Birdie Audubon Society".

Make it as easy as possible for donors to send money--include an envelope (that is sufficient to accommodate the donation form and check without folding them).

Supplemental Enclosures
If you have a nice brochure of upcoming Chapter programs, include them with your letters. You may also consider a Chapter logo sticker or other enclosure.

Evaluate Your Appeal

As with any Chapter endeavor--whether a program, event, or fundraising scheme--it needs to be assessed in order to determine its successes and failures. Feel free to experiment--try including reply envelopes with stamps and those without (make sure to keep track) to see if it makes a difference. Make phone calls on different days of the week at different times to determine what works best.

Fundraising Ideas

The following fundraising events have been particularly lucrative for many Chapters.  Always remember to use your imagination and do not feel restricted to these examples.  Chapter members can always dream up better innovations using their own local resources.

Auctions

La Purisima Audubon Society is a small Chapter in rural California.  It convinced local merchants to donate furniture for its Chapter auction.  The $5,000 generated by the auction was used for building a nature center and placing Audubon educational materials in the school system.  Northern Shenendoah Valley Audubon Society in Virginia holds a silent auction as part of a member meeting. Members arrive before the meeting to make their bids on items.  The bidding closes when the meeting program begins and members pick up and pay for their new possessions after the program.  In addition to being good fundraising vehicles, silent auctions have become a good way to attract new members to the Chapter.

Art Fair

The Madison Audubon Society of Madison WI. Holds an annual Art Fair featuring about 100 artists displaying and selling photography, painting, printmaking, weaving, glass, drawing, fiber, ceramics, jewelry and a variety of sculpture and mixed media. The chapter holds a silent auction at the fair and offers food on site. In 2007 the Fair netted $14,727!

Bike for Birds

Audubon North Carolina Board Member Lena Gallitano of Raleigh NC participated in Cycle North Carolina's Fall Ride from Elkin in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Carolla on the Northern Outer Banks.  She challenged sponsors and supports to make contributions to her Bike for Birds Campaign and raised over $7,800! Lena says, "I did a lot of birding by ear while riding my bike...The birds made my training rides more pleasurable, and I've been an Audubon memeber for many years, so that's when it clicked: I could make the ride a fundraiser and call it Bike for Birds."

Bird House Building and Sales

Siskiyou Audubon Society of Grants Pass, Oregon, raised money for Audubon Adventures by building over 500 bluebird boxes for sale and distribution throughout the community.  The Chapter credits a local timber operation for selling used materials for the nest boxes at reduced prices.

Bird Seed Sales

Chapter bird seed sales are another tried and true method by which Audubon chapters raise money for their programs.  Some chapters find that they can increase their profits by obtaining pre-orders for bird seed.  By advertising the sale and taking orders for specific types of seed well in advance, a chapter can order just the amount of seed it needs, and avoid wasting large amounts of seed.  Once the total seed order is collated, most chapters order their seed from a distributor.  The seed should be delivered to a central location and chapter volunteers should be ready with a list of individual orders.  While bird seed sales do require a cash investment, many chapters have been able to raise substantial funds through their sales.

Amos Butler Audubon Society in Indiana grossed $12,300 on a $9,000 investment in bird seed sales.  The chapter advertises the bird seed sale in its newsletter and takes out ads in the local paper, enabling the chapter to pre-order only the amount of bird seed that has been ordered by members and other customers. Customers pick up their seed directly from the distributor’s truck, freeing the chapter of warehousing and inventory problems.

Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society in Dallas Pennsylvania offers an incentive; customers who purchase $100 of seed/suet receive a free suet cylinder feeder.

More bird seed sale resources

Birding Classes

A number of Chapters hold a series of weekly “Beginning Birding Seminars” or “Master Birding Programs.”  In addition to identification, field trips are generally part of the sessions.  With the appropriate tuition, birding seminars can be extremely popular, educational, and lucrative for the Chapter.  These classes are promoted in the Chapter membership and throughout the greater community.  North American bird identification slides are available from Cornell University’s Ornithological Research Station, Sapsucker Woods.  Sapsucker Woods maintains an extensive collection of slides that are available for sale.  To order a brochure, contact:  Sapsucker Woods Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850.

Business Customer Donations

Check with your local businesses to see if they have a means (e.g., through a service like eScrip) for their customers to donate to your Chapter with every purchase they make at that business. This is a nice way to receive a steady stream of income throughout the year, with minimal effort.

Calenders

This idea comes from the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (CA).  They offer 2 different calenders for sale each year. One features pictures of birds donated by local photographers. The chapter sponsors a Wildlife Poster contest for local students. The top 12 picks are featured in another calender. 

Holiday Parties

Host parties around holidays such as New Year’s Eve, April Fools Day, John James Audubon’s Birthday (April 26), and the Fourth of July.  For a real money maker, throw in a bingo game, special door prizes, or a few party games.

House Meeting

The house meeting can be an occasion to get friends and neighbors together in someone’s home, tell them about Chapter programs and ask them for financial gifts to support these programs.  You might organize a house meeting around the premiere of an Audubon television special, serve dessert, and ask friends and neighbors to sign-up for a Chapter membership with a small donation.  It is always best to ask for money for a specific project the Chapter is currently pursuing.

Native Plant Sale

This idea comes from The Grand Rapids Audubon Club (MI). Chapter members donate native plants from their yards for sale.

Recycling Projects

Tri-Moraines Audubon Society in Ohio brought in $5,000 by processing a quarter million pounds of recycled material through its “Project Recycle” program.

Rummage and Garage Sales

Prescott Audubon Society in Arizona and Boulder Audubon Society in Colorado hold annual rummage sales netting $2,000 - $3,000 each.  What a great way to make money and turn your unwanted items into someone else’s treasures!

Webstore

This idea comes from The Grand Rapids Audubon Club (MI). Does your chapter have T-shirts, mugs, kids apparel or other swag? Sell your chapter's merchandise worldwide and provide a convenient way for locals to get your goods.  View an example from The Grand Rapids Audubon Club here.

Planning Tips for Fundraising Programs and Events

Here are some planning tips to help ensure the success of Chapter fundraising endeavors.  Like any other planning activity, clear goals and objectives for fundraising are essential.

1. What are the projects the Chapter wants to raise money for?  It is important for donors to understand your specific fundraising project objectives in order to get excited about them.
2. Is your active membership invested in your fundraising goals?
3. How much money do you need to raise?
4. How many leadership roles are available in your fundraising activities?
5. How many new members can you potentially bring in through the event?
6. What new skills can you hope to learn?
7. How will you publicize this event to carry the Chapter’s message into the community?
8. Can you repeat this event in six months or a year?
9. Which sources of renewable income can you reach?

• Active members
• Subscribers to the mailing list
• Major donors
• Local businesses

ALLOCATING YOUR RESOURCES

People

• What talents do Chapter leaders have?
• What talents do the members have?
• How many members are able to help you?
• Who can you approach to sponsor your Birdathon or to sell tickets for a Chapter raffle, auction or art show?

Money

• How much start-up money do you need to hold the event, purchase bird seed, etc.?  Where will it come from – the treasury, a loan, or advance sales advertising?
• When will you have to spend the money?
• How will you handle the money coming in?  Will you need to set up a separate account?

Time

• How can you use fundraising time for the greatest gain?
• Are there any major conflicts in the Chapter calendar?

EIGHT STEPS FOR FUNDRAISING THROUGH FOUNDATIONS, BUSINESSES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

• Think big.  Chapters that used to raise a few hundred dollars a year are now raising $2,000 to $20,000 through Birdathon alone.
• Ask for donations.  No matter how great your program is, people will not donate money if they do not know you need it.  Surprisingly, people like being asked to give to a worthy cause.  The more you ask and the better you ask, the more successful you will be.
• Raise money for specific Chapter programs.  People get excited about good programs.  Focus your fundraising efforts on specific projects, such as saving wetlands or endangered habitat, preventing toxic waste dumping, producing a community recycling brochure, creating 20 Audubon Adventures classrooms, buying a camp scholarship, or building a new trail at a nature center.  All of these programs are worthy of contributions.
• Ask for specific amounts.  This may be difficult, but it is an important consideration.  People like to know what you are expecting.  A few tips:
  1. Suggest a range, such as a gift of $100 to $500.
  2. Ask for the amount of money needed for a specific program, such as the cost of signs for a new trail, the price of five Audubon Adventures classrooms, or the travel cost of a particularly exciting speaker for a monthly program.
  3. Encourage a higher gift by developing a donors club. For example, every donor who gives $100 or more becomes a member of the “100-plus club” and receives some form of recognition, such as having his/her name printed in the Chapter newsletter, or receiving a special plaque or an honorable mention at a Chapter meeting.

• Give your own gift first.  Investing in your program by making a personal contribution first sends strong message to other potential supporters.  When Chapter leaders take the lead in giving, even small amounts, the membership appreciates it and is more likely to follow their example.
• Ask for donations in person.  Asking face to face is more likely to result in a donation, or an increased donation, than asking in any other way.  Asking over the phone and through the mail are the second and third most effective ways to solicit donations.  The least effective method is asking for gifts through advertising in publications such as the Chapter newsletter.
• Say “Thank you” again and again!  There are many ways to say thanks, and people cannot be thanked too often.  The best way to thank donors for contributions, no matter how small, is in person, if possible in front of friends. Highlight generous supporters in the Chapter newsletters.  Give donors a gift or an award.  When you thank you donors over and over, they will give over and over.  There is no such thing as a used up donor – unless you forgot to thank them, or involve them.
• Ask again.  The best prospect you will ever have is a past donor.  They may be more willing to give than you think.

Raffles - Tax Precautions

Assuming a Chapter is organized as a corporation, and has secured tax-exemption under Sec. 501(c)(3), the Chapter may need to comply with any gaming laws of the state in which it is organized and with any federal, state and local tax laws that apply.

Most states regulate raffles, and there is little, if any, uniformity. It is up to each Chapter to seek out the state agency that regulates gaming activities and review the applicable requirements.

In addition to gaming laws, tax laws may also apply.  At the federal level, a raffle sponsor (and the winners) may have reporting obligations to the IRS (generally, if the value of the prizes is $600 or more). In addition, for high-value prizes (generally, $5,000 or more), the sponsor may have withholding obligations (possibly 25% of the prize value). The IRS has a publication aimed at the general public that reviews the federal tax issues: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3079.pdf.  Additional state and local tax requirements may also apply.

In summary, anyone contemplating a raffle should review the requirements imposed by the applicable gaming and tax authorities. Some state gaming authorities can impose surprisingly rigorous requirements. (Connecticut, for example, has an entire section of its gaming statute describing what should be printed on any raffle ticket, and how the raffle tickets should be drawn.)

Donor Development

Who are the best people to ask for donations? Those individiduals and families who are already Chapter donors! All you need to do is inspire them to keep giving, and to increase their giving--if and when they can. You can start by tracking the level at which they have donated previously--then ask for an additional $25-$50, or whatever amount you feel would be appropriate. If you or someone on your Board doesn't already have a personal connection with the donor, start cultivating one. Meet with the donor over coffee and get to know them better. What do they enjoy in particular about your Chapter? Is there anything they would like to see changed (be prepared for this sort of feedback, or don't ask)? Would they like more information or involvement in any particular Chapter program?

Consider offering additional benefits to high-level donors. Travis Audubon Society (TX) developed a "Donor Stewardship" program that offers personal letters and calls of thanks as well as VIP field trips. See their donor stewardship chart in the "Downloadable Resources" below.

Stewardship Plan for Individual Gifts

Content Settings

Document: 

stewardship_plan_for_individual_gifts.pdf

Templates for promotional materials

Promote Your Chapter's Successes

Has your Chapter experienced a spectacular success in a conservation, advocacy, education, citizen science, fundraising, or other effort? Chapter Services would like to promote and share your Chapter’s successes through our website, Facebook page, and/or conference and Web presentations.

Please use this form to submit your Chapter success story.

Stories are always made more powerful with images. If you have a good image depicting your story, please email it to us, along with the photographer contract.

If you have developed any support materials (e.g., curriculum, fact sheets, best practices) for your project that you would be willing to share—as a link to the page, or document on your Chapter’s website, or as a document posted on the Chapter Services website—please the URL on the story form or attach the document(s) to your email message. If you provide a document, we will presume that you are granting Audubon the rights to post it on the Web, with credit to your Chapter.

Thank you for sharing!

Email

Most Chapters use email for communications among leaders or to members, as it is quick, easy and conserves resources. A few points to watch out for:

• Be wary of including email addresses on the Web, as they can be vectors for spam email. It is good practice to ask for written consent prior to posting anyone’s email address or other personal information on the Web.
• When sending to a list of recipients, you may want to use the blind carbon copy, or BCC, field for email addresses. Addresses in the BCC field will not be seen by recipients of the email message, as opposed to using the using the “To” or “CC” (carbon copy) fields. Apply similar caution in forwarding or replying to messages that contain recipient emails by deleting email addresses from the body of your message. Including email addresses in messages makes them more available to potential spammers.
• Write targeted, clear, concise and constructive email messages, and be mindful of the frequency of emails sent to members. People may also become overwhelmed if messages are lengthy, overly detailed and poorly organized.

The CAN-SPAM Act

The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email. Although non-profit organizations may not be sending commercial messages, CAN-SPAM rules comprise best practices for email for any organization. Learn more from this article on CAN-SPAM Act Rules for Nonprofits and read the complete rules of the CAN-SPAM Act here.

Additional Resources

14 Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List (Network For Good)

Social Media

Depending on the social networking service and particular application that you use, you can host discussions, post updates, photos, videos, and events, as well as send event invitations, take polls and much more. These services are generally free, but registering is required in order to create a site or post commentary.

Twitter is a real-time messaging service that works over multiple networks and devices. It is a quick way to post a “tweet”, e.g., a bird sighting, thought of the moment, event or anything else you can type up to 140 characters.

Examples:

• On Facebook:
  • Huntington Audubon Society
  • Menunkatuck Audubon Society
  • Seattle Audubon Society
• On Twitter: El Dorado Audubon Society

Resource: Using Facebook as an Organizing Tool (Chapter Services)

Websites

Websites (or Web sites) are collections of related web pages, or documents, that are hosted on a server (computer that stores large numbers of files) and can be viewed via the Internet through a browser and a computer screen. Although many other forms of Web-based information posting are discussed here—including blogs, social networking sites and message boards—the Chapter website serves as the “headquarters” and any other services would play supporting roles and always link back to the website. It is important to sit down with your Board and determine why your Chapter wants a website (or other Web-based resource), how you plan to use it, what your budget is, and who will maintain it. Once you have answered these questions, your Chapter will be able to decide the best method to suit its goals.

So how do you go about “getting” a website and effectively using it? Again, evaluate your Chapter’s needs. There is a wealth of information on the Web and many books that can help you decide what type of website is right for you. Start by reading our Website Building FAQ. (Please note that Chapter websites cannot emulate the design of the National Audubon Society website nor be hosted on the National website.)

Examples: Look through other Audubon Chapter websites to get a good idea of the range of possibilities

Resources:

• The Beginner's A-Z Guide to Starting/Creating Your Own Website (thesitewizard.com)

Other E-Communications

The realm of online promotion goes beyond organization websites, social networking sites, blogs and forums. For example, there are a variety of free services that allow you to create a listing in a directory. Be sure to keep your Chapter’s listing on guidestar.org up-to-date, as this is where your donors and grantors may go to get more information about you. You may create a mini-site geared towards a particular purpose, such as posting meetings and events, as in meetup.com.

Example: Cape Fear Audubon Society on meetup.com

Video

Web video is hot: some studies say that video will account for 50% of all internet traffic by 2012. When you think of how easy it is to watch video on a smart phone or how beautiful video looks on an iPad, it’s no wonder that everyone wants more visual content on their screens.

YouTube has given birth to both wonders and nightmares. For every endearing Charlie Bit My Finger video with 373 million views, there are way too many bad videos of wannabe American Idol singers.

How can Audubon Chapters create videos that will end up on more screens and have an impact? Here are three tips to help your video get noticed in this increasingly crowded field. Because you don’t just want to stand out--you want your video to be shared virally on Facebook and in emails between friends.

1. Seek stories with both motion and emotion.

Good video needs visuals that are constantly changing: action, activity or kinetic movement. If it doesn't move, it's probably not a good subject for video. If your video features a lot of talking heads (interviews of people talking), chances are viewers will click away before the video has ended. People like to hear and share stories that create a visceral, emotional feeling. With Facebook and Twitter connecting us with friends around the world, we are able to instantly share those feelings by posting links to things we really like--or even things that upset us.

2. Look for strong characters.

Birds are the reason Audubon came into being, but in order for your story to resonate universally, it is often best to concentrate on people. Look for personalities who will tell a surprising story in an engaging way. Sometimes the most important person behind your story might not be a great storyteller. Better to find the best storyteller rather than risk having your viewers leave 10 seconds after your video has started playing.

3. Get a little closer.

Shoot a lot of close-ups and extreme close-ups. There’s nothing like seeing a close-up of a beautiful bird rather than squinting at a speck in the trees. These types of shots are more dramatic and they have more impact when viewed on hand-held screens like a smart phone or tablet computer.

Remember that Robert Frost said, “No surprise for the visual storyteller, no surprise for the Internet viewer” (though I’m not sure I have that exactly right).

If I’m surprised and delighted by a video I see on my screen, I share and link and tweet and email it to all my friends.

Hope to share one of your videos soon.

-------------------------

Bob Sacha is guest writer for Audubon's TogetherGreen program. He is a visual journalist who directs, shoots and edits videos for the web for NGO’s and non-profit organizations. Bob also teaches Video Storytelling for the Web at the Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York and at Columbia University.

Meritorious Service

Purpose

To publicly acknowledge and thank outstanding Chapter activists.

Eligibility

Awarded to members who have sustained a level of activity beyond that of the average Chapter member.  Each Chapter selects the members they choose to recognize.  The criteria for selection include: outstanding or sustained leadership as a Chapter officer, committee chairperson, special project leader, fundraiser, activist, membership recruiter or other category appropriate to Chapter. 

Nominations

Chapters are asked to forward the name, position and any additional information for each nomination to Chapter Services.

Award

Certificate, signed by Chapter President or National staff as requested.

Great Egret

Purpose

Awarded to individuals who have made significant long-term contributions to Audubon and conservation in pursuit of the Audubon mission.

Eligibility

Individuals have been in the “trenches” for 20 years or more working for the Audubon mission, either as a volunteer or staff member. This individual has made significant contributions at one or more levels within the local Chapter, center, state, regional and/or national level. 

Nominations

Please send the following information to the Chapter Services office.

1. Nominee's full name (i.e., the preferred name to be printed on the award)
2. Several sentences (70-100 words) highlighting the nominee's accomplishments as they relate to Audubon
3. The date the award is to be presented

Award

Certificate, signed by National Audubon Society President and Chair of Audubon Board of Directors. 8" x 10" photograph of Great Egret by Bill Stripling included.

Presidential Recognition

Purpose

Awarded to individuals or businesses who have made significant contributions to the Chapter and/or bird conservation.

Eligibility

Recognition for individuals or businesses who have aided the Chapter in achieving their mission. Often used for individuals who are not active Chapter leaders, or to recognize business contributions.

Nominations

Chapters send name and brief rationale behind nomination to the Chapter Services office.

Award

Certificate, signed by National Audubon Society President and Board Chair.

Charles H. Callison Award

The Charles H. Callison Award was established to give special recognition to an individual or group whose continued diligence has accomplished sound environmental legislative policy achievement at the local, state, or federal level. Nominees need to have achieved significant success in environmental policy, creativity, coalition-building, education and/or outreach. Two awards are presented, one in each category: Volunteer and Professional.

All are encouraged to nominate staff and volunteers for this prestigious recognition of significant accomplishments. This is a great way to recognize outstanding fellow staff, volunteer state or Center board members, Chapter leaders or very active, dedicated Audubon members. Deadline for nominations is January 15 each year. Awards are presented at the May Audubon Board Meeting.

Category Descriptions

Professional: An individual on an Audubon payroll – national, state, council or Chapter.

Volunteer: An individual or a group volunteering time for Audubon.

Criteria

A nominee need not pass each criterion nor even the majority. These are not listed in any priority order.

• Achievement at the local, state or federal level of sound environmental policy.
• Creativity in using the always-limited resources available.
• Builder of coalitions through cooperating with other environmental, social and political groups to achieve common environmental goals.
• Creative thinking demonstrated by devising effective strategies and tactics to achieve environmental goals.
• Education through providing enlightenment and better understanding of environmental goals.
• Outreach to bring others into common consensus.
• Perseverance, patience and a positive attitude recognizing that progress takes time.
• Demonstrate an intelligent, environmental course for humankind through science and economic understanding.
• Generosity with time, commitment and talent to further the Audubon mission.
• Perspective spiced with humor, recognizing that we are but mortals with limited time and a capacity to do good.

Nomination

Please send nominations of no more than 2 pages addressing the nominee’s accomplishments under any of the above criteria via email no later than January 15 to Lynn Tennefoss, VP of State Programs and Chapter Services.

Past Callison Award Winners

PROFESSIONAL

1994    Dave Cline                              

1995    Jim Cunningham (awarded 1996)         

1996    Jesse Grantham and Charles Lee          

1997    David Henderson (awarded 1998)

1998    Pat Waak                                

2000    Ed Carlson

2001    Glenn Olson (awarded 2002)

2002    Norm Brunswig           

2003    Dr. William (Bill) Branan (awarded 2004)

2004    Lynn Tennefoss

2005    Stan Senner

2006    Tom Baptist and David Miller

2007    Diana King

2008    Eric Draper     

2009    Chris Canfield

2010    Mike Daulton

2011    Les Corey

2012    Dan Taylor

VOLUNTEER

1994    Joyce Wolf

1995    Grace Pierce Beck, Delaware Audubon Society (awarded 1996)          

1996    Jess Morton, Palos Verde Audubon Society

1997    Tom and Eleanor Wootten, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society (awarded 1998)

1998    Dr. Gary Pearson, Dakota Prairie Audubon Society

2000    Anita Randolph, River Bluffs Audubon Society and Missouri Audubon Council

2001    Polly Reetz, Audubon Society of Greater Denver (awarded 2002)

2002    Bryan Dixon, Bridgerland Audubon Society     

2003    Camille Broderick, Audubon Greenwich (awarded 2004)

2004    Dr. Marcy Brown-Marsden, Audubon Dallas

2005    Warren King, Otter Creek Audubon Society and Audubon Vermont

2006    Benjamin Olewine, IV, Audubon Connecticut and Audubon Pennsylvania

2007    Helen Engle, Tahoma Audubon Society and Audubon Washington, and Margery Nicholson, Audubon California, Audubon Alaska and National Audubon Society

2008    Dr. Paul A. Johnsgard, Audubon Nebraska

2009    S. Joyce King, Santa Fe Audubon Society, St. Petersburg Audubon Society and Audubon of Florida

2010    Margaret Copeland, Audubon Mississippi

2011    Richard Baker, Pelican Island Audubon Society, Florida

2012    Tom Jervis, Sangre de Cristo Audubon Society and Audubon New Mexico