The Business of Audubon International

Audubon International (AI) is dedicated to the fullness of time. The good work we seek to do is never completed. To that end, the Audubon International Board of Directors is guided by a thoughtful business plan, as is the case with many determined causes. We at Audubon International navigate on six primary goals:

1. STRATEGIC GROWTH: AI means to increase golf-related property membership through the retention of existing members and the recruitment of new memberships. Golf course properties are environmental havens managed by golf course superintendents who are dedicated environmental stewards. In fact, the world would be a better place if all of us were such dedicated stewards as golf course superintendents.

2. IMPACT: Member golf related property members are AI-certified or actively engaged in certification to ensure that their facilities conform to the standards of best practice for stewardship.

3. PROMOTION: AI members actively promote certification and report being recognized by club members, neighbors, and their communities at large. We want to make Audubon International a recognized leader in environmental education.

4. BRAND: AI members win supportive recognition; and the AI certification is respected by those within the conservation sector as science-based and environmentally significant to long-term sustainability.

5. FINANCES: A first-order responsibility shared by all is to ensure diverse and sustainable revenue sources to support Audubon operations and investments. We must see that financial resources are maintained over time.

6. ORGANIZATION: Christine Kane, AI’s most capable CEO, is dedicated to supporting staff retention and increasing the number of active board members to sustain the AI mission. Christine has completed the reorganization of AI and is filling of staff gaps in real time.

One might reasonably ask how the AI Board measures its progress. The Board has identified the following metrics of success:

MEMBER RETENTION – The number of members retained is important and made more robust by continuous recruitment efforts.

GOLF COURSE ACREAGE – The number of acres of naturalized areas on golf related properties is a measure regularly tracked at AI. This metric has grown recently as the Monarchs in the Rough and other programs expand their reach.

BEST PRACTICES – The number of sustainable AI-recommended practices which are incorporated into property management is monitored annually.

REVENUES TO AI – Financial gifts and donations are the most important source for sustaining AI programs and mission. The Board monitors this metric and seeks to increase it as a primary responsibility.

STAFF EFFECTIVENESS – Audubon International is served by highly capable and dedicated staff members. The human resource profile of the staff is well-educated with an enthusiastic attitude. Those attributes reflect Christine’s leadership. The business of Audubon International is highly intentional and guided by its dedicated staff and Board of Directors.

Henry Delozier, Chairman of the Board