Fundraising & Planning

Fiscal growth is a vital part of any new organization. From our beginnings in 2004, our revenues increased substantially in 2005 and again in 2006. Expenses exceeded revenues in calendar year 2006 due to the fact that grant monies were received late in 2005.

Foundation and Trust monies accounted for 72% of all revenues while individual dues and contributions contributed 20%. Our success in seeking grant awards was fundamental to our fiscal growth and our financial success.

General staffing and consultant fees made up the biggest portion of our expenses. Our second and third largest expenses were equipment and partnership-building—vital necessities for any new organization.

Under the leadership of Board member Gary Hunt, the Association pursued strategic planning in 2006 resulting in the first five-year plan, Accepting Responsibility for What is Ours—A Plan to Protect and Enhance the Living Communities and Resources of the St. Mary’s River Watershed. This plan stresses the building of organizational capacity as well as partnerships and coalitions, and covers the time period from 2006 through 2010. We urge you to review our strategic plan. You can download it in Adobe PDF format at:
http://www.smrwa.org/pdfdocs/strategicplan_rev2007-03-12.pdf