Why, When & How Why, When & How Refuges & Friends Refuges & Friends
should should Plan our Moves Plan our Moves
Together Together
Larry WilliamsDivision of Budget, Performance &
Workforce
Friends!
What is “strategic What is “strategic planning?”planning?”
It’s simply a process to determine:It’s simply a process to determine:
1.1. What we’ll try to accomplish (What we’ll try to accomplish (Plan & Plan & Set GoalsSet Goals) )
2.2. How we’ll get there (How we’ll get there (ImplementImplement))
3.3. How we’ll know if we met our goals How we’ll know if we met our goals ((AssessAssess))
Why all the talk about Why all the talk about “strategic planning?” “strategic planning?”
Trend toward improved performance Trend toward improved performance & better accountability in federal & better accountability in federal governmentgovernment
Part of President Clinton & Bush Part of President Clinton & Bush agendas, but especially emphasized agendas, but especially emphasized by Pres. Obama by Pres. Obama
Friends already help Friends already help Refuges tremendously…Refuges tremendously…
Support for CARE’s national advocacy effortsSupport for CARE’s national advocacy efforts Local advocacy for your refugeLocal advocacy for your refuge Visitor services: staffing visitor centers; book stores; Visitor services: staffing visitor centers; book stores;
leading refuge tours, etc.leading refuge tours, etc. Habitat improvement projects: remove invasives, Habitat improvement projects: remove invasives,
etc. etc. Biological monitoring: nest boxes, bird surveys, etc.Biological monitoring: nest boxes, bird surveys, etc.
……And there’s another way, too. By planning And there’s another way, too. By planning Friends activities that support Refuge Friends activities that support Refuge “performance goals”“performance goals”
Assessing & Improving Assessing & Improving PerformancePerformance is a big part of is a big part of
Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning
Watching the gas gauge and Watching the gas gauge and speedometerspeedometer
Counting the calories, then counting Counting the calories, then counting the miles or minutesthe miles or minutes
Going to school, taking tests, getting Going to school, taking tests, getting a report carda report card
Federal Agencies get a Federal Agencies get a Report Card that Grades Report Card that Grades
PerformancePerformance
Our Report Card is Our Report Card is Compared to Other Compared to Other
Agencies Agencies Hey, I
deserve an A
plus!!!
Competition for Limited Competition for Limited DollarsDollars
Good Grades (i.e., better Good Grades (i.e., better PerformancePerformance) = More Funding ) = More Funding for Refuge System!for Refuge System!
To get the funding needed to To get the funding needed to meet our mission, the Refuge meet our mission, the Refuge System must:System must:
1.1. Demonstrate NeedDemonstrate Need
2.2. Demonstrate Good Performance Demonstrate Good Performance (appropriate spending of (appropriate spending of taxpayer dollars, with tangible taxpayer dollars, with tangible results demonstrated)results demonstrated)
Friends groups, by supporting Friends groups, by supporting CARE, are already involved in CARE, are already involved in #1, but could get more #1, but could get more involved in #2involved in #2
What’s on the Refuge What’s on the Refuge System’s Report Card?System’s Report Card?
……Grades measuring how well we Grades measuring how well we meet the 12 Goals in the meet the 12 Goals in the National National Wildlife Refuge System Wildlife Refuge System Strategic Strategic
PlanPlan
Goal 1 Goal 1 - Conserve, - Conserve, manage and restore fish, manage and restore fish, wildlife, plants and their wildlife, plants and their habitatshabitats
Friends!
Goal 2 Goal 2 - Provide quality - Provide quality environments with adequate environments with adequate water quality & quantity, water quality & quantity, clean air and soilsclean air and soils
Friends!
Goal 3 Goal 3 - Protect unique - Protect unique values of Wilderness, other values of Wilderness, other special designation areas, special designation areas, and cultural resourcesand cultural resources
Friends!
Goal 5 Goal 5 - - Provide Provide quality wildlife-quality wildlife-dependent dependent recreationrecreation
Friends!
Goal 6 Goal 6 – Facilitate – Facilitate partnerships and partnerships and cooperative projects to cooperative projects to engage others in the engage others in the mission of the Refuge mission of the Refuge SystemSystem
Friends!
Goal 7 Goal 7 – Protect resources – Protect resources and visitors through Law and visitors through Law EnforcementEnforcement
Goal 8 Goal 8 – Provide & Maintain – Provide & Maintain infrastructure/equipment infrastructure/equipment adequate to support the adequate to support the Refuge System missionRefuge System mission
Friends!
Goal 9 Goal 9 – Complete quality – Complete quality CComprehensive omprehensive CConservation onservation PPlans (CCPs) lans (CCPs) on schedule & with full on schedule & with full engagement of partnersengagement of partners
Friends!
Goal 10 Goal 10 – Strategically grow – Strategically grow the Refuge System the Refuge System
California Black Rail
Friends!
Goal 11 Goal 11 – Reduce wildfire – Reduce wildfire risks and improve habitatsrisks and improve habitats
This refers to unwanted
fires only
Goal 12 Goal 12 – Promote and – Promote and enhance organizational enhance organizational excellenceexcellence
•Good morale and work environmentGood morale and work environment
•Continuing Education for employeesContinuing Education for employees
•Efficient business practicesEfficient business practices
•Consistent application of policy Consistent application of policy across regionsacross regions
How Are We Doing?How Are We Doing?
Evaluation of the Evaluation of the Refuge System, Refuge System, by by independent contractor independent contractor Management Systems Management Systems International International (MSI)(MSI)
Assesses if Refuge System Assesses if Refuge System is meeting its 12 Strategic is meeting its 12 Strategic Goals and …Goals and …if not, then if not, then why notwhy not
www.fws.gov/refuges/www.fws.gov/refuges/policiesandbudget/policiesandbudget/budget.htmlbudget.html
MSI Report’s ConclusionsMSI Report’s Conclusions
Refuges were “partially to Refuges were “partially to highly effective” for 9 of 12 highly effective” for 9 of 12 Goals Goals
““Highly effective” at Highly effective” at Facilitating Partnerships & Facilitating Partnerships & Coop. ProjectsCoop. Projects
““Ineffective” at 1. Ineffective” at 1. Protection Protection thru Law Enforcementthru Law Enforcement, and , and 2. 2. Growing the Refuge Growing the Refuge SystemSystem
MSI’s MSI’s Findings/RecommendationsFindings/Recommendations
Budget shortfalls from 2003-2008 forced NWRS to cut services and staff, and hindered our ability to fully meet many goals
Law Enforcement program, especially, needs increased
funding
Biological Inventory & Monitoring needs to be increased, with a consistent System-wide approach…must hire more biologists to make this happen
Review Needs/Hire additional biologists – or balance priorities
The Refuge System should strive to increase policy and program consistency across administrative Regions and Refuges
MSI’s MSI’s Findings/RecommendationsFindings/Recommendations
Develop a Water Strategy to secure adequate quantity & quality
Reduce administrative and reporting requirements
Develop consistent and improved refuge websites
Prioritize visitor services – develop a strategy, e.g. percent of resources, identify which services fit where
Strategically grow the Refuge System; develop Land Acquisition policy
Redesign the RAPP reporting system
Develop a “knowledge management” program to better share information and promote learning
What we’ve Covered so far:What we’ve Covered so far:
1. Strategic Planning: what it is & why it’s important
2. Assessing & improving Performance is a big part of Strategic Planning
3. Strong Performance means healthier habitat for wildlife, better visitor services, and justifies higher funding levels
4. We demonstrate Performance to Congress and DOI in context of our 12 strategic goals
5. MSI Report gave recommendations to improve Performance in our 12 strategic goals
…Now let’s talk about how Friends might help Refuges improve Performance!
Review the Refuge Annual Review the Refuge Annual Performance Plan (RAPP) Performance Plan (RAPP) with your Refuge Managerwith your Refuge Manager
Get to know their Get to know their priorities and areas of priorities and areas of under-performance under-performance
Design Friends projects to Design Friends projects to help the Refuge boost help the Refuge boost performance in these performance in these areasareas
Friends!
You Already Saw this Slide.You Already Saw this Slide. But after learning But after learning about RAPP, the 12 Strategic Goals, and the about RAPP, the 12 Strategic Goals, and the
many benefits of improving many benefits of improving PerformancePerformance, maybe , maybe you now see Friends work in a new light?! you now see Friends work in a new light?!
What Else Can Friends Do? What Else Can Friends Do?
Think in terms of the 12 strategic goals; Think in terms of the 12 strategic goals; know if your projects will boost your know if your projects will boost your refuge’s refuge’s Performance Performance
Think Ahead: Refuges will soon have to Think Ahead: Refuges will soon have to showshow Performance Performance in addressing Climate in addressing Climate Change. So do relevant projects, such as Change. So do relevant projects, such as climate-smart species monitoring or climate-smart species monitoring or reducing non-climate stressors such as reducing non-climate stressors such as invasive species & fragmentation invasive species & fragmentation
Strategic Planning in Strategic Planning in SummarySummary
If we mind the If we mind the InputsInputs ( (gallons of gas, gallons of gas, calories, or dollarscalories, or dollars) ) and the and the Outputs Outputs ((miles, minutes, miles, minutes, acres, visitorsacres, visitors) ) together, we all together, we all become a little wiser become a little wiser at what we’re trying at what we’re trying to do to do
HighlyHighlyEffectiEffecti
veve
SOG 6: Facilitate Partnerships and SOG 6: Facilitate Partnerships and Cooperative Projects…Cooperative Projects…
EffectiEffectiveve
SOG 5: Provide Quality Wildlife-SOG 5: Provide Quality Wildlife-Dependent Recreation and Dependent Recreation and EducationEducation
SOG 8: Provide Infrastructure and SOG 8: Provide Infrastructure and EquipmentEquipment
SOG 9: Complete Quality/Useful SOG 9: Complete Quality/Useful CCPs…with Partners & on ScheduleCCPs…with Partners & on Schedule
SOG 11: Reduce Wildfire Risks and SOG 11: Reduce Wildfire Risks and Improve HabitatsImprove Habitats
Strategic Goals Effectiveness Ratings
PartiallyPartiallyEffectiveEffective
SOG1: Conserve Manage, and Restore Wildlife and SOG1: Conserve Manage, and Restore Wildlife and Habitats Habitats
SOG 3: Ensure that Unique Values of Wilderness are SOG 3: Ensure that Unique Values of Wilderness are protectedprotected
SOG 4: Welcome and Orient VisitorsSOG 4: Welcome and Orient Visitors
SOG 12: Promote and Enhance Organizational SOG 12: Promote and Enhance Organizational Excellence.Excellence.
IneffectiIneffectiveve
SOG 7: Protect Resources and Visitors through Law SOG 7: Protect Resources and Visitors through Law EnforcementEnforcement
SOG 10: Strategically Grow the SystemSOG 10: Strategically Grow the System
Unable Unable totoEvaluateEvaluate
SOG 2: Provide Quality Environments with Adequate SOG 2: Provide Quality Environments with Adequate WaterWater
Strategic Goals Effectiveness Ratings