Question 5

First, stable and effective management is foundational to attracting funding and managing expenses. That was a priority when the board appointed Loren Blackford as executive director in 2025. Loren brings deep Sierra Club background and leadership experience to her role as executive director. Consistent leadership that is held accountable improves forecasting, internal controls, and follow-through, all of which are essential to financial discipline. The board must support management with guidance and clear expectations–all essential to the board’s fiduciary responsibilities. Three other points guide my approach to the board’s fiduciary responsibility:

• The board should insist on realistic multi-year financial planning that matches program ambitions with sustainable revenue. Annual budgets alone are insufficient. Regular review of multi-year projections, staffing scenarios, and risk assessments allows emerging gaps to be addressed early.  
• Financial information must surface timely and clearly.  One important step is ensuring that the board’s financial and risk management committee is empowered with financial information and provides solid recommendations for solutions as financial problems emerge.
• Finally, the board must treat fiscal discipline as a core governance responsibility, not solely a management function. With stable management, creative and effective revenue-generating activities, disciplined oversight, and transparent decision-making, Sierra Club can have lasting financial stability.

We need to raise more money. In the last few years, fundraising has not kept pace with the annual expense increases that our bargaining contract creates. I want good salaries and benefits for employees – absolutely. And of course we need a budget process that reviews all expenses. But the solution here really is at the fundraising level. We have a new Executive Director who is committed to fundraising, and staff who can help. The board must closely monitor our progress.

The last four years have been an anomaly that could not have been predicted, but moving forward, we will adopt strategies that are designed to help us pivot with the moment. For the future, we will be stabilizing our budget with innovative fundraising campaigns. Given the planetary threats that we are facing, this organization cannot afford to lose anyone.

The Sierra Club needs to take a hard look at our work, our structures, and our spending to see what is serving our mission and our members. When I say “our members” I mean every single member – dues-paying members and staff alike. I am certain that each and every staff member in this organization has some idea, concern, or question that could lead to some sort of streamlining, even if that measure is only reducing duplicate work. In addition to hiring freezes and evaluating our structural needs, we also need to be realistic about the work we engage in, and need to take a clear look at our financial sources. This will all eventually lead us to: how do we increase our membership?

We also must support and enable our chapters to the fullest extent possible. Our chapters are how and where our members come into this organization, and member retention and work tends to be guided by what is happening at the chapter level. We need our national campaigns, departments, and staff to create meaningful engagement opportunities for members of chapters across the country to feel part of this club that they pay dues to be in. We also need to be more determined in providing our chapters with the support and resources they need to expand. Our movement only grows as our tent does, and our chapters know that.

Long range thinking and planning can help to mitigate the challenges of unpredictable donor interests, as well as for breaking down internal silos to increase synergy and collaboration. Equally important is to recognize that everyone who volunteers or works for Sierra Club has a role to play in ensuring we have the resources we need by telling their own stories. Every week there are dozens of amazing stories in Sierra Club entities all across the country, many of which don’t get shared beyond those directly involved. Every story provides concrete examples of how donations make a difference, whether there is an ask to a foundation for millions of dollars, or a request for a friend to join the Sierra Club at the $15 introductory rate. The Board and fundraising staff have a particular responsibility, but they can’t be the only ones to make the case for funding our work. An outings leader explains how Sierra Club protected the place they are hiking; political committee volunteers tell how electing environmental advocates to the legislature helps us lobby effectively for clean water; a conservation volunteer tells why they joined the Sierra Club and shares a link to sign up and build our membership; and a donor to the Sierra Club Foundation tells their family members why they support the environmental law program and urges them to donate as well. We need to look beyond leaving it to the professionals if we are serious about ensuring Sierra Club thrives. 

I believe an assessment from an outside party to provide guidance on the structure of organization, and the financial landscape of the organization should be done annually. There should be an annual strategy meeting with Board and Staff leadership on priorities, roles and responsibilities. I would encourage budgets to be developed two years – five years in advance to plan for what is to come and adjust when there is financial instability. I do not know a lot about what has caused budget deficits so until I have more information, I am not equipped to respond to this question with more suggestions of how we avoid this in the future.  

At the board level, strengthening oversight through the finance and risk management committee, setting clearer financial guardrails, ensuring new initiatives are launched with a realistic path to funding and building reserves, and intervening earlier when risks emerge can prevent such situations.

Organizations can benefit from scenario forecasting, ongoing risk assessment, establishing and protecting a clear operating-reserve policy, rebuilding, diversifying and stabilizing unrestricted revenue, and aligning staffing decisions with secured funding. 

Given that we are working in a rapidly shifting environment, and reliant on donor contributions, building reserves is important for long term sustainability and retention. It’s also important to recognize that having the systems and structures in place to manage clear expectations and a level of transparency can mitigate unanticipated surprises when decisions may rely on external funding sources.

I donate to national and chapter fundraising efforts, support advancement efforts on donor outreach, hosted and share a commitment to supporting fundraising efforts. I believe that to build long-term stability, prioritizing growing unrestricted and renewable revenue—such as grassroots fundraising, membership, and multi-year major donor commitments—while reducing reliance on short-term, restricted funding is also critical.