Question 7

Sierra Club is making progress on a fundamental challenge of how to ensure volunteer voices shape resource decisions before budgets are set and priorities locked in. This requires solutions that draw on our history of volunteer-led governance. 

A priority for me in 2026 is ensuring that, as national policies continue to shape the governance and finances of local chapters, we strengthen those policies in ways that empower chapters to directly influence the national decisions that affect them. In 2025, both the board and senior management recognized the urgency of correcting this course. Leadership on the staff side acknowledged that durable, effective strategies depend on engaging volunteers earlier and more systematically, and committed to rebuilding those pathways in partnership with volunteers. Through the Volunteer Leadership & Activism Committee, which I chair, we secured a critical commitment and the Executive Director and Board of Directors established a joint staff-volunteer Working Group to develop a National Volunteer Leadership Plan.

This effort reflects a shared understanding between management and volunteer leaders that restoring volunteers’ rightful role in shaping campaigns, programs, and departments strengthens the organization as a whole—because these decisions inevitably drive budgets, staffing, and priorities. We know that volunteers with ground-level and high-level expertise can meaningfully inform management decisions and influence funding allocations without intruding into inappropriate operational roles.

We can assure opportunities for volunteer leadership input through several means. Some of those exist now: there are three CCL chapter reps and three Grassroots Network reps who are officially liaisons to the board. We can empower those reps more by assuring they are part of budget and allocation discussions. Volunteer co-leads provide a forum, and the Volunteer Leadership Advisory Committee is strong and active. But we need to create a regular sequence of volunteer leader  listening sessions, and there is support for doing that.

By practicing genuine engagement and surveying volunteers with a sincere desire to implement feedback.

We need more spaces for volunteer leaders to be plugged into these processes. This should include creating more opportunities to hear directly from Chapter Chairs and Directors regarding their budgetary needs, as well as ensuring that Chapter interests get to hear about national campaign budgetary development and needs. This is one key area where additional transparency with both our campaigns and chapters would help tremendously. If the board can make clear sense of what its conservation priorities are to our membership, then discussions about how and where funds are allocated can be understood much easier. It’s also important that we hear directly from each of our chapters and campaign regions about what their needs are, and how they have intentionally created alignment with each other. If there are obstacles to finding that alignment, then they should be a primary target of conflict resolution processes for the board.

I can say that I am proud of the way that national campaigns interact with our chapter here in Texas. In the future, we may have disagreements as we have in the past, but that has not and will not prevent us from working together in the future. The national staff that live in or support Texas are integral parts of “Team Texas”. We have created alignment by frequent contact via meetings, brainstorming sessions about Texas-specific campaign targets, and embracing a spirit of collaboration between chapter staff, chapter executive committee leadership, and national staff in Texas.

We must embrace an atmosphere of respect and trust among staff and volunteer leaders through transparency, robust discussions, serious consideration of innovative ideas, and understanding that hard decisions will be required on occasion. This isn’t easy, especially at a time where large funders are changing their priorities in reaction to the Trump administration’s destruction of social safety nets, membership numbers have declined, and funds available to carry out the huge amount of work we need to do are limited. 

But we are at our best when room is created for the ideas of those most engaged in particular fights to be shared and listened to. A good example recently has been the clamor from our grassroots for Sierra Club to join in the No Kings events. There are legitimate concerns: overstretched staff didn’t have the capacity; how to let staff and volunteers participate safely; and the lack of designated funding to support a massive outreach effort. But our Executive Team under Executive Director Loren Blackford figured out a way to free our chapters and groups to show up and participate. 

For 134 years we have been a remarkably innovative organization, adapting to changes in society and within our own ranks. Today’s challenges are daunting, but not insurmountable if we are willing to learn, take some well considered risks, and recognize that our greatest strength has always centered on the remarkable, talented people who are dedicated to the mission and the work we do. 

We need to hear from all volunteer leaders on what their priorities are and see their plan of action for campaigns. There should be a form that volunteer leaders can fill out so we are able to capture their issues. We should set multiple deadlines throughout the year for information to be provided by volunteer leaders on what types of campaigns volunteers will pursue and the funding request associated with them. We need regular check ins for volunteers to share their priorities while discussing among each other to foster communication and help volunteer leaders collaborate. 

Sierra Club’s is unique as being a volunteer-led organization, with a co-leadership model with opportunities for volunteers and staff to work as partners, sharing leadership and responsibility to shape and lead our campaigns and initiatives together. I joined the Sierra Club as a volunteer because of its strength as a grassroots volunteer organization and to make a difference. I believe that people volunteer because they care deeply about the issues impacting their community. The commitment and tireless contributions of our grassroots volunteers inspires me. To build a broader, more inclusive and just climate movement, we need to foster a culture where everyone feels welcome, safe, valued and able to make a meaningful contribution. I believe it’s important to offer a range of opportunities, remove barriers to participation, share resources, tools, professional development and training opportunities similar to those that staff may have access to. It is also necessary to demonstrate a genuine commitment to equity and inclusion, build relationships that foster trust and reliability, and create environments where volunteers feel safe sharing ideas without judgment. It's also important to clearly communicate how volunteer contributions connect to campaign outcomes, and establish regular feedback loops through collaborative decision-making spaces. When volunteer leaders see that their input influences real decisions about priorities and resources, we strengthen trust, deepen engagement, and build more effective, equitable campaigns together.