February 2006 1 Executive Director 2 Associate Director 3 Membership 4 Publications 5 Sales and Events 6 Development 7 Financial Report 8 Action Plan return to memo region/section accounts board report addresses/phones

1. Update by the Executive Director Tim Merriman, Executive Director Audit for 2006 The 2005 audit is in progress and should be completed by mid-May. The auditors ask us for specific data at this part of the process and complete our 990 form and report by May 15. Budget and Cash Flow The new year has begun with much lower membership income than last year or the year before. Certification continues to perform above expectations. One month provides too little data to assess much of anything about how the year will perform. Building The building adjacent to our building is about 80% built and they have started on the parking plaza east of our entrance. Plans are to be finished by late May so we may soon have relief from the lack of parking near the building. Consults and Grants We are expecting an additional payment of $61,000 from the Definitions Project grant early this year. We also have about $32,000 to collect through CSU for the E.E. curriculum grant from EPA done in cooperation with Sunita Hilton and Sara Melena. Sara is about to send out her questionnaire and will soon be getting data on her work. We have potential for Phase 2 funding from the E.E. grant from E.P.A. in the amount of $70,000 or a bit more. Drew Burnett leaves EPA at the end of February and is trying ton finalize our funding for that before month's end. We submitted a grant request for $30,000 to the Bohemian Foundation for our planning work Definitions Project June 1 and 2 will be the next meeting of the Definitions Project at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The third meeting will be in Fort Collins in August and the final meeting back at NCTC in West Virginia. Legacy Trust Fund The Legacy Trust Fund total for 2005 amounted to $242,405 which added to previous gifts has brought total support for the building fund to $761,421. The KC and Bonnie DenDooven gift of $100,000 was an important lead gift in 2005 and helps us match more of the Gates Family Foundation Grant by June 2006. For more information on Legacy Trust Fund click here. Networking The Definitions Project brought us into contact with about 25 different potential partner groups including, American Association of Museums (AAM), Association of Experiential Education (AEE), Association for Living History Farms and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM), Association for Nature Center Administrators (ANCA), National Audubon Society (NAS), Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Association of Partners in Public Lands (APPL), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Environmental Education Training Parnership (EETAP), Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI), (Museum Educators Roundtable (MER), North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), National Environmental Education Training Fund (NEETF), National Park Service (NPS), Project Learning Tree (PLT), Society of American Archaeologists (SAA), Student Conservation Association (SCA), USDA Forest Service (USDAFS), US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Visitor Studies Association (VSA). Staff Changes We interviewed candidates for the Membership Assistant position in late January and early February and hired Tara Tanner from among a fair-sized group of well-qualified candidates. She began work on February 6th and reports to Jamie King. This brings us back up to ten full-time staff and one part-time, Sam Smith who handles building maintenance and store fulfillment. In early February all staff who have not had the Certified Interpretive Host course so all 11 staff members have one or more certification credentials. http://www.interpnet.com/interpnet/contactus.htm. Strategic Plan Please look at the Strategic Planning page in this report and see if you have any updates to make based upon your efforts related to those tasks. Please let Jim Covel know of any updates at JCovel@mbayaq.org. Training I trained in CIP courses in Providence, RI, and State College, PA. These courses provide the highest quality contact with members that we have as the association executive staff and often lead to additional training, speaking and consulting. Travel Plans My upcoming travel may be viewed at www.interpnet.com/board/schedule.htm.