1. Executive Director

Update by the Executive Director
Tim Merriman, Executive Director

Budget and Cash Flow
All income areas are peforming above expectations this year in sharp contrast to a difficult spring and summer income period in 2004. Registration packets have gone out for NIW 2005 and online registration is in progress which is giving us the expected boost in cash flow needed for the summer. Our IRS 990 report is being prepared and should go to the IRS very soon using the figures provided in the 2004 external audit by Sample and Bailey CPAs, PC.

Grants
We should hear from a variety of grant sources very soon. We are told by National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service that they now have the USEPA grant funds that will support our two projects, the E.E. curriculum study in cooperation with CSU and the definitions project in cooperation with the Institute for Learning Innovations. We have just submitted a proposal for $25,000 to the Downtown Development Authority for a conceptual plan for the Fort Collins Living Museum project. We will hear about it on July 7. We will also hear regarding a $25,000 grant from the Boettcher Foundation for our building in mid-July.

Legacy Trust Fund
The Legacy Trust Fund now has $54,891 in gifts since first of the year with many other gifts pending. Julie reports that recent trips to meet with donors have gone very well. For more information on Legacy Trust Fund click here.

Networking
In May I attended the USICOMOS (International Council on Monuments or Sites) meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, and got acquainted with many of the people who manage world heritage sites and historial structures around the U.S. and internationally. I also attended the Federal Interagency Council on Interpretation meeting in Washington, D.C., and the Free-Choice Learning Symposium at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. We are engaged in conversations with National Geographic Society on bidding together on an interpretive planning, mapping and training project at Macchu Picchu. They were picked by World Bank to head the project and would like our expertise with interpretive components. This would happen in 2006.

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.


Travel Plans
My upcoming travel may be viewed at www.interpnet.com/board/schedule.htm.