Update by the Executive Director
Tim Merriman
March 2008


Audit, Budget and Cash Flow
Our auditor has advised us that new GAAP audit procedures will raise our audit costs to $12,000 to 15,000 from previous charges of $7,500. We are studying options including a change to a financial review, a less rigorous but less costly option.

Bank Service Changes
Payroll becomes a direct deposit process beginning next month. We hope to have the new online credit card program working with the Association Store in April as well. We have ordered equipment to allow Direct Deposit of all checks coming to NAI by putting them through a scanner. The checks are then shredded and the e-check remains in the banking system as the voucher for the check. This will save considerable time in making bank deposits and will put the money in NAI accounts much faster.

BSA Venturing
We have received a sample MOU from BSA Venturing and will begin working with them on a collaborative relationship. They are interested in coming to the National Workshop in Portland to sign a document after we determine the details.

Business Plan 2007
We have a much slower start on 2008 than in 2007, primarily due to the long period of uncertainty in 2007. It will be July before we can assess this year’s early performance by comparison with 2007 with enough data to see trends. Certification courses are heavily scheduled but later in the year rather than earlier as they happened last year.

Grants
We have no grants pending or in planning stages at this time.

Greening of NAI
We continue to move as many business practices as possible to green options. We also will be exploring a partnership that will allow us to advise some institutional members on how to “green” their buildings and businesses via a partnership with NAI commercial members. We should have more to report next month on this planned partnership.

Hot Button
This continues to be the best way for NAI leaders to let us know of service failures.

InterpPress
Sales for the year are better than in 2007 thus far.

Membership
Membership revenue for January and February 2008 was $50,000, which is lower than the same period in 2007 by $5000. We continue to strategize on how to retain more members who join through the CIG program while also building more commercial and institutional members.

No Child Left Inside
I wrote a letter to each of 100 senators in support of the No Child Left Inside Senate legislation (Senate Bill 1981). Senator Salazar of Colorado wrote to us to assure our constituents that he is a sponsor of the bill and avid supporter. We had a phone call from Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon to also let us know that he is both a sponsor and avid supporter. To date there are 11 Senators and 39 Representatives in support of the bill. Two of the Senators are Republicans and nine are Democrats. One Republican Representative is a co-sponsor and rest are Democrats. The legislation would provide 500 million dollars in funds for environmental education over the next five years if the appropriation bills also pass. Getting the program authorized is the first step in the process.

Training and Speaking
I attended the Federal Interagency Council on Interpretation meeting in Washington, D.C. in February and co-taught a CIT course in Yosemite late in the month. I also participated in an offsite retreat for planning with all of our NAI staff.

Travel Plans
My upcoming travel may be viewed here.