In 2021, the Wild Ones Board of Directors and staff adopted Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) to strategically focus on specific organizational targets. Wild Ones identified and is working toward several critical WIGs in 2022 and staff and board members have been busy dedicating time and energy mapping how we will accomplish these goals.
The first WIG is to update the Wild Ones brand by 12/31/22. Wild Ones is a longstanding voice in the native plant movement and the only national organization whose mission is to educate and advocate for native plants. We must identify and differentiate ourselves as leaders in this important work and make it clear why joining Wild Ones is the best way to engage in the native plant movement. To ensure that our brand reflects who we are and resonates with current and potential members, Wild Ones will be working with a partner agency to conduct an evaluation of our brand and provide recommendations on how we can best represent ourselves.
This work will result in updated brand standards and assets, such as logos, website themes, color schemes, messaging, etc. There will be a phased branding implementation plan for Wild Ones and chapters to update printed materials, merchandise, websites and other digital spaces with these new assets. This transition process will be determined once we have selected a firm and begin work.
The second WIG is to develop a cultural competency strategy by 7/31/22. The more members we welcome to the organization, the more culturally diverse we become. We need to heighten our awareness of how both members and the public perceive and experience Wild Ones. Cultural competency addresses the ability to effectively engage people who have differing views, experiences, cultures, beliefs, abilities and financial means.
Cultural competency is a process and a practice. This goal is still early in development. First steps include examining Wild Ones communications and messaging for culturally insensitive language, expanding the accessibility of digital resources and initiating conversations with American Indian Nations and tribal communities of east central Wisconsin. We are starting with these tribes as we work to build relationships with tribal leaders in communities that are closest to the WILD Center in Fox Crossing, Wisconsin, which is the only land that is owned and managed by Wild Ones. Through listening to and learning from these people, we hope to be able to provide guidance to chapter volunteers on how to connect with and support historically marginalized communities.
Some possible outcomes of our cultural competency strategy include a land acknowledgment program, cultural competency training opportunities, and an evaluation of the accessibility and availability of Wild Ones programs and volunteer opportunities. We will share more about this strategy as it takes shape.
Our third WIG is to increase average membership retention from 60% to 65% by 12/31/2022. Many new members joined Wild Ones over the past two years, and many tenured members renewed, showing their ongoing support. We must ensure that the member experience is both positive and beneficial and that members will continue to participate and find value in Wild Ones!
You may notice that the target for improvement is relatively small: a 5% increase in member retention. This is intentional. In the past, Wild Ones did not collect much information about why members chose not to renew, so much of the work this year will be to better understand and improve the processes in the member lifecycle (from joining to renewing/lapsing).
Wild Ones believes these goals are the most effective way to focus our resources this year and that these goals will put us in the strongest position to further our mission of promoting environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities.
We look forward to sharing details about these Wildly Important Goals as they evolve and plans solidify in the coming months. Updates will be shared in the Wild Ones Board of Directors meetings. Members are welcome to attend the virtual bi-monthly Wild Ones board meetings where plans for each of these WIGs will take shape. The next meeting is on Monday, April 25th at 5pm CT; the link to join will be posted on the member account site. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please contact us though [email protected].