Dear Blue Sky Community,
In late July, I will step down from my role as Blue Sky’s executive director for a new adventure (more on that soon). It has been a true honor to serve this incredible community of leaders working together to create meaningful and equitable outdoor experiences and connections to nature.
Blue Sky’s amazing board (truly the most supportive and strategic board an executive director can ever dream of!) is ready to chart the next phase of Blue Sky’s growth. See a message from our board chair, Jason Morris, below.
Reflecting on the impact of our collaborative work over the past three years, I am grateful for your partnership, wisdom, perspectives, and guidance that have greatly contributed to my learning, and built a stronger Blue Sky. Together, we have a lot to be proud of, especially given the unprecedented challenges of a pandemic:
- A Bold Strategic Plan: Released in March 2021, Blue Sky’s inclusive strategic plan invited input from more than 100 stakeholders.
- Membership Expansion: Blue Sky has doubled its membership since its establishment (43 member funders in 2022) representing a diversity of private, family, corporate, and public funders from the US and Canada; and engaging hundreds more through robust programming and events.
- Increased Philanthropic Investments: In 2019, a total of $116M was invested in Blue Sky mission-aligned projects and organizations (Tracking the Field).
- Robust and engaging member-driven programming and events (even on Zoom!): I will probably remember more hours on Zoom in the last two years than I am comfortable with, but grateful that each one has contributed to a stronger relationship and a deeper understanding of a topic. Thank you for your engagement and interest in sharing ideas and topics to frame Blue Sky’s webinars, coffee chats, funder briefings, learning series, and convenings. At last month’s in-person convening in Atlanta, it was delightful to see so many of you outside of the Zoom boxes for the first time!
- Facilitating authentic funder-practitioner relationships: Launched in 2022, a Program Committee now informs and guides Blue Sky programming and focus areas.
- Launched and coordinated Rethink Outside™ and the inaugural Rethink Outside™ Fellowship – the first collaborative initiative of Blue Sky members to elevate a shared narrative promoting the value that the benefits of time spent outdoors are a basic human right.
And there is so much more to celebrate! Yet, there is more work ahead to fully realize our vision that every person – regardless of race, identity, or community – has the right and opportunity to experience meaningful connections in the outdoors that improve quality of life, health, and social wellbeing.
This is important and urgent work, which can only become stronger with your continued support and engagement. I have no doubt the next chapter of Blue Sky will be more inclusive, diverse, and impactful.
Until the next time our paths cross, I hope you will keep in touch. With immense gratitude, I wish you all blue skies and a great summer ahead. Namaste!
– Anupama
LinkedIn
Message from Jason Morris (Pisces Foundation), Blue Sky Board Chair
Dear Colleagues,
Please join me and the Blue Sky Board in thanking Anupama Joshi for her tremendous leadership of Blue Sky and the amazing impact she’s collaborated with this amazing community to achieve. Anupama’s departure from Blue Sky after three and a half incredibly impactful years is bittersweet. It has been a pleasure to work with Anupama as she navigated a diverse and growing membership, responded to emerging needs during a pandemic, and kept an eye on the strategic actions needed to fulfill the mission, while also experimenting and stretching the imagination of Blue Sky’s potential. Thank you, Anupama, for your leadership, vision, and steady hand in shaping Blue Sky’s growth.
Blue Sky is strong and well-positioned for great things to come in large part due to the tremendous Blue Sky community. With a bold strategic plan, an engaged and growing membership, and robust plans for programming, including through Rethink Outside™ and Rethink Outside™ Fellowship, we continue in this important work, together.
The Blue Sky board has already met to consider what the process will be to select Blue Sky’s next leader. We are committing to a process that will be inclusive, strategic, and hand in hand with our partners at the Environmental Grantmakers Association. In the coming weeks and months, you’ll be hearing from us about opportunities to engage with providing feedback and guidance, and direct participation in this process. Blue Sky has always been and will continue to be stronger, together.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or wish to discuss future plans, please don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone on the Blue Sky Board.
In community,
Jason Morris
Blue Sky Board Chair
Senior Program Officer, Pisces Foundation