by Anupama Joshi and Jason Morris
Anupama Joshi is the executive director of the Blue Sky Funders Forum. Jason Morris is the senior program officer at the Pisces Foundation and serves as chair of the Blue Sky Funders Forum board.
After almost a year of listening and reflection, surveys and conversations, we are thrilled to share Blue Sky’s new strategic plan which will drive our work over the next three years.
Racial equity and justice are the central frame of our new strategic plan and served as a guide in the planning process. The bold vision outlined in the plan is informed by your valuable input and responds to the emerging needs of the movement. We hope you will see your contributions in the updated mission and vision, goals, and objectives. We could not have reached this milestone without you, and truly hope you’ll stay engaged, joining us in the journey to ensure 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.
Building from a 2015 strategic framework, the three-year strategic plan (2021-2024) is responsive to our evolution as an organization in exploring racial equity and justice within the Blue Sky Funders Forum – our community of members, leadership, programs, events, communications, and operational processes. In 2020, we conducted an equity and inclusion audit which has guided the goals and objectives outlined in the plan. Blue Sky board and staff worked from March 2020 to March 2021 to develop this strategic plan, inviting more than 100 stakeholders (including members, non-member funders, advisors, and nonprofits) to provide input and suggestions on future community needs. We grounded our planning in this input, refining our mission, creating an updated vision for the future, and developing these four strategic goals for the Blue Sky Funders Forum:
1: Inspire Philanthropy.
Connect and convene funders to build philanthropic support for meaningful outdoor experiences and connections to nature.
2: Champion Racial Equity and Justice in Philanthropy.
Highlight and advocate for dismantling systemic racism that limits access to funding and opportunities for power-building in the field.
3: Facilitate Learning and Collaboration.
Facilitate connections, empower stakeholders to develop shared tools and resources, build capacity, and share best practices to strengthen the movement to connect people with nature.
4: Strengthen and Thrive.
Ensure that Blue Sky has the resources, talent, and processes to advance its strategic priorities.
As a philanthropic community, Blue Sky is united in the belief that meaningful outdoor experiences are a human right. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on the future direction for Blue Sky and look forward to your continued partnership and engagement.
Onward!
Review Blue Sky’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan
We extend our deep gratitude to all of you for engaging in this process.