SMF Board of Directors met for a two-day “offsite” retreat on October 22 and 23, 2021, at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. The retreat was held to listen, share ideas, and engage in discussion, all aimed at forming a new five-year strategic plan for Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation. The retreat was well-attended, with 28 of 32 Board members attending in person.
The weekend began on Friday evening with a delicious dinner prepared by Buckley’s Catering. Those gathered enjoyed the company of one another, and many noted that this was the first in-person gathering of
the Board in many long months. Following dinner, President Peter Getsinger welcomed all those gathered and Vice President Alan Rappaport and Carla Taylor-Pla moderated a discussion focused on values fundamental to Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation.
The Saturday session began promptly at 8:00 am. Adam Moore opened the gathering with a land acknowledgement. After welcoming Board members, Adam recited the mission of Sheriff’s Meadow Founda-tion, and stated that the Foundation does three things: save land, care for the land, and instill a love of nature.
The morning’s discussions included a variety of presentations. Adam led a discussion of conservation and stewardship priorities for the next five years. Clerk Hillary Noyes-Keene reached back to the Articles of Organization drafted by Henry Beetle Hough for her presentation on the educational programs of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation.
Tom Enders detailed the finances of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, and outlined the balance between philanthropy and support provided by conservative spending from portions of the Endowment portfolio. Mary Lou DeLong concluded the first round of presentations with an analysis of the results of the “For Future Generations” comprehensive campaign, a description of the plans to communicate with donors in early 2022, and the fundraising goals and aspirations for the next few years.
After a mid-morning break, Lisa Foster introduced a session on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Consultant Karen Watai of Welcome Change led the DEI session with a presentation that engaged six small groups in discussions of various DEI scenarios, and ended with a group discussion with the entire Board. Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation thanks Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein for hosting Karen and thanks Cape Air for providing air travel.
After lunch, Bill Plapinger gave a presentation on Board governance and on proposed changes, and Peter Getsinger moderated a Board discussion on the subject. The final session of the day was led by Adam Moore and SMF Project Manager Peter Rodegast, and it concentrated on future staffing and facility needs. The session ended at 3:30 pm.
Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation is now writing a comprehensive, five-year strategic plan on the basis of this retreat and the months of preparation that led to the weekend offsite. Please contact Adam Moore if you have any questions or any suggestions for the five-year plan.