FAQ



Frequently Asked Questions about the Glen Helen Association

This document is a product of the Board Development Committee, put together by Bill Kent and Dan Halm. Many topics are covered, mostly in an introductory manner. Any input, changes, updates are welcome, please contact: wkent@woh.rr.com or dan.halm@wright.edu.

1. What is the Glen Helen Association (GHA)?

GHA is a non profit community-based organization which was formed in 1960 to help protect Glen Helen. It presently has about 800 members (typically with dues of $40-$100 per year, together with a few larger contributions). Originally GHA was formed by a number of local individuals concerned with a particular issue (a proposed highway bypass for US Route 68 around downtown Yellow Springs via a road through the Glen). Since that time GHA has worked with Antioch College/University/College(again) in efforts to promote the Glen and its programs through volunteer work, fund-raising, and other support activities. It is a "friends-of" type organization, which although an independent entity with its own Board of Trustees, works closely with the Glen Helen Ecology Institute and its Executive Director.

From the Bylaws of the Glen Helen Association  The object of this Association, in keeping with its Articles of Incorporation, shall be to provide support for the operation of the Antioch University (College) property known as Glen Helen as a natural area and conservation center where land and people can be reunited for scientific, cultural, recreational, or educational pursuits. The primary mission and interest of this Association is therefore: 1) the preservation of Glen Helen as a natural area, and 2) the support of activities which enhance the public’s use, enjoyment and knowledge of nature, and to do all things incidental to the foregoing.

2. Who owns Glen Helen?

The Nature Preserve is about 1000 acres in size and is owned by Antioch College. The Vernet Preserve, a 5 acre parcel on Hyde Road, is presently held by GHA.

3. What is the difference between Glen Helen Ecology Institute (GHEI) and GHA? When someone mentions “Glen Helen” what do they typically mean? Does GHEI have its own Board?

The Ecology Institute (GHEI) is the entity of Antioch College managed by the Executive Director (presently: Nick Boutis). It can be thought of as the academic department administered by the Executive Director. Organizationally, it includes the Executive Director, his immediate staff in the Vernet Building (the “Glen Helen Building”), the Land Manager (George Bieri), the OEC staff (the OEC Director, the Assistant Director, OEC paid staff, including 13 full time naturalist, and administrative interns), and the Raptor Center (Betty Ross and her assistants). The GHEI is entirely an Antioch College operation and is totally separate from the GHA. The GHA (as discussed above) is a community-based non-profit organization (with its own tax- exempt status, 501(c)(3)) whose activities benefit the Nature Preserve and GHEI programs.

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The term “Glen Helen” can refer to the Nature Preserve itself, or to either one of these organizations, which can be confusing. This situation becomes an issue only if a check is written out to “Glen Helen” (which is rare, and is normally resolved by a phone call to the person writing the check). Otherwise, context rules.

For a number of years GHEI had an Advisory Board as part of Antioch University, which performed functions described in its bylaws, including working and advisory committees on Facilities, Finance, Research, Education, and Development. During the last couple of years of Antioch University administration, there was a movement (led by the late Mel Fine, who served as the Advisory Board Chair) to combine the meetings of this Advisory Board and the GHA Board to further communications and increase efficiency. When Antioch University transferred the Glen to the (new) Antioch College, the Antioch University Advisory Board for the Glen was dissolved. Several of those Advisory Board members were elected to the GHA Board (Bill Kent, Mark Nielsen, Gina Paget, Jerry Sutton, Kathryn Van der Heiden, Willie Washington, and Sam Young). The Advisory Board committee work was delegated to existing GHA committees.

4. What is the role of the GHEI staff? How does GHEI interact with GHA?

The GHEI staff runs the programs and manages all the assets of the Glen under Antioch College. The staff manages the overall GHEI budget (currently $1.2M annually), all programs (mainly the residential school and camp programs of the OEC, the naturalist-training program, the Raptor Center, and public education programs), all land management activities, management of Glen Helen facilities, major grant-writing activities, some event coordination (more on this below), the “Annual Appeal”, and all interaction with Antioch College itself (through its Executive Director). One of the GHEI staff is assigned as Volunteer Coordinator and works closely with the GHA. In a separate capacity, the Executive Director is an ex officio non-voting member of the GHA Board, and all major interaction/initiatives between the GHA Board and GHEI typically start through the Executive Director. However, there are many (often daily) interactions between various staff members and the GHA Board and general members.

5. How does GHEI pay its staff and fund its programs?

GHEI receives its operating funds through fees (the most significant of which are school fees for OEC’s programs), donations, endowment distributions, facility rentals, and sales of products like the annual photo calendar. Modest endowments exist for GHEI at Antioch College and the Yellow Springs Community Foundation. Approximately 7% of its operational budget is provided by GHA (more on this later). Recently a number of grants (through outside donor organizations and GHA) have been provided for the OEC in the form of scholarships for under- represented schools (particularly in Springfield and Dayton). On top of this, grants have been solicited (mostly through GHEI, but a few important ones through GHA) and provided for infrastructure upgrades, trail improvements, and other non-salary activities. It is significant to note that over the last decades, very little operational (or other funds) have come from Antioch College (or Antioch University) due to their well-publicized fiscal issues. Although “starved”, the Glen has been mostly self-sufficient and is expected to “pay its way” under the new Antioch College, although some Antioch College fund-raising emphasis has been recently promised and

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is on-going. This need for financial independence from Antioch’s fiscal issues over the years is one of the main reasons why GHA’s activities have been (and are!) absolutely essential to the health of the Glen and its programs.

6. What does GHA do organizationally?

In general, GHA provides volunteers (often thousands of person hours per year), and funding for the Glen. GHA raises funds through annual dues from its membership, individual donations from members, operations of the Nature Shop, proceeds from events, the Combined Federal Campaign, and distributions from its endowment funds. Essentially all funds raised by GHA are passed along to the GHEI in one form or another.

7. What do members of GHA do?

GHA members provide volunteer activities and money (through membership dues and donations) to support the Glen and its programs. The volunteer base is heavily weighted toward local members, some of whom devote a large amount of time, money, and personal effort to support various programs and activities.

8. What do the GHA Board members do?

This list has been cribbed from elsewhere, but it’s pretty much applicable to the GHA (in our experience): a. Be dedicated to the Mission of the GHA b. Be a dues paying member of the GHA c. Anticipate a three year (renewable) commitment d. Attend Board meetings and actively participate in those meetings e. Engage actively in strategic decision making and policy decisions, using your expertise and experience f. Be a member or chair of at least one committee (or participate in specific administrative and/or fund-raising tasks) g. Have an individual financial investment in the organization, according to one’s means, whether it is a personal gift, involvement in special fund raising activities, or obtaining pledges from others h. Enhance the reputation of the organization as a representative of the organization to the public i. Actively engage in improving Board performance

What are the GHA Board committees? What do they do? When do they meet?

The following are the current committees:  Executive Committee (Board Officers)  Board Development Committee (elected annually)  Development/Membership/Events (Chair: Kathryn Van der Heiden)  Finance (Chair: Jo Wilson)  Marketing/Nature-Shop Committee

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 Science/Stewardship/Education (Chair: Mark Nielsen) These committees manage GHA membership and financial issues as well as assisting GHEI initiatives. The committees generally meet once a month, with the schedule determined as needs arise.

10. How do I access information about GHA Board activities, minutes, recent documentation?

All important documents are available on-line via a Google share-site. This site is maintained by the GHA Board Secretary. You will receive instructions on how to use this; it’s easy and saves a lot of paper (and storage).

11. Why and how does GHA raise, administer, and disperse funds?

Most of GHA’s money comes from the following sources (more or less in order of importance):  Membership Fees (contact on membership is Roger Reynolds)  Shop Profits (contact: Suzanne Patterson)  GHA Events  Individual gifts and donations (beyond memberships) (contacts: Jo Wilson and Bill Kent)  Combined Federal Campaign contributions (contact: Suzanne Patterson)  GHA Endowment distributions (contact: Jo Wilson) o Yellow Springs Community Foundation o The Dayton Foundation o Springfield Foundation  Grants from Foundations (contact: Nick Boutis)

GHA administers these funds through its Treasurer (Jo Wilson). The GHA administers several endowments. Currently, distributions from these endowments are being reinvested back into the endowments to provide some growth for the future. (Note: endowment principal is not accessible for distribution.)

Typically, GHA provides about $20K per quarter to GHEI directly (this is in the annual budget). In the last couple of years the Board has also voted to release specific funds for on-going Glen infrastructure and improvement projects out of specific GHA funds set aside for these purposes. As the Glen is in a long-awaited “improvement” phase, more of this can be expected in the near future.

12. What are the fund raising events (GHA and GHEI)?

The calendar shows a number of fundraising activities, and it’s important to know who does what (organizationally). Annual fund-raising GHA events (run by volunteers, with support from GHEI staff. We’re always looking for more help):  Nature Arts and Crafts Show (contacts: Pam Geisel)  Birdseed Sale (contacts: Marv Lamborg and Gayle Gyure)  Pancake Breakfast (contact: Suzanne Patterson)  Great Stuff Garage Sale (contact: Suzanne Patterson)

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Friends Music Camp Concert (contact: Suzanne Patterson)

Annual fundraising GHEI Events:  Glen Helen Bird count day (contact: Nick Boutis)  Earth Day 5K Run (contact: Brooke Bryan)  Whoo Cooks for You (contact: Brooke Bryan)  Glen Arts Auction (contact: Ann Marie Simonson)  Annual Appeal (contact: Nick Boutis)

These events are run by the GHEI staff, with help from volunteers. The Annual Appeal is not so much an event as it is a mailing (the major Glen-related fund-raising mailing), but it normally involves the GHA Board helping Nick prepare over 1000 hand-written notes to go along with the mailing. This mailing is sometimes confusing for GHA members who often get a mailing for renewal request for (GHA) membership in about the same time period as they receive this appeal (from GHEI). Most major non-profit organizations have both membership and appeals like this (local examples – the Dayton Opera or the Dayton Art Institute); for Glen Helen the confusion comes from the fact that two separate organizations (GHA, GHEI) make these mailing and most people receiving them don’t know the distinction between the two (see above).

13. How does the Nature Shop fit in?

The Nature Shop is located in the Glen Building, pays no rent or utilities, and operates (at this time) on strictly volunteer staffing. The shop contributes approximately 1K$/month to the Glen’s bottom line, and is easily the most complex thing that the GHA Treasurer and the Finance Committee have to deal with. At this time the profits are marginal at best, but we all consider it worth operating and are looking at ways to increase sales and to ease staffing headaches. Several changes are being considered or implemented: (a) Partial (or entire) move to Trailside. Plus: will increase foot traffic; Minus: smaller space with less storage. (Note: recommendations from past managers have been against this move.) (b) New computerized cash-register and inventory system. Plus: greatly simplifies balancing the books and keeping track of a 300-distinct item inventory (four separate categories). Minus: it’s a computer with a scanner, and the shop has been operating without a register (paper only) for decades, and learning this system may be difficult for the shop volunteer base, who sometimes are not very computer-savvy. (c) Possible foray into on-line sales (we sell calendars over the web now, but no other items)

14. What goes on in the GHA office?

We get donations via the web (usually through the Dayton Foundation) and are notified of these via email. Other transactions from foundations and the Combined Federal Campaign (the Government’s version of United Way) are received by email. These are received by the Apple computer in the office (Library). Also, our books are balanced by our bookkeeper on this machine. Mailings and memberships are kept up in a database, and are processed on the Windows machine in the same office. Also, a significant amount of “Thank You” correspondence must be done as well (on the Mac). Typical folks often found in the office area

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are Roger Reynolds, Sherraid Scott, Bill Kent, Jo Wilson, and Suzanne Patterson. We are always looking for more help (hint).

15. How do things look today for the Glen?

Since the recent change-over to the new Antioch College, the uncertainty about its health and status has largely abated. Grants (in significant numbers) are allowing us to build for the future, and scholarship funds are allowing the OEC to fill most of its available schedule (every dollar of scholarship money goes toward salaries and operation). The Executive Director has been able to create and keep a staff to manage resources and programs, as well as to prepare grant proposals. For the most part, the GHEI is “paying its own way”, infrastructure is improving (significantly) and land management and trail maintenance has had some recent significant boosts. GHA itself is very solvent (managing in one way or another, about $1M of funds in the bank or in foundations), and has been providing funds to the GHEI for programs, grants, and infrastructure at levels higher than had been possible in the past. The GHA membership has grown from about 400 to about 800 and is now setting a goal of 1000 (“A thousand members for a thousand acres” campaign). Our community recognition seems high and our community relations seem good.

There are still challenges, both to Glen as a preserve, long term financial stability, and hoped-for major OEC and Raptor Center building upgrades. Some of these issues are:

Preservation status (in the legal sense) Need for a significant endowment, well over what exists today Need for a large (~ $10M) Capital Campaign Massive issues with honeysuckle and other invasive plants Rule enforcement, trespassing, and vandalism

16. What are GHA’s biggest issues?

a. How does the board best govern/oversee the work of the organization, including membership, events, shop administration, Combined Federal Campaign, etc. b. Continual process of re-evaluation of “What does GHA do?” (i.e. What is the mission of the Glen Helen Association today?) c. Preservation and easement issues d. Possible new land purchases – advance planning (nothing imminent though)

17. How can I help?

We need your time, ideas, energy, and financial support.