New Project Evaluation Protocol

Starting October 2021, the executive committee adopted a simple and efficient application process for handling requests for funds that fall outside of the yearly budget. This is to help ensure that we have considered all aspects of the proposed projects/donations before committing funds.

A club member with a project would first answer the questions in the application in the form of an outline or one-page document. It would be submitted to the Vice-President who would make sure all the information has been provided before passing it on to a committee made up of elected executive committee members (President, Vice-President, Treasurer and the 3 Directors). They would evaluate the proposal and either reject it or approve it. If approved, it would be published in the newsletter for membership discussion and voted on at the following meeting. Once a proposal is accepted, the Vice-President would keep track of the project.

Project Application

(to be submitted in the form of a letter or text document)

Overview: Provide a brief description of the proposed project.

People:

1. Who is the Bird Club member introducing the proposal? (the Project Champion) This person will oversee the execution of the project. If the project requires volunteers from the club, this person will organize that.

2. Who is receiving and using the money?

3. Contact information of the person on the receiving end of the money.

Costs:

1. What is the amount of the expenditure? Provide an itemized budget.

2. Is this a one-time expenditure or will there be ongoing costs?

3. Are there any partners available to share in the funding? Matching funds? Grants?

Timeline:

1. What is the timeline for the project?

2. If it is a project that will occur over time, when will the various parts of the project be executed, and when will the project be completed?

Other resources needed:

1. What bird club resources are needed (aside from money)? People?

Impact:

1. Who or what does the project benefit and how?

2. How does the project support the mission of the Bird Club? (see Mission Statement below)

3. What are the expected results?

Outcome and follow-up:

1. How will the result of the project be evaluated?

2. Recipient of funds AND the lead person from the Bird Club (Project Champion) will report to the Club within one year about what the project accomplished. This can be a letter, testimonial, video, set of photos, newsletter article, etc. 

Club Purpose from the CBC Bylaws: 

The purposes of this corporation are to further the study of birds, bird life, and bird lore, to foster, inculcate and disseminate knowledge and appreciation thereof, to preserve and protect birds and other wildlife and their environment, to encourage the establishment and maintenance of sanctuaries and protected areas for birds and other wildlife, and to educate the public in the need of conserving natural areas and resources.