Goleta Valley Beautiful

ALBERTSONS

OUR MISSION

Since 1974, our mission has been to ensure and improve the beauty of the Goleta Valley. Goleta Valley Beautiful continues to provide beautification and urban forest services in all areas west of the Santa Barbara City line (State Route 154), including Hope Ranch, unincorporated Goleta Valley, Isla Vista, and Rancho Embarcadero well as the City of Goleta.

Goleta Valley Beautiful Committee's are structured to address the high priority issues facing the Goleta Valley.

Urban Forest - To support and enhance a healthy and expanding urban forest
Neighborhood - To promote neighborhood beautification through pride and responsibility
Business -To promote business beautification through pride and responsibility
Government - To promote and enhance the beautification of public space
Education - To inspire and assist in the beautification of Goleta Valley through continuing education and action.

OUR BUSINESS PLAN

Goleta Valley Beautiful

P. O. Box 6756, Goleta, CA 93160-6756
(805) 685-7910

Goleta Valley Beautiful 2007-08 Business Plan

Adopted 9-7-07

1. Description of the business

Goleta Valley Beautiful is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that was incorporated in 1974 as an environmental, educational and community service organization.

Mission Statement:

To ensure and improve the beauty of the Goleta Valley

Goals: :

To support and enhance a healthy and expanding urban forest.
To promote neighborhood beautification through pride and responsibility. .
To promote business beautification through pride and responsibility. .
To promote and enhance the beautification of public space. .
To inspire and assist in the beautification of the Goleta Valley through continuing education and action. .

2. Services Provided

Urban tree planting, inventorying, monitoring and maintenance in public areas
Grant-writing
Assist neighborhoods in developing and implementing beautification projects in their areas, including graffiti removal and litter cleanup
Volunteer Training and Guidance
Partnerships with local and statewide organizations

Monthly and Annual awards
Media coverage

Arbor Day at schools
Workshops on specialized topics

Monitoring of local government agendas
Contractual agreements for tree planting and maintenance

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3. Market Information

Goleta Valley Beautiful serves the 77,000 residents of Goleta Valley from the Bacara Resort and Spa to the Santa Barbara City line (close to SR 154). This area includes Rancho Embarcadero, Isla Vista, UCSB, the City of Santa Barbara Airport, the City of Goleta, Hope Ranch and the unincorporated areas of eastern Goleta Valley.
Our services include public tree planting/care, education, awards programs and community service projects such as clean-ups and graffiti removal.
Organizations with which we have cooperative relationships include Growing Solutions Restoration Education Institute, Goleta Valley Historical Society, SB County Fire Safe Council, the Central Coast Region Urban Forest Council, the Non Profit Support Center, Scouts, Devereux of Santa Barbara, Work Training Programs, Devereux of California, UCSB, service clubs, churches, schools, neighborhood and Beautification organizations.

4. Advertising

Notification of GVB activities takes place primarily through the web site (www.goletavalleybeautiful.org); a monthly e-mail newsletter distributed to GVB donors, volunteers and supporters, as well as community service announcements in local media, and through volunteers ads on the net. .

5. Facilities

The monthly Board meetings take place at Pacifica Suites on Hollister Avenue on the first Friday of the month, and the Executive Committee meets at the Calle Real Mid State Bank and Trust Branch on the third Thursday. Storage facilities are provided gratis by Camino Real Marketplace off Santa Felicia Road and parking for GVB’s 1 ton truck off Phelps Rd. A Greenhouse and growing area for 1500 native trees with a GVB porta potty trailer is located on the Devereux campus on a contractual basis to be finalized. GVB has a dedicated landline phone at the home office of the Executive Director, who also carries a cell phone. All other administrative operations take place in member homes. .

6. Management and Personnel

Goleta Valley Beautiful has a 15 member Board of Directors that serves without compensation. The Board of Directors includes an Executive Committee composed of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and Committee Chairs for the 5 standing committees of Urban Forestry, Neighborhood Programs, Business Programs, Educational Services, and Government Liaison. GVB employs one full time Executive Director/Certified Arborist/Urban Forester who is paid a part time salary supplemented with membership, grant and foundation funding. Part-time contractual positions include a volunteer coordinator, Volunteer Trainer, Administrative Assistant and interns .

7. Benefits to the community

Goleta Valley Beautiful is a non-partisan, non-religious organization that promotes a long-term perspective of the urban forest and of the natural and man made beauty in the Goleta Valley. We have planted over 3000 public trees in the urban forest that provide shade, protection from storm water runoff, wildlife habitat, and improved air and water quality. .

8. Summary of future plans

The GVB annual objectives and actions steps are attached, based on the five goals that set fundamental, long-range direction. The objectives are specific and measurable levels of achievement, and the action steps are the detailed plans and activities directed toward meeting the objectives. .

1. Board of Directors Executive Committee

Objective 1.1 – That all Board members are prepared to fulfill their Board responsibilities.

Action Step 1.1a

– All Board members should participate in continuing education in nonprofit Board management at least 8 hours annually.
By July 31.

Action Step 1.1b

– The Executive committee will annually evaluate the Executive Director’s performance and compensation including in lieu of insurance. .
At the June Board meeting .

Action Step 1.1c

– The Executive Committee will meet monthly to review administrative and policy items in preparation for the next Board meeting. .
The third Thursday of the month.

Action Step 1.1d

– The Executive Committee will review qualified candidates for Board approval at the next Board meeting following a Board vacancy. Extra effort should be made to increase the diversity of membership to include students, minorities and persons of color as reflected in the Goleta Valley community. .
The third Thursday of the month .

Action Step 1.1e

– The Executive Committee will approve part time and intern positions to support some current duties of the Executive Director as needed.
Ongoing.
Objective 1.2 – That the Board supports increasing membership to improve financial stability, increase volunteers, increase diversity and support public policy positions. .

Action Steps 1.2a

– The Executive Committee will meet monthly to review donor and service membership goals. .
The third Thursday of the month.

Action Step 1.2b

– GVB donor membership goal totals are 50% of total budget revenues (including endowments and special events).and 700 individual and business members to sustain broad community support.
By March 1.

Action Step 1.2c

– GVB service membership goals are 1000 annual single service and 100 multiple-service Evergreen volunteers. .
By July 31.

Action Step 1.2d

– Publish membership list on the web and thank each donor member individually. Membership application will include check box to allow anonymity. .
Objective 1.3 – The Board supports improving communication with its members

Action Step 1.3a

– Publish a monthly e-mail newsletter.
First Day of the month.

Action Step 1.3b

– Conduct an annual survey of membership .
By March 1 .

Action Step 1.3c

– Conduct a Board retreat in August every other year beginning 2008 to reaffirm vision statement, goals and long range 5-year plans.
By August 30 .

Action Step 1.3d

- Maintain an up-to-date web site .
Update monthly.

Action Step 1.3e

– Hold an annual awards/recognition banquet & fundraiser.
In May. .
Objective 1.4 – Improve the long-term viability of Goleta Valley Beautiful.

Action Step 1.4a

– Maintain a permanent greenhouse/growing ground location .
Periodic updates.

Action Step 1.4b

– Develop a Grant Development Program with updates with a goal of grants not exceeding 50% of total budget revenues.
Monthly review by Executive Committee/Board.

Action Step 1.4c

– Adopt a balanced budget including any prior year deficits or surpluses and revise midyear.
July/January Board meetings.

Action Step 1.4d

– Review accomplishments and goals annually with Advisory Council.
March.

Action Step 1.4e

– Develop Major Donor Group, an endowment fund plan, and a Development Plan for GVB.
By October 30.

Action Step 1.4f

– Create Membership, Development, Personnel and Planning committees and have 3 Board members on each.
By October 30.

2. Urban Forest Committee Objectives and Action Steps

.
Objective 2.1 – Implement a Goleta Valley Urban Forest Management Program.

Action Step 2.1a

– Advocate Urban Forest policies be incorporated in City and County General Plans and financing programs.
By July 31.

Action Step 2.1b

– Seek Tree City USA Award for City of Goleta and annual continuation of County Tree City USA Award.
By December.

Action Step 2.1c

– Secure funding and volunteers to plant and maintain 500 trees annually in public places. - Ongoing. .

3. Neighborhood Recognition Committee Objectives and Action Steps

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Objective 3.1 – Recognize best residential landscape practices in the Goleta Valley.

Action Step 3.1a

– Select and publicize one award per month from the 12 annual GVB award categories.
-At the beginning of each month.
Objective 3.2 – Promote general neighborhood beautification and graffiti control projects. .

Action Step 3.2a

– Conduct neighborhood outreach and publicity to let public know GVB is available to assist with graffiti. .
One news article by the end of each month .

Action Step 3.2b

–Support ongoing litter pickups by volunteers-.
Ongoing.

Action Step 3.2c

-Conduct one Garden Tour-.
By July 31.

4. Government Committee Objectives and Action Steps.

Objective 4.1 – Initiate, review and comment on public space projects planned and implemented by all levels of government.

Action Step 4.1a

– Monitor Goleta DRB/General Plan and County Tree Program issues and provide advocacy information to elected officials-.
Ongoing.

Action Step 4.1b

- Secure City and County approvals for a citizen tree advisory board.
By July 31.

5. Educational Committee Objectives and Action Steps

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Objective 5.1 – Initiate educational programs involving child and adult education regarding GVB mission.

Action Step 5.1a

– Implement March/April Arbor Day and Science Night Programs at schools & governments.
Ongoing.

Action Step 5.1b

– Conduct one public urban forestry training workshop .

Action Step 5.1c

– Conduct an annual ½ day Goleta Valley Heritage Tree Tour .

Action Step 5.1d

– Conduct educational Arbor Day Program& Barbeque - .

TOP
Our latest IRS Form 990 - 2006 - Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax can be view. Click here to see Form 990
ALBERTSONS PARDNERSHIP
With your help,and our new partnership with Albertsons, we can grow our successful education and youth programs that teach community leadership, tree care, and serve to increase our community’s public trees or urban forest by purchasing books for our local libraries. Click here to go back to top of Page