Strategic Plan

Society for Marine Mammalogy Strategic Plan 

Accepted by SMM Board August 2024 

The Ad hoc Strategic Planning Committee’s charge is to bring to the Board its suggestions to establish processes and principles to ensure the long-term financial health of the Society. These suggestions include identifying ways to (1) reduce immediate operating costs, (2) enhance and diversify revenue streams, and (3) establish a more robust business model structure for the Society. 

Our Society’s mission and objectives form the bases for the goals set out in this strategic plan. 

Mission 

The mission of the international Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) is to promote the global advancement of marine mammal science and contribute to its significance and impact in education, conservation and management. 

Our Objectives (Article II of the Constitution) 

Evaluate and promote the educational, scientific and managerial advancement of marine mammal science. 

Gather and disseminate to members of the Society, the public and public and private institutions, scientific, technical and management information through publications and meetings. 

Provide scientific information, as required, on matters related to the conservation and management of marine mammals. 

Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in its membership, leadership, and readership. 

Background 

Our Society’s current core functions that require financial support are to (a) produce a scientific journal (Marine Mammal Science), (b) hold a biennial meeting, (c) support specific educational and research activities for students and colleagues from lower-income countries, and (d) support research and education projects that are likely to catalyze actions to save the world’s most endangered marine mammals (via the Conservation Fund). In addition, we maintain a website and multiple social media outlets, and produce educational materials and webinars, which share our work and a diversity of resources with our members and the broader community. 

While we have measurably grown these functions throughout our 43 years as a Society, we have done so with essentially the same infrastructure as in 1981. Most of the Society’s work is still done by the dedicated members of our Board and our Committees. These volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of our Society and to shaping its future by actively involving fellow members. However, the current organizational structure of the SMM is inadequate to guarantee the long-term financial sustainability of our Society. This became evident recently when multiple factors, internal and external, affected the Society’s operating budget and investments, including enhanced costs of past conferences, a global pandemic, and a global financial crisis. These events have negatively impacted the financial status and functioning of the SMM. The Society, thus, must update its business model, and take a strategic approach to ensure its sustainability into the future while providing excellent service to its members. 

That membership is the heart and soul of the Society – it is the community that drives marine mammal science, conservation, and education forward. Ensuring that each member finds value in, and benefits from, their involvement in the Society is a top priority. As such, this plan also sets goals to enhance the value of being an SMM member, while also encouraging our members to stay actively involved in the Society. 

Identifying Key Areas of Focus 

The SMM’s Ad hoc Strategic Planning Committee reviewed the Society’s constitution and bylaws, recent annual budgets, conference policy and budgets, contractor services and costs, membership benefits and trends and other components to identify potential areas of action to help stabilize the Society and put it on a sustainable path for the future. Four key areas were identified and are explained in greater detail below. These include: 

1) Strengthening the infrastructure and business model of the SMM 

2) Diversifying revenue streams for the SMM 

3) Identifying priority services provided by the SMM to its membership; controlling costs and staying on budget 

4) Strengthening and growing SMM Membership 

Various actions are proposed for each of these topics to improve the Society’s function within different timescales (short-term up to 1 year, medium-term 1-3 years, and long-term 3-5 years). 

1. STRENGTHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUSINESS MODEL OF THE SMM 

The SMM has been led by a volunteer board of elected officers and committee chairs since its inception. As the complexity of the Society’s mission has grown, so have the number of committees and, thus, we have a large number of board members. Managing a professional society with a volunteer board presents unique challenges that can impact the organization’s efficiency and long-term sustainability. While the dedication and passion of volunteers are commendable, the lack of dedicated and consistent professional managers can hinder organizational strategic decision-making and day-to-day operations. Volunteer leaders often have limited time availability, juggling their board responsibilities with full-time jobs and personal commitments. This constraint can lead to delays in decision-making, slow response times, and difficulties in maintaining consistent organizational momentum. Additionally, varying levels of financial expertise among volunteer board members may pose challenges in managing budgets, fundraising, and navigating complex financial landscapes. Balancing diverse opinions and expectations within a volunteer board can also present governance challenges, potentially impacting the Society’s ability to set and execute a cohesive vision. Despite these challenges, effective governance structures, best practices, training, clear definitions, and other actions can help volunteer boards overcome these hurdles and successfully lead professional societies. We propose the following actions for consideration.  

(1A) Develop a more formal transition process for the SMM Board. 

Currently, there is little structure in place for the transfer of knowledge from one Board to the next. As a result, there is no formal process for sharing “corporate memory” except through our governing documents, shared files, and meeting minutes. With the exception of the President-Elect and Members-at-Large, other positions lack the structure or tenure (straddling multiple boards) necessary to gain experience prior to proceeding to their new position. 

Potential Solutions to Board Transition: 

Short-term 

  1. Create a detailed job description for each position that outlines specific responsibilities, desired skill sets, and an expected timeline of major events. It would be beneficial to reach out to past members who have held these positions for their assistance. 
  2. Develop a transition process that ensures clear communication, seamless hand-over of work, and thorough briefing of roles and responsibilities between in-coming and out-going officers and committee chairs. 

(1B) Develop more support for the Treasurer position 

The role of Treasurer has become increasingly complex, requiring a re-evaluation of how this position is filled and its responsibilities managed. Although measures have been implemented to help with the financial management of the SMM, such as support from a professional financial management group, for budgeting, invoice payments, and financial projections, there is currently no structured process in place to ensure that a new Treasurer is adequately trained and experienced in all aspects of the role, and has access to all the financial accounts and software/ portals, before joining the Board and fully assuming the position. 

Potential Solutions to Support Treasurer: 

Short-term 

1. Develop plan to provide immediate support to the current Treasurer (i.e. potential volunteer assistant from membership, which would not require a vote) 2. Consider establishing a committee or working group to assist the Treasurer, such as a Financial Working Group. 

Mid- to long-term 

  1. Develop a plan to address the Treasurer’s substantial responsibilities – with the potential of having two concurrent, but staggered, positions. 

(1C) Implement changes to enhance the SMM governance structure 

Operating a scientific society with a volunteer board presents challenges that can influence the organization’s efficiency and long-term sustainability. The SMM’s current organizational structure is insufficient to ensure our Society’s sustainability and long-term financial well-being. 

An important consideration for the Board is to develop a plan to bring on an Executive Director (see section 1B). This person could help ensure effective leadership, strategic planning, 4 

fundraising, and operational excellence. An Executive Director could act as a bridge between the society’s members, its governing board, and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration and driving the society’s mission forward. The Executive Director could be responsible for overseeing SMM day-to-day operations, managing resources, and spearheading initiatives that enhance the Society’s impact and visibility in the scientific community. Additionally, an executive director could play a crucial role in securing funding, organizing conferences and events, and implementing programs that support research and professional development (see #2 below). By providing steady leadership, an executive director could help the Society navigate challenges, adapt to changes, and sustain its long-term growth and success. 

Potential solutions for implementing changes to enhance the SMM governance structure 

Short- to mid-term 

  1. Evaluate the current size of the leadership group, its function, and the need for committees, especially after priority services have been identified for the SMM. 
  2. Explore the Board structure of other scientific societies to identify processes that may be of value to adopt for the SMM. 
  3. Develop a plan for creating an Executive Director position, including investigating capacity building grants that could support this process and the initiation of this position. 

2. DIVERSIFY AND INCREASE REVENUE STREAMS 

It has become apparent that the cost of the many activities undertaken by the SMM and external services contracted to maintain operations, have exceeded the existing revenue streams. Those sources of income, including membership dues, royalties (Wiley), conferences, investments, donations, and grants, have remained largely unchanged over the course of the SMM’s existence. 

The administrative and editorial costs for the SMM are currently greater than the income generated by membership dues and royalties. Furthermore, our biennial conferences, which are intended to be revenue-generating, have been inconsistent in their ability to do so, due to a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This inconsistency has led to the realization that our current financial model is unsustainable, and efforts have been made to identify ways to reduce our immediate costs. At present, there is a pressing need for near-term funding enhancement, in addition to long-term, internationalized, and stable revenue diversification to address the financial challenges faced by the SMM. 

We propose the following actions for consideration. 

Potential solutions for revenue diversification and enhancement: 

Short-term 

  1. Consider forming a committee/working group to assist with revenue enhancement – Financial Working Group (see 1B above). This group could be responsible for grant-writing responsibilities and work on donor cultivation and stewardship.
  2. Investigate revenue sources used by similar societies similar to the SMM – which revenue streams are most productive (grants, individual donors, memberships, conferences, etc.). 
  3. Collaborate with our investment advisor to identify revenue enhancement strategies. 
  4. Identify foundations that support non-profit organizations for operating costs and capacity building and write appropriate funding proposals (see 1C above). 
  5. Seek input from members who regularly donate to the Conservation Fund on how to address our near-term funding needs. 
  6. Improve communication about the need for contributions directed to the general/ unrestricted fund that can be used for discretionary purposes as-needed, rather than restricted funds (e.g., endowed awards, Conservation Fund). 
  7. Engage Committees in the process. Ask each Chair something like “Given SMM’s current financial situation, what do you think our highest priority should be, and how could your Committee help in that process?” 

Mid- to long-term 

  1. Create a diversified funding plan for Society that is maintainable and sustained across multiple Boards. 
  2. Develop a plan to enhance diversification of revenue streams to be more international. The SMM is registered in the U.S., and the fastest short-term revenue enhancement strategies are likely in the U.S. (U.S. laws and tax codes; limitations of tax benefits to donors). However, in the future, we need to investigate how to expand our fund-raising to include other wealthy nations/individuals. 
  3. Investigate whether the SMM should have products (“bling”) to enhance revenue. 
  4. Develop a plan/best practices to ensure that the Biennial Conference is a revenue generating event for the Society (see #3 below). 
  5. Consider the value of an Executive Director here (see #1C above). 

3. IDENTIFY PRIORITY SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SMM TO ITS MEMBERSHIP; CONTROL COSTS AND STAY ON BUDGET 

The SMM is dedicated to offering services and opportunities to its members and to contributing to marine mammal research and conservation efforts worldwide. It is critical that the SMM review the suite of services and their associated costs, prioritize them and establish procedures to manage costs and adhere to the budget. This is fundamental to our financial planning. We must build the necessary infrastructure and ensure a consistent and sufficient funding stream so that our projected annual budget is based on prior actual costs, current available assets, and projected costs/ revenue. 

Our biennial conference represents a significant and variable part of our budget. Our goal is always to have our conferences generate positive revenue to cover the Society’s operating cost and to support the planning for the next conference. However, we have often incurred losses from our conferences, even those pre-dating the impacts of the global pandemic, and have rarely generated significant income. Even in some years in which a conference generated revenue, the Society overall experienced an annual loss due to total operational expenses. 

Therefore, we need to take steps to balance our annual budget, manage costs, and strategically plan our process for budgeting our biennial conferences. We propose the following actions for consideration. 

Potential solutions for controlling costs and staying on budget: 

Short-term 

  1. Collaborate with our professional financial management group to create an annual budget and review monthly. 
  2. Develop an annual budget for each of our contractors, which can be adjusted based on task requirements and available revenue. Ensure that contracts are reviewed and updated annually. 
  3. Create a plan/best practices to ensure that the Biennial Conference is a revenue generating event for the Society (see #2 above). This should build on the Conference Manual and involve developing a timeline of meetings and discussion points with the Conference Committee and Board members to establish a strong financial foundation for the conference. 

4. Work closely with the Conference Committee and our paid conference consultant(s), to develop a realistic conference budget. Have early and regular conversations about financial responsibilities for fund-raising across Conference Committee, Conference Consultants and SMM Treasurer, President, and President-Elect. Maintain a regular overview of the budget with the Treasurer and President. 

Mid- to long-term 

  1. Fundamentally rethink how Biennials are planned. This includes consideration of whether the decision on where a Biennial is to be held should be decided by a vote of the membership, who will have limited insight into the financial repercussions, or if the membership should be presented with only financially sustainable options. This will require revision of both the constitution and by-laws, which themselves will require approval of the membership. This is a longer-term issue that will take several years to implement, so initiating the process sooner rather than later would be beneficial. 
  2. Explore whether having smaller, regional meetings between biennial meetings would increase annual memberships and, thus, enhance revenue. 
  3. Consider alternative structures for conferences. Meetings can be very expensive to carry out – many of our professional financial advisor’s other clients are scaling back from, for example, three-day meetings to one-day summits. This topic requires focused input from our members. 
  4. Establish and maintain a “Conference Investment Fund”, separate from the General Operating Fund, which can be used to support future conferences. This fund will help determine future Conference budgets and set realistic expectations of fundraising needs. 

4. STRENGTHEN AND GROW SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP 

A robust and engaged membership base is foundational to the success of a professional scientific society, serving as the lifeblood that sustains its vitality and impact. A strong membership base not only provides financial stability through dues and contributions but also signifies a collective commitment to the Society’s mission. It fosters a diverse and dynamic community of experts, scholars, and practitioners who can exchange ideas, collaborate on research, and contribute to the Society’s intellectual wealth. Furthermore, a large and active membership enhances the Society’s influence, attracting sponsors, and partnerships. The shared expertise and community created by a strong membership base amplifies the Society’s capacity to organize events, disseminate knowledge, and advocate for critical issues. In essence, the success and longevity of any professional scientific society hinges on the support and engagement of its members, who collectively drive the pursuit of knowledge and advance the its impact on the broader scientific community and society at large. 

We should think hard about how to make membership, which accounts for most of our revenue, more value-added, so that people want to keep their membership active, even in non-conference years or in years when they do not plan to attend the Biennial. This task is especially important now, given that much of what we create as a Society (for example, our taxonomy lists, our species fact sheets, our past podcasts, and other social media and educational and outreach resources) by design are freely available to the wider world, and do not require an SMM membership. Even our flagship journal, which used to represent an exclusive benefit of membership, has its content much more freely available to the world via online resources. 

Furthermore, it is not only what our members value, but also defining and refreshing the principles, values, and mission of the SMM. What difference do we make? People either want to join or support the SMM because of shared values, and/or because they like what we do and what we stand for. 

Many of the considerations listed above could be used to design a survey that gets at what our members value the most of their Society. We propose the following actions for consideration. 

Potential Solutions to strengthening SMM membership: 

Short-term 

  1. Review, refresh and create where necessary SMM vision, mission, and core principles to reinvigorate our purpose and inspire current and future membership/supporters. The upcoming Biennial in Perth may provide a good opportunity to advance this work. 
  2. Create a SHORT, focused survey that asks members for their input on what they value in the SMM and what services they would like to see (and pay for) from the SMM. 
  3. Investigate what other similar professional societies are doing to maintain enthusiastic membership.
  4. Consider diversifying membership types to include a broader community of marine mammal enthusiasts (i.e., friends of SMM). 
  5. Have an SMM booth/feedback mechanism at Perth to engage members and ask for their insights. 
  6. Ask our Student Chapters to discuss this topic at their local/regional meetings as well, and actively request their feedback. 

Mid- to long-term 

  1. Consider an event/theme of events for each year that engages our members in new activities to maintain their interest. 
  2. Work with multiple committees to develop a variety of ways to highlight the work of our members and to demonstrate the value of membership. 
  3. Consider building platforms for sharing and community building. We have in the past discussed personal story campaigns to build community. For example, providing an opportunity for our members to talk to each other (a brief, recorded message) on an SMM platform (website/social media sites) to share what they have done as an SMM member and what the Society means to them. “The Faces/Voices of the SMM” or “We are the SMM”. We have also in the past discussed inter-generational member discussions, to share insights across the history and future of the SMM.