Announcing Our New Strategy
Last year, The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA undertook a strategic planning process with input from our members and supporters at its heart. We are proud to announce our new vision for 2023 and beyond: Protecting Scotland’s heritage and natural beauty now and for generations to come.
This vision is rooted in feedback we received across three rounds of surveys with our members, representatives of Scottish diaspora organizations, gala attendees, supporters of American cultural heritage, our Board of Trustees, and more – in short, a diverse pool of constituents from all across the United States. Our planning process complemented work undertaken earlier in 2022 by the National Trust for Scotland, which resulted in their 10-year strategy Nature, Beauty, & Heritage for Everyone. Their plan will guide work on the ground in Scotland leading up to the Trust’s centennial in 2031.
Here in America, The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA finds itself in a unique position. We exist to amplify and advocate for the Trust’s conservation priorities, but we are also a fully independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Each year, we must raise the operating funds that keep our lights on in addition to – and in order to – best support the Trust’s work. Our new vision will allow us to meet these goals.
Visitors at the Isle of Canna
Conversations with supporters last fall identified the following organizational Strengths that can provide opportunities for NTSUSA in the years to come:
- the wide variety of assets – buildings, landscapes, wildlife, and beyond – that we help the Trust care for
- the worthwhile preservation, conservation, and engagement activity that we support
- the deep, authentic, and tangible connection to Scottish heritage we provide that brings history to life for Americans
Of course, there are Challenges to address as well. Chief among these is the difficulty of raising funds for projects an ocean away. This requires us to demonstrate the relevance of the Trust’s work, stand out among competing philanthropic priorities, and engage a broader audience, especially younger donors.
Members of our September 2022 Garden Tour viewing herbaceous borders at Falkland Palace
In 2023, our work will be focused on three core strategic themes that will allow us to better serve the Trust, our members, and all lovers of Scotland:
- Connect with likeminded individuals
We have the opportunity to bring together American individuals and organizations who care passionately for Scotland, but also for cultural heritage and environmental conservation more broadly. At NTSUSA, we will help them to make connections with each other and with the Trust’s groundbreaking conservation initiatives.
- Engage them more deeply with the Trust’s work
Your gifts are making a real and lasting impact in Scotland – and we need to be better about demonstrating that impact! In the modern digital age, it is easier than ever before to connect you with work and staff in Scotland and to keep you up to date on all the exciting, innovative initiatives that you are making possible.
- Sustain operations in the US to benefit the Trust
The Trust’s vital work can only be accomplished with the help of Americans giving through NTSUSA. Our membership program, growing list of travel opportunities, and annual gala all help sustain operations in the US so that we can increase grant funds sent to the National Trust for Scotland. Over the past 20 years, we have sent nearly $11 million to support Trust activities – but we can do more.
Red Deer in Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Winter
We are grateful to the hundreds of individuals who contributed to the development of our strategic plan. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to reach out to Executive Director Kirstin Bridier at kbridier@ntsusa.org.
