Biodiversity Research Institute (Adirondack Loon Center)

BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation utilizes the Common Loon as a sentinel species and merges field research with public outreach to inspire science-based conservation to address environmental concerns affecting the Adirondack Park. 

Cloudsplitter Foundation does not typically provide on-going support for operational budgets, however believed that this type of support would help BRI to reach their long-term goals. Cloudsplitter awarded BRI a two-year recurring grant of $20,000 annually for partial salary support for a year-round administrative assistant/outreach coordinator. The coordinator helped with research and outreach efforts, donor support and fundraising.  Also awarded was a one-time grant of $10,500 to partially support a professional fundraising consultant for a period of six months to review fundraising materials and aid in expanding fundraising efforts to enable them to maintain a year-round staff of at least two full-time personnel.

Grant Analysis: Developing success against objectives

With a new fundraising consultant and a year-round outreach coordinator, BRI was able to accomplish a 15-20% increase in first-time and active donors. The number of active donors who have given more than one time rose from 388 in May, 2015, to 465 in April, 2016. Additionally, 89 new first-time donors contributed. In May, 2015, BRI received donations from 578 one-time donors which increased to 667 onetime donors in April, 2016. BRI also opened a physical location for the Loon Center in July 2016.  It is expected that sales from the retail store and a larger private donor base (resulting from increased visibility by having a physical presence on Main Street, Saranac Lake) will provide more secure annual support for BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation.  Increased financial stability will facilitate their vision of becoming a more sustainable organization, building staff capacity, and broadening research and educational programming to better address conservation concerns affecting the Adirondack loon population.

  • Grant Name:  BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation
  • Project Size: $189,000
  • Grant Amount: $50,500, over two years
  • Strategic Value:  Environmental & scientific benefits, jobs, tourism