Climate Generation a Will Steger Legacy

“The executive director works with the sr. Finance manager and contract accountant to prepare the 990. Once complete, the executive director and treasurer perform a detailed review with the finance committee. After any changes are made, the 990 goes to the board for a final review for any changes. After approval, the 990 is then filed with the irs.”

“Annually, board members complete a conflict of interest form. Treasurer and the executive director review conflict of interest forms at that time. When restrictions are imposed on a person with a conflict, the person with the restriction abstains from voting and leaves the discussion. When the discussion is complete, the board member/officer returns.”

“For the executive director, a review committee is established annually by the board to review ed evaluation. The committee then recommends changes or adjustments to compensation salary. Compensation surveys are used in the process.”

“The organization makes its articles of incorporation, bylaws, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public upon request.”

“Programs: this past year we adopted a new strategic framework to support and guide our organization and programs. The framework emphasizes igniting and sustaining the ability of educators, youth and communities to act on the systems perpetuating the climate crisis through our programs through overcoming disinformation, centering anti-racism and systemic equity, and personalizing and localizing climate change action. Our youth program continued to support high school youth across minnesota in understanding climate justice and their place in a global climate movement, rooted in relationships that provide a strong foundation for organizing for climate solutions. Yea! Leaders reached over 500 students directly and more than 1,000 viewers through cross-program collaboration this past year. 8 students completed a year of mentorship in leading local campaigns; 3 campaigns presented to an elected body and 2 secured commitments to change. Nearly 200 students attended the youth climate justice virtual summit in february 2020, attended 16 different workshops and advocated for climate solutions in 45 district meetings with state legislators. Finally, led by a student selection committee, the youth action fund (yea! Fun*d) distributed nearly $4,000 to 13 grantees of up to $500 each to lead independent climate action projects in their own communities. 90 participants gathered in a virtual space to participate in our first ever virtual talk climate institute on march 23rd-24th, 2021. Through a progression of reflective interactive activities, individual writing, work in pairs, and small groups, participants gained confidence talking about climate change, developed their own personal climate story, and created an atmosphere of community connectedness and trust. In order to create a more connected feel within a virtual institute we used cohorts; for participants to gather in small groups throughout the two-days of the institute and build deeper relationships. Participants of the talk climate institute were split into eight cohorts, with 8-10 participants in each. Each cohort also had a storytelling mentor; who helped to facilitate group conversation, checked in with participants throughout the virtual institute, and created a space for deeper relationships and support with a core group of participants. Our education program grew to include 8,000 educators from 48 states in the u.s., and several locations in u.s. Territories, canada, mexico, costa rica, kenya, india, nigeria and gambia. We partnered with noaa's climate office and 13 regional organizations around north america to plan and implement our 16th annual summer institute for climate change education. We followed a similar cohort model to the 2020 stay-in-stitute, but provided more time in the planning process for cohort leaders to support the development of the content of the institute. Also, cohort leaders hosted a full day of the institute for their regional attendees. 330 participants attended the institute from 41 states, canada, united states, us territories: puerto rico, guam, american samoa; nigeria,the philippines, australia. We created new resources including a green professionals in the classroom toolkit to help professionals talk about their green career story for middle school classrooms.”