Greenbelt Alliance is the Bay Area’s leading organization at taking a regional vision for protecting land and growing smartly and applying it locally Photo: Mimish Gogri I was first introduced to Greenbelt Alliance at the turn of the millennium. It’s remarkable to see how things have changed since then.
In 2000, nearly half a million acres of the Bay Area’s green- development proposal for Contra Costa County’s Tassajara belt were at risk of development. To accommodate a grow- Valley. Each of these big wins is an illustration of the momen- ing population, sprawl development that consumed farms, tum that is currently on our side. ranches, and natural areas was simply considered the norm. The alternative to sprawl—smart growth within our existing But just because we have momentum doesn’t mean there are cities and towns that brings homes, jobs, shops, and amenities not challenges on the path ahead. The 300,000-acres at risk together as thriving neighborhoods—was viewed as an almost is still an area 10 times the size of San Francisco. Our boom- revolutionary concept. In 2000, Greenbelt Alliance’s work ing economy is a blessing in so many ways, but with housing seemed like a very long hike, up a very steep hill. costs soaring and our population expected to grow by two million over the next generation, pressure to develop in the Now, less than a decade and a half later, momentum is much greenbelt will be on the rise. Within our cities and towns, more more on our side. The amount of the greenbelt threatened people must speak out and show their support for develop- by sprawl has dropped from nearly 500,000 acres to just ment done right—development that can be used as a tool to over 300,000. Smart growth is not a revolutionary concept; make neighborhoods more sustainable, healthy, and vibrant it’s what Bay Area residents looking for great places to live for all of the people of the Bay Area. Greenbelt Alliance is are saying they want. Greenbelt Alliance’s work today is as there to take on these challenges. In coming years, I am confi- much about helping elected leaders get development right in dent we will have many more wins as big as those from 2013. the right places as it is about preventing development in the wrong places. The hike is still long. But in 2013 the trail was a Thank you for your support. The wins of 2013 are because of little flatter and we made great progress. In this annual report, you and our 6,000 supporters. The wins of the future will be you’ll read about some big wins—the adoption of Plan Bay yours too. We can’t do it without you. Area, the passage of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conserva- tion Plan, and the defeat of the ironically named “New Farm” Jeremy Madson Executive Director
1 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Greenbelt Alliance is focused on addressing a single challenge—how the Bay Area handles growth.
We believe that instead of expanding outward to accommo- decisions that will impact their communities, and the entire date a growing population, it is better for our environment, Bay Area, for decades to come. Over Greenbelt Alliance’s economy, and our communities to reinvest in our cities and 56-year history, we’ve guided countless decisions that make towns in ways that benefit all Bay Area residents. Greenbelt the Bay Area the one-of-a-kind place it is today. Alliance is the Bay Area’s leading organization at taking that regional vision for how the Bay Area should grow and working The things that make the Bay Area special are incredibly locally to bring it to life. diverse, and so is our work—from protecting Sonoma’s natural landscapes and Brentwood’s farms to creating thriving neigh- As advocates and experts, we help shape the rules that borhoods of shops, parks, and affordable homes in Oakland govern growth. We help people in communities and their and Silicon Valley. The sum of all these local efforts is a better elected leaders understand land-use issues and shape Bay Area for everyone.
2 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Photo: Joe Parks Read onto discover how we’remaking ANNUAL REPORT 2013 an impact aroundthe region
3 Photo: ©kevinschafer.com 4 A hugewinfor natural landscapes bay areawildlfeand ANNUAL REPORT 2013 What’s Next Although we’re celebrating this success with our supporters, we know our work is far from done. As the economy improves, there will be more and more development pressure to sprawl into wildlife habitat in Santa Clara County. Greenbelt Alliance will watch over these lands and challenge threats, ensuring these special places remain protected for future generations.
Program Director Melissa Hippard made one of Greenbelt required six governmental agencies to approve this leading Alliance’s biggest accomplishments of 2013 happen. Having example of HCPs in California. worked in the South Bay for 10 years, Melissa was compelled to find a financially viable, long term way to protect plants and The HCP’s passage didn’t come easy. After eight years in animals that were continuously threatened by poorly planned development, the plan was at risk as two key jurisdictions, the development. City of San Jose and Santa Clara County, wanted the plan to be scaled back in light of the poor economy at the time. Led “I’ve always loved exploring Santa Clara County with my by Melissa, Greenbelt Alliance and the coalition monitored the daughter,” Melissa says. “Seeing our shrinking habitat and the process to ensure that all revisions achieved the plan’s protec- consumption of greenbelt lands first hand lit a fire under me— tion goals, without creating undue financial stress on the cities at this rate, my daughter could be the last generation to see and counties that support it. The end result was a plan that some of our native species.” every stakeholder could be proud of.
Melissa brought that fire to work with her at Greenbelt “You rarely get instant gratification in the policy world,” says Alliance in 2009. She organized staff and supporters, and Melissa. “But the day that the final city approved the plan...that partnered with organizations throughout the long process of day I felt instantly proud of what we had accomplished. I want building a groundbreaking policy—the Santa Clara County our supporters and everyone who was in it for the long haul Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). to know that dedication pays off. And I am so proud of the advances we’ve made in sustainable land conservation.” Our Impact Under Melissa’s guidance, Greenbelt Alliance led Habitat Con- Designed to be in place for 50 years and apply to 60% of the servation Now—a coalition of county, regional, and national county, the HCP will protect 46,000 acres of habitat. Encour- organizations with the common goal of supporting the HCP— aging the right development in the right places, the plan uses and worked tirelessly with community leaders, residents, fees to direct development away from the most ecologically and government officials to get the plan passed. The entire valuable lands that support endangered species, including the process, began by scientists and experts, took 12 years and San Joaquin kit fox pictured here.
5 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 LOCAL VICTORIES LIKE STOPPING THE “NEW FARM” SPRAWL DEVELOPMENT ARE VITAL TO CUTTING THE LAND AT RISK OF DEVELOPMENT IN HALF BY 2020.
2013 marked an important step toward the protection of Contra sprawl development are vital to cutting the land at risk of devel- Costa County’s Tassajara Valley. Following a six-year battle, opment in half by 2020. developers withdrew their proposal to sprawl deep into this rural valley—a gorgeous slice of the greenbelt. Had it been approved, Our Impact the 187-unit, 771-acre sprawl proposal, dubbed “New Farm”, Greenbelt Alliance helped lead a coalition—that included Save would have broken voter-approved growth boundaries—lines Mount Diablo, the Sierra Club, and the California Native Plant that define where growth can and cannot go. Society, and residents from Danville and San Ramon—who fought the sprawl proposal for the better part of a decade. How it affects the Bay Area Beyond devastating Tassajara Valley, “New Farm” would have The withdrawal of “New Farm” is the culmination of years of set a dangerous precedent that undermines the integrity of hard work and resilience—it is a victory for all of our supporters, growth boundaries and similar open space policies through- who love the Bay Area and want to see its farms, ranches, and out the Bay Area. Local victories like stopping the “New Farm” natural lands protected.
6 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 remain untouched. working andnaturallandscapes policies sothattheBayArea’s standing openspaceprotection and continuedefendinglong- of Tassajara Valley’s rollinghills continue servingasthewatchdog still alive. GreenbeltAlliancewill threat ofsprawldevelopmentis While “NewFarm”isdead,the What’s Next 7
Photo: Steve Arnett Photo: Richard Masoner 8 as long as weimplementtcorrectly. stopping sprawl intheBay Area— communites stheblueprint for strateg this unprecedentedregional y forcreating sustainable ANNUAL REPORT 2013 In 2009, Greenbelt Alliance made public our Grow Smart Bay Area goals; our vision for how the Bay Area can, by 2035, become more climate-friendly, affordable, and economically competitive, while protecting the greenbelt. Right about the same time, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) began working on Plan Bay Area—our region’s state-required transportation and land-use plan. Over the following four years, we worked nonstop to ensure that Plan Bay Area looked as much like Grow Smart as possible.
We succeeded! Plan Bay Area, approved on July 18, 2013, calls for all new growth to be in the existing urban footprint—not sprawling onto our farms, ranches, and natural lands. It also envisions most of the region’s new growth happening near transit within our cities and towns, meaning that the Bay Area of the future will be one of thriving neighborhoods where people have the opportunity to walk, bike, and use transit rather than drive.
How It AFFECTS the Bay Area In addition to the statistics to the left, the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program distributes funds for transportation and affordable homes to the places that are doing the most sustainable and equitable development. The OBAG conservation grant program also dedicates funds for protecting natural and agricultural lands.
Our Impact To make Plan Bay Area a reality, we brought together organizations with a broad range of interests— from social equity and health advocates to conservation and business leaders—creating a strong voice for sustainable and equitable development.
We provided decision-makers with clear data to inform the plan and we worked closely with them to develop the plan’s conservation grant program. People from all over the Bay Area rallied with us to attend public meetings throughout the process. Greenbelt Alliance also spread the word about Plan Bay Area through our broad networks of friends and supporters and the media.
Together, we built a blueprint that will have impact on the places we love for generations to come. Your support made it possible.
What’s Next Although the plan has been adopted, we’re not done yet. We need to ensure that our cities and counties follow through. Our work to create sustainable and equitable communities ramped up in 2013 and is going strong in 2014. Already a champion of smart growth, San Jose approved its first “urban villages” that adhere to the goals of Plan Bay Area. We’ll continue to advocate for neighborhoods like these urban villages in cities and towns throughout the region. 9 financial summary
STATEMENT OF activities Fiscal Year: October 2012 to September 2013 SUPPORT AND REVENUE Individual Contributions $222,353 Major Donors $594,988 Foundations $1,070,500 Dedicated Donations $5,350 Events $185,184 Contracts and Fees $142,696 Investment Income $128,056 REVENUE TOTAL SUPPORT AND REVENUE $2,349,127
EXPENSES PROGRAM SERVICES Policy and Field $998,042 Communication and Education $363,322 San Francisco Housing Action Coalition $167,882 TOTAL PROGRAM SERVICES $1,529,246
SUPPORTING SERVICES Administration $133,904 Fundraising $405,030 TOTAL SUPPORTING SERVICES $538,934 TOTAL EXPENSES $2,068,180
STATEMENT OF financial position As of September 30, 2013 ASSETS Current Assets $1,306,547 EXPENSES Endowment $1,420,406 Other Assets $243,957 Total Assets $2,970,910
LIABILITIES $131,394
NET ASSETS $2,839,516 Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets $280,947
10 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Photo: Zoe Meyers Regional Director Matt Vander Sluis Accounting Manager Nancy T Executive Scheduler Zoe Siegel Regional Representative Lana Russell-Hurd Donor Relations Officer Lopa P Project Manager Uri P Outings Coordinator Ken Lavin Policy Researcher Adam Garcia Development Coordinator Amie Fleming Regional Representative Joel Devalcourt Database Assistant Dani Clark Associate Marketing &Communications Alex Chen Regional Director Michele Beasley Administrative Manager Alexis mann Senior ProgramDirector S Administration Director ofFinanceand Edward Lee Program Director Melissa Hippard Director Marketing &Communications Amy Henson Development irector Hillary Aiken Executive Director Jeremy Madsen staff tephanie R achter al opp eyes Michelle Y Wells Whitney Fei Tsen Laney Thornton Dee Swanhuyser Michele Stratton Margaret Spaulding Michele Perrault Will Parish Anu Natarajan Sam Liccardo John Kriken Dan Kingsley Deepak K Robert Johnson Jon Harvey Donna Gerber Joseph Gabbert Marc Fleishhacker Raquel Donoso Jeffry Blanchfield Teresa Alvarado Nancy Adler Audit CommitteeChair Jean McCown Secretary/Treasurer R Chair Vice President,Policy Committee Jake Mackenzie Committee Chair Vice President,BoardAffairs Michael Howe Committee Chair Vice President,Development Elliot vers Executive VicePresident W. AndersonBarnes Board President John Chapman BO obert Oxenburgh ARD OFDIRECT amlani esney ORS Outings Leaders Suzanne Weakley Liz Watson Nancy Valente Nancy Topp K Bob Solotar Dave Schmidt Cathy Petrick Eileen andNormanOng Jonathan Marshall Patti K Bob Johnson Melissa Hippard Carol andTodd High Adam Garcia Amie Fleming Gael Erickson Sarah Cramer Bill Chin Janet Byron Bruce andSandraBeyaert Sara Barz Steve Bakaley Judy Adler V Ella Wise Taylor Thibodeaux Pete Rasmussen Matt Pope Tsatrsral Magnaibayar Hannah Mensing Josephine Lau Megan K Joanna Huitt K Hannah Farris Tara Charles K Fatema AlZeera Andi Albers V elly Bray aren Synowiec aren Gauss ol ol unteer unteer Iters enyon eith
11 $100,000 and up Robert Johnson Mark and Elinor Mumm Matthew and Janice Barger Deepak and Sherry Kamlani John Osterweis Porter E. and Helenmae Thompson Michele Perrault $50,000 to $99,999 Foundation Mary Prchal The Barkley Fund, LLC Toby and Sally Rosenblatt Edward Rich Laney and Pasha Thornton Schmitz-Fromherz Family Jim Rosenau and Dianne Stockler Michele and Richard Stratton Gene and Abby Schnair $20,000 to $49,999 Wells Whitney and Anne Halsted Andrew Sessler Anonymous Michelle Yesney and Richard Gertman Deborah and Harvey Shein Dr. Nancy Adler and Arnold Milstein Tracy Stampfli and Lalit Balchandani Thomas and JaMel Perkins $1,000 to $2,499 Dee and Peter Swanhuyser Jack Weeden Linda and Andrew Ach Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Topham Teresa and Ralph Bastian Fei Tsen and Wayne Lew George D. Tuttle and Ben Cushman $10,000 to $19,999 Alvin Baum Alex Warshofsky Artnz Family Foundation Bishop Pine Fund Mariquita West Elliot Evers Allan F. Brown and Marilyn S. Brown Francoise Fleishhacker Deborah Brown and Michael Stevens John Kriken and Katherine Koelsch Joan and Clarence Coleman $500 to $999 Pratap and Chitra Pal Delphine and Allen Damon Thorsten Anderson Pisces Foundation Patricia Dinner Cassandra Benjamin Mr. Stephen Silberstein Delia Fleishhacker Ehrlich Bob and Carol Berman* Margaret Spaulding William D. and Melinda Evers Annette Billingsley and Terry Bergmann Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor Timothy Ferris and Carolyn Zecca Ferris Jeffry and Robin Blanchfield Leslie Fleishhacker-Gaylord and Frederick Peter Brantley Gaylord Shelagh and Bob Brodersen $5,000 to $9,999 Robert B. Flint Jr. Richard Carter The Applewood Fund at the Community David Fowler and Kathleen A. Demetri John and Nancy Cassidy Foundation of Santa Cruz County Joseph Gabbert John Chesley Dana and Robert Emery Donna Gerber Daniele and Janine De Iuliis John and Carol Field Douglas and Kaatri Grigg Bruce and Joan Dodd Marc Fleishhacker and Shelley Golden Margaret Hand and John Hartog Raquel Donoso Fleishhacker Jon and Connie Hartung John Fioretta* Urs Holzle The Honorable James Hormel Bonnie Fisher and Boris Dramov Daniel and Mimi Kingsley Mike and Linda Howe Ms. Tamara Galanter The Kirkwood Family Fund, an advised Nick and Sandra Javaras Stuart L. Gasner and Kate Ditzler fund of the Silicon Valley Community Carolyn Johnson and Rick Theis Kate Godfrey and Robert Colley Foundation Derry and Charlene Kabcenell William Haas Mary E. Mitsui Sidney Kass and Susie Langdon Kass Kip and Sara Howard Will and Julie Parish Nancy Kittle Louis I. Jaffe and Kitty Whitman Jean Schulz Paul Klingenstein and Kathleen Bole Fran and Bud Johns Dr. Jonathan and Pam Shields Duane Kromm and Marilyn Farley* Ms. Katharine Johnson John Sutter L&L Borok Foundation Frederic Knapp Charlotte Von der Hude Lawrence and Lori Lapides James and Linda Kuhns Rob and Genevieve Lawrence Anne K. Le Blanc $2,500 to $4,999 John and Sandra Leland Maryon Davies Lewis Derek Aspacher Hollis Lenderking Peter and Beverly Lipman W. Anderson and Sara Barnes Sarah Liron Alexander Magee John and Susan Chapman Park L. Loughlin Mr. Lawrence Maxwell* Lynne Deegan-McGraw Jake and Barbara Mackenzie Ms. Jean McCown Jean and James Douglas Jeremy Madsen and Sarah E. Gilman L. E. McCreery Linda Jo Fitz Ms. Jean McCown Benjamin Metcalf Jon and Katherine Harvey John and Leslie McQuown Shereen Motarjemi JEC Foundation Jess Moreles and Teresa Alvarado Diane Parish and Paul Gelburd
Thank you to everyone who supported Greenbelt Alliance in fiscal year 2013. Annual gifts of $500 or more and monthly donors are recognized in this report. Please contact Development Director, Hillary Aiken at (415) 543-6771 x305 or [email protected] regarding omissions or edits. 12 * Greenbelt Guardian Monthly Donor Ginny and Bert Sandell Sara Barz and Ian Ratzer Chris Vogel Joseph Sander Bob and Carol Berman Elizabeth Wierzbianska Jean Schulz James Blanchard and Theresa Sweeney Greg Wineger Susan Schwartz and Robert Zucker Janet Byron Joe Sherman and Sandra Monteko-Sherman Prudence Carter JACK KENT, JR. LEGACY Simon Snellgrove and Kathryn Servino Mr. Anthony Chang CIRCLE J. Gregory Swendsen Kristen Clements Faith Allen Barry Swenson Ms. Caroline Cooper Zach Cowan and Sara Stadler Richard S. Taylor and Tracy Grubbs Camille Cusumano Tina Duong Anne Teller Helen DeMichel and David J. Madson John Erskine Kit Thomas and Kirk Salanga Ann Dolyniuk Margaret Hand and John Hartog W. Denman and Kate Van Ness Simms Duncan Bud and Fran Johns Grace Voss Mr. Dale Engle Robert Johnson Joe and Deborah Votek Ms. Arleen Feng Jeffrey Jue Warren and Janis Watkins John Fioretta Mary Kent Mr. Mark Gion Bonnie Killip FOUNDATIONS & Mr. Karl Goldstein Virginia Rawson INSTITUTIONS Steve Greenberg Bob and Caprice Solotar Adobe Matching Gift Program Mr. Eric Haas Celia Thompson Taupin American Farmland Trust Rainer Hoenicke George Tuttle and Ben Cushman Anonymous David Jacobson Paul and Dorothy Wachter The Clarence E. Heller Foundation Mr. David Kadish Climate Ride Debora Kane and Tom Whitaker In Kind Donors County of Marin Ms. Frances Kaplan E & O Trading Company County of San Mateo Tobin Kendrick Mission Bicycle EarthShare California George Kramm Home Depot San Carlos East Bay Community Foundation Duane Kromm and Marilyn Farley Home Depot Santa Clara Give Something Back Gustav Larsson Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Winery Google Community Grants Fund of Tides Julie Lustig and Lawrence Shubert Buena Vista Winery Foundation Herbert Masters Boisset Family Estates The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Karen and Scott Matsueda Frog Hollow Farm Grizzly Peak Cyclists, Inc. Mr. Lawrence Maxwell Hafner Vineyard The Health Trust Michael May Handley Cellars The James Irvine Foundation Matching Gifts Hugh McDevitt Kathryn Kennedy Estate Program Judy and Jerry Merrill Laurel Glen Vineyard John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Elizabeth Nally Ocho Verde Farm JustGive.org Janet Noble Ravenswood Vineyard Resources Legacy Fund Matt O’Grady Soul Food Farm The San Francisco Foundation Christopher Pederson TomKat Ranch/Left Coast Grassfed San Mateo Transit District Elizabeth Pigford Volker Eisele Family Estate Silicon Valley Community Foundation Isabel Santos U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Dr. J. Donald Seaver Development Kurt Shaver Urban Land Institute Christa Shaw The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation Douglas Shoemaker The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Maria and Pilar Silva Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Dr. Elizabeth Leonie Simpson and John Wurr John Spallone GREENBELT GUARDIAN Elizabeth Stampe MONTHLY DONORS Mr. Edward Sullivan John and Marcia Addison Richard Tomaselli Hillary and Jason Aiken Russell and Claire Urzi Brian and Debbie Auerbach Vern and Jean Van Buskirk
13 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Read herstoryatgreenbelt.org. is seeingourimpactfirsthand. Sophia Chang,ownerofKitchenerOakland, *Census tractstouchedbytheGreenbeltAlliancedevelopmentendorsementprogram. in therightplaces. by supportingtherightdevelopment neighborhoods* aroundtheBay Area Since 2000, we’ve helpedimprove111 (F) 415.543.6781 (Ph) 415.543.6771 San Francisco, CA 94108 312 SutterStreet, Suite510 greenbelt.org Printed on rec y cled paper GRAPHIC DESIGNbyADAM HOFFMAN blueneckdesign.com
Photo: Zoe Meyers