Strategizing for the future

Message From ASAP Board of Directors

Since our last board of directors message in January, significant changes have continued to impact federal, regional, and local adaptation work and have deeply affected many of our American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) members.

Like many of you and your organizations grappling with the uncertainty of funding, these conditions have also forced some changes at ASAP. Consequently, we have had to make some tough calls, streamline services, get back to basics, and define how ASAP continues to add value.

We believe the need for adaptation professionals is more important than ever and ASAP is the place for us to come together to face challenges, meet the moment, collaborate, and plan our future.

The ASAP board wants to share some of our challenges with you, but also how we’re adapting, digging in, and driving things forward: 

Becoming a Board Run Organization - The board had to make some very difficult decisions to say goodbye to some amazing staff in January and to our dedicated Executive Director Dr. Debra M. Butler in May. These were hard choices, and we are all grateful for their contributions to our organization. Consequently, ASAP is now being operated by a strong board of directors committed to ensuring our organization is resilient. 

Balancing the Budget - Starting in June, the board has been focused on stabilizing our finances, strategically charting a path forward and continuing to minimize backend costs so we can put more money into the ASAP community. Some of our challenges have included changes in federal policy that led to the cancellation of a federal grant, which was expected to contribute significant revenue. We are also currently operating without flexible funding support. Still, we do have some streams of revenue in place, new members have joined, and our long-time members and sponsors are stepping up during this period of change, which makes all the difference (Thank you!).

Bouncing Forward - Like any solid resilience plan, it’s not about bouncing back, it’s about bouncing forward. Our goal is to guide the organization through this temporary transitional phase and ensure ASAP is financially, legally, and operationally durable and can support our members for years to come. 

To do so, the Board’s immediate priorities include meeting project obligations, sustaining regular member communications, sharing jobs and opportunities, reviving our mentor program, and supporting our member-led groups. This stabilization work is intended to create the conditions for a sustainable operating model in 2027 and beyond.

Bolstering Membership - The board envisions a future where members are engaged and supported, and where ASAP’s core services are strengthened. To achieve this, we have been engaging members through an online survey and in person at the National Adaptation Forum (NAF) last month. There, several generous members volunteered to advise us as we navigate this transition, for which we are so grateful. Much of the ongoing conversations are driven by our amazing volunteer committees, which continue to meet and which we hope you’ll join. Lastly, the board is currently updating the ASAP website, and we are maintaining all the same great ASAP resources we’ve always had.

As you can imagine, steering the ship in this new direction doesn’t happen quickly, but the ship is intact, and the work is happening. This is just the start of what a leaner and stronger ASAP looks like.

The board plans to continue to provide these semi-annual update letters among our other communications. We’re excited for the months ahead and look forward to working with you to continue advancing the adaptation field at this critical time.