Annual Report 2011 - Fai

Future projects
The objectives and strategies of FAI for the next four-year
plan 2012–2015
OUR MISSION
For the benefit of all lovers of Italy, FAI serves as a spokesperson for civil society,
supervising and intervening in defence of the Italian countryside and Italy’s cultural assets.
The places that we restore and manage are the embodiment of our mission. Through
the safeguarding and enhancement of these extraordinary places, we want to raise the
awareness of people in Italy and further afield of the importance of respecting and taking care
of art and nature, which are elements that very much characterise the Italian national identity.
The new proposal that will be made to the people of Italy (and, indeed, to everyone) to
support and participate in FAI’s initiatives envisages the Trust as a partner for change,
with a view to placing mankind in a more balanced relationship with the environment through
the recovery and enhancement of the “environmental” heritage, composed of nature and
culture. The FAI of tomorrow will work to promote a new “environmental humanism” in
order to live well in a more beautiful country – a significant commitment to Italian society, and
one that is sustainable only if supported by the contributions of large numbers of people.
OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
On the basis of the new mission proposal, we have identified five areas for development:
■ Engaging with people and companies
■ Engaging with public bodies and “institutional” backers
■ Developing strategies of planning and organisation
■ Opening new properties up to the public
■ Developing new opportunities
PROJECTS
Within these development areas, we have defined the strategic objectives and the main
projects:
Memberships: FAI today has around 90,000 members and donors, and by the end of 2015 it
should be able to reach 160,000, identifying new targets and new contact mechanisms (project
to double the numbers of members and donors).
Visitors and property management: around 400,000 people visit FAI’s properties; by the
end of 2015, it should be possible to increase visitors by around 25%, to at least 500,000. The
new approach to the management of FAI properties will be geared towards achieving breakeven
in terms of the total management budget. With this objective we will draft an overall plan
for the properties (with the general guidelines and the objectives).
New sources of funding: FAI must explore new veins of funding from Italian and overseas
organisations in addition to the traditional areas. The following themes are provided for
illustrative purposes: nature, environmental sustainability, the elderly, youngsters and non-
Italians.
Organisation: we want to develop our organisational infrastructure, introducing the best
models of organisation, management and fund-raising currently available for non-profit bodies.
Training: FAI’s staff will be supported by a substantial annual training programme targeted at
optimising and developing the existing skill sets within the Trust.
© F. Oppes
Volunteers: we will undertake a project geared towards markedly increasing the number
of volunteers who work with FAI. There are multiple, highly diversified objectives: from
the improvement of the financial management of the properties (through significant cost
containment) to the harnessing of the pro-active approach of volunteers in providing support to
the Trust.
Planning of restorations: we intend to guarantee the sustainability of our growth and
to maintain the integrity of the funds that have been set aside to achieve that growth. The
restoration activities will be implemented only on the basis of detailed financial plans approved
by the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.
New property openings: we want to increase the number of properties for which we
become responsible and can then open up to the public. To ensure the sustainability of that
growth, the acquisition of properties will follow clear strategic guidelines: those properties for
which FAI accepts responsibility will be selected if they demonstrate aspects of excellence and
uniqueness in historical, artistic and/or landscape terms. Location will also be considered a
highly strategic factor: priority will be given to properties situated in areas where we do not
currently have a presence and/or areas of particularly high visibility and usability.
International projects: we will launch the pilot project FAI - UK at break-even by the end of
2013. In the meantime, we will evaluate the possibility to open new FAI offices in
other countries.
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