1. Using the Open Standards and Miradi as a Funder
The Marine Conservation Initiative
Emily Goodwin
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
May 5, 2010
Sample Photo
Sample Photo
Here to tell you a little about how the MCI has used the Open Standards and Miradi in our program.

2. Goal: Two Core Strategies:
Measurable progress towards resilient and productive marine ecosystems in North America managed sustainably for current and future generations
This is what we are working towards—we have two main strategies.
At the foundation, we have an emphasis on outcomes-based grantmaking and measurement along the way.
We have a strategic planning exercise for each Initiative (with usually about a 10-year horizon)
A yearly strategic refresh process led by the team
We have an objective setting for our Initiative & evaluation at the end of the year
An external evaluation of the Initiative every 3-4 years.
Two Core Strategies:
Reforming Fisheries Management
Marine Spatial Planning

3. Our Old Theory of Change…
This is what were doing to explain our logic to our board and approvers….
We would put this in each grant summary that we presented internally.
We found that it wasn’t a good communications tool , it was problematic identifying where specific grants fit in, and didn’t lead us to measurable objectives and indicators.

4. Marine Conservation Initiative Logic
Completion of necessary products, tools, services, changes in incentives, regulations, plans, knowledge, and capacity so that conservation actions occur.
Leading indicators of the change in ecosystem state desired by Initiative.
Change in behavior or performance of key actors.
Conservation
Solutions
Behavioral Outcomes
Outcomes
We took a step back and thought about how we work.
And this is how we think about it…
We know our ultimate goal is a conservation outcome—in our case resilient and productive marine ecosystems.
To get there, you need to generate behavioral outcomes.
We know that for measurement, we probably won’t be able to measure the conservation outcomes, particularly when it comes to rebuilding overfished rockfish stock which take 30+ years…but we can measure behavioral change.
Creating the Conditions for Change

5. Translation to Miradi
And so we could translate our thinking into the Open Standards / Miradi framework….
With Miradi we were able to:
Make our assumptions explicit
Be more specific with our conservation targets—the green boxes
Structured our thinking—the process (although it made our brain hurt), we needed to do the thinking & come up with indicators
We could add in specific grants where they fit which was helpful for communicating internally 5

6. Using Miradi 2008 – Good Catch Share Approved By Council
2011 – Regulations “On the Water”
2012 – Behavorial Change
2015 – Measurable Change in Fish Population
Capacity & Support for Council
Grant EDF 1299
Come up with specific and measurable objectives and indicators.
For example, it made us think through what a “good” catch share means
After we worked through indicators, we made a monitoring plan which made us think about who is going to pay for this work
Add $ into grants for monitoring and evaluation
Take responsibility as a PO for this effort
Make separate M&E grants to know how we’re doing (we are using all three of these methods)
Grant NRDC 1516
Grant NOAA 1255

7. Conceptual Model for California Current Ecosystem
This looks scary—don’t try to read this.
What’s also been rewarding is that we can share this with our grantees and colleagues in the marine conservation field to:
Get feedback and input. Are we thinking about how the world works in the same way? Are we missing something?
And the more this is shared, the easier alignment can be…for example, we are using the conservation targets developed by the CA MPA ME as our targets for the CA coast and even along the entire CA Current Ecosystem—we piggy backed off their scientific expertise…

8. Thanks!
Questions?
I will be happy to take questions over lunch.