Thanks to a community grant that funded its staffing needs, Habitat Acquisition Trust has been able to help conserve and protect natural areas on southern Vancouver Island.
HAT had a memorable year in 2021, the regional land trust’s 25th anniversary. It was also a year of growth, with the protection of 23 hectares of habitat in the Highlands and raising $1.2 million, in partnership with the Capital Regional District, to create a regional park at Mountain Road Forest.
But while their land conservation accomplishments garnered accolades, the growth created staffing challenges.
“We have been a grassroots organization for a long time — lean and mean,” said Katie Blake, executive director of the registered charity.
“But, ultimately, we realized that we didn’t want the program people to do the administrative work that it takes to run an organization.”
When she went about looking for funding to alleviate her staffing needs, Blake discovered that few community grants cover non-project needs, such as hiring employees to reduce staff stress levels.
“There are not a lot of forward-thinking organizations, like the Victoria Foundation, who offer grants that cover organizational needs,” said Blake. “It’s a massive challenge, especially if you are growing.”
Thanks to the funding, HAT hired an experienced administrative support person.
“She has already saved us tons of time, just by automating processes that were done manually before,” Blake said.
“It has also freed me to do what it takes to run the organization, answer to the board and forward planning. It may be behind the scenes, but it is a vital organizational need.”
HAT is a regional land trust established in 1996 by the Victoria Natural History Society. Its mission is to conserve natural areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, centring around the Capital Regional District. It protects more than 1,600 hectares of natural habitat, and is both a registered charity and a registered society.
