Miradi: A Flexible Approach to Program Planning for Conservation and Beyond

From Nonprofit Tech Club Austin –

Miradi and the Open Standards (OS) upon which it is based, are a powerful and flexible approach to conservation program planning / predictive modeling, learning, and adaptive management.

In this session, participants will get a brief intro to the history of the OS, Miradi, and Miradi Share (a cloud-based platform). They will then dig into a case study about at least one organization that is trying to use the OS before exploring the tool themselves. Participants should bring a laptop to be able to sign up for a free trial of Miradi to facilitate the exploratory breakout portion of this session.

The meeting will conclude with a discussion of the non-technical human management aspects faced by those in conservation (and just about any nonprofit / social innovation organization). Participants will discuss tips for change management initiatives and the challenges of moving from a compliance and checklist mindset (tracking activities and counting outputs) to building an impact culture (focused on achieving outcomes and putting predictions / hypotheses to the test – taking a hard look at sacred cows and shaking up established ways of doing things).

Our presenter is Dave Kramer. Dave currently serves as Senior Manager, Impact, Learning, and Innovation at EcoLogic Development Fund. EcoLogic is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but Dave recently relocated to Austin, working remotely and in a place a bit closer to field operations (currently in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras).

EcoLogic empowers rural communities to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Latin America. EcoLogic’s work is holistic and includes landscape restoration, integrated conservation and development, watershed management, agroforestry, and local capacity-building.

Dave coordinates the organization’s work in four areas: (1) project / program execution, strategy, and r&d / learning; (2) training and intelligence gathering linked to thought leadership and online community facilitation of a semi-virtual workforce; (3) strategic partnership development; and (4) fundraising via direct pitches and developing creative collaboration.

Prior to joining EcoLogic in 2006, Dave earned a Master’s in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College. He taught in Cali, Colombia and Boston and also earned a certificate in Outdoor Leadership from Greenfield Community College in rural Massachusetts. Dave is fluent in Spanish and now lives with his family in Brentwood (relocating after 15+ good but cold years in New England). In addition to his paid EcoLogic work, Dave is the volunteer co-lead for the Conservation Coaches Network Mesoamerica franchise, he is an active member of the Switzer Environmental Fellows Network, he volunteers as a member of Dartmouth Swimming’s fundraising advisory council, and is an aspiring blogger, soccer dad, trail runner, and a not-yet-ready-to-be washed up open water swimmer.