It was great meeting so many enthusiastic and supportive NRA members at the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston. Your words of encouragement and suggestions are propelling your NRA 2.0 forward.
In an earlier column, I talked about creating Centers of Excellence. Your leadership team’s next phase will be focused on retuning NRA to its core mission and enhancing the below programs and services:
• Clubs and Associations
• Competitions (traditional and new)
• Education & Training
• Hunting & Wildlife Conservation
• Military/Veterans/Law Enforcement
• Preserving the Second Amendment
• Sport/Recreational/Disabled Shooting
• Youth Programs
• Women Programs
Last summer at a Board of Directors chairmen’s weekend retreat, we crafted a Vision Statement that highlights the core ideals of the NRA. This vision statement is intended to capture NRA’s treasured history with a clear view of our future.
“WE ARE THE NRA ... Freedom’s Safest Place. We protect, defend and promote the fundamental right of every law-abiding American to safely and responsibly exercise our God-given
constitutional right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home, state, and country, and for hunting and recreation, now and for future generations.”
One hundred and fifty-four years ago, the NRA was founded with the primary mission to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis” after Union soldiers displayed poor marksmanship during the Civil War. Many decades ago, the NRA developed the following Mission Statement. A mission statement describes an organization’s purpose in the present; it answers the primary question of: “Why does the NRA exist?”
1. To protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially with reference to the inalienable right of the individual American citizen guaranteed by such Constitution to acquire, possess, collect, exhibit, transport, carry, transfer ownership of, and enjoy the right to use arms, in order that the people may always be in a position to exercise their legitimate individual rights of self-preservation and defense of family, person, and property, as well as to serve effectively in the appropriate militia for the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberty of its citizens;
2. To promote public safety, law and order, and the national defense;
3. To train members of law enforcement agencies, the armed forces, the militia, and people of good repute in marksmanship and in the safe handling and efficient use of small arms;
4. To foster and promote the shooting sports, including the advancement of amateur competitions in marksmanship at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels;
5. To promote hunter safety, and to promote and defend hunting as a shooting sport and as a viable and necessary method of fostering the propagation, growth and conservation, and wise use of our renewable wildlife resources.
The Association may take all actions necessary and proper in the furtherance of these purposes and objectives.
We believe that the NRA can be more successful through listening to our members, with a clear plan and defined objectives in delivering services and trust. The NRA’s future success requires a strategic plan, as hope is not a strategy. To initiate a strategic plan, we are committed to developing:
• Clear direction and priorities
• Actionable goals and initiatives
• Improved decision-making
• Alignment across the organization
• Enhanced communications
• Exceeding the demands of members
The Board and staff are beginning this journey of creating a strategic plan for the Centers of Excellence and the overall organization. However, the board and staff cannot create a strong strategic plan without critical input from you, the NRA’s members and stakeholders.
Are you a recreational shooter? A hunter? Is your passion protecting the Second Amendment? Do you enjoy mentoring? Are you a competitor? Do you promote youth shooting? We need everyone’s assistance and guidance; you are the subject matter experts and the beneficiaries.
Help us build “YOUR NRA.” E-mail your thoughts, suggestions and ideas to [email protected]. You can e-mail simple bullet points or your complete thoughts. We are open to all suggestions, both positive and negative, to improve. But most importantly, let us know how we can improve your organization from your perspective. Also, let us know what you believe we are missing in our efforts to propel the Association forward.
To help us categorize all the e-mails, please list one of the Centers of Excellence mentioned above or “General Comments” in the Subject Line. Multiple e-mails—one for each additional center—would be helpful. Additionally, while we are unable to call millions of members, please provide us with your phone number so we can reach out if we have questions or need further clarification.
This is “YOUR NRA 2.0” and your opportunity to assist in building the future of the NRA. Please help us exceed your expectations.
