The board relies heavily on the energy and planning experience of its coordinator and the administrative skills of its office manager. Like the trust board, neither employee is full-time. Their limited hours often result in delays in important projects. It also means that the trust board office is frequently closed with no staff to greet visitors personally or answer the phone. No one wishes to settle for this situation permanently.
Funding clearly remains a significant issue for managing the reserve.
The National Park Service can provide no more than fifty percent of the EBLA budget, as stated in the enabling legislation. Support at the community level must include sufficient cash and in kind contributions to maintain an adequate level of staff assistance and program funding. A high level of commitment from Coupeville and Island County is therefore vital. The Island County commissioners must especially be willing to support the reserve. Only Island County can provide enough cash to meet EBLA's operational needs.