On Sunday morning after the “Mergers and Acquisitions” session, the Launch Meeting participants had a chance to give input on TCA governance issues. Our facilitator Gayle first gave a presentation on the importance of organizational structures and shared different types of nonprofit models. Then, two questions were put to the group to discuss:
- How might we “tweak” the current TCA organizational structure to better address the core values and guiding principles that we decided on?
- What else do we need to add to or modify (our organizational structure) if we want to better prepare for NATC 2015 and actualize the ideas that emerged from the Design Thinking activity?
Governance Discussion Presentation
Results
After discussing the two questions in small groups, each group was given 3 minutes to present their top 3 ideas. The following ideas were recorded:
- Transparency and Communication
- Monthly newsletter
- Group directory
- Regional coordination
- Technology to connect the community
- Clearly defined processes, widely disseminated
- Inclusivity
- Open opportunities to participate
- Community input into board membership
- Representation of background, gender, location
- Communication hub mediated by community itself
- Staffing
- Add a paid, professional staff as soon as possible
- Utilize volunteers; working committees
- Board
- Board function shifts to “support” and “fundraising” instead of implementing programs
- Board hires professional staff
- Add legal/financial experience; perhaps not completely a players’ board
- Membership-based revenue model
- Possible categories: individual, group, student
- Possible benefits: access to resources, discounts or early registration for workshops, voting
- “Charter memberships” for early supporters (pledges made now, but collected when 501(c)3 status attained)
- Need to balance membership “benefits” and “inclusivity” (shouldn’t limit access, think: NPR)
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