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governance [2021/05/03 10:12]
chazevans
governance [2021/09/05 14:54] (current)
jim
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 Or, you might have noticed that there’s a serious lack of videogame events in your area that serve emerging BIPOC creators, and you want to organize a monthly social meetup. One of your primary concerns might be how to create a safe space for everyone. Or, you might have noticed that there’s a serious lack of videogame events in your area that serve emerging BIPOC creators, and you want to organize a monthly social meetup. One of your primary concerns might be how to create a safe space for everyone.
  
-What is the vision or goal of the project? +  * What is the vision or goal of the project? 
-Who is the project serving? Who are its stakeholders? What are their wants and desires? +  Who is the project serving? Who are its stakeholders? What are their wants and desires? 
-What is the scope of the project? Under what conditions could you see the project coming to an end, or becoming sustainable? Are there plans for this project to continue even after the original founders have left? +  What is the scope of the project? Under what conditions could you see the project coming to an end, or becoming sustainable? Are there plans for this project to continue even after the original founders have left? 
-Is there money involved, either incoming or outgoing? Who is responsible for managing this? +  Is there money involved, either incoming or outgoing? Who is responsible for managing this? 
-What other relationships and organizations are related to the project? For example: Funding bodies if applying for grants, sponsors, whoever is providing the venue, other organizations doing similar or related work that you are likely to cross paths with. +  What other relationships and organizations are related to the project? For example: Funding bodies if applying for grants, sponsors, whoever is providing the venue, other organizations doing similar or related work that you are likely to cross paths with. 
-How can we keep this fun and interesting for everyone? How do we prevent burnout? How do we deal with conflict?+  How can we keep this fun and interesting for everyone? How do we prevent burnout? How do we deal with conflict?
  
 Misc questions Misc questions
  
-Bylaws +  * Bylaws 
-Conflict of Interest policy+  Conflict of Interest policy
  
 **What is the LEADERSHIP structure?** **What is the LEADERSHIP structure?**
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 What is the vision that drives your project? Who is responsible for defining its mandate? How can you ensure that the organization’s operational activities are in alignment with its mission statement? How can the organization remain sustainable? How will the organization respond to changes and challenges in the indie/arts videogame landscape? What is the vision that drives your project? Who is responsible for defining its mandate? How can you ensure that the organization’s operational activities are in alignment with its mission statement? How can the organization remain sustainable? How will the organization respond to changes and challenges in the indie/arts videogame landscape?
  
-In a traditional North American non-profit setup, there are two main leadership roles who are in charge of these two types of organization activity: The Executive Director, and the Board. The ED handles the OPERATIONAL side of things: Managing the staff, programming logistics, purchasing equipment, the day-to-day activities that one normally associating with “getting stuff done”. The Board, on the other hand, is responsible for holding the STRATEGY and VISION of the organization as a whole. It is the resonsibility of+In a traditional North American non-profit setup, there are two main leadership roles who are in charge of these two types of organization activity: The Executive Director, and the Board. The ED handles the OPERATIONAL side of things: Managing the staff, programming logistics, purchasing equipment, the day-to-day activities that one normally associating with “getting stuff done”. The Board, on the other hand, is responsible for holding the STRATEGY and VISION of the organization as a whole. The ED "executes" the decisions of the Board.
  
 In smaller, more informal groups, the duties and responsibilities of these two roles are likely distributed amongst individuals. One or more members might act as both the people responsible for determining the direction and vision of the project, AND those responsible for carrying it out. Even if you aren’t a fancy incorporated business entity, it might still be useful to consider how the Operational and Strategic sides of your organization will work together to achieve common goals. In smaller, more informal groups, the duties and responsibilities of these two roles are likely distributed amongst individuals. One or more members might act as both the people responsible for determining the direction and vision of the project, AND those responsible for carrying it out. Even if you aren’t a fancy incorporated business entity, it might still be useful to consider how the Operational and Strategic sides of your organization will work together to achieve common goals.
  
-**Here are some examples of common organizational structures where**+**Here are some examples of common organizational structures**
  
-Traditional incorporated non-profit with a governing Board of Directors that is separate from the operating staff. The Board of Directors are, by definition, volunteers and cannot be paid by the organization for their work. Though they make decisions about the strategic direction and vision, they are usually hands-off when it comes to deciding how that vision is executed by staff. There is another layer of officers who are elected by the Board, who might also be Board Directors: The president, treasurer, and secretary.  +  * Working Board in which the governance Board and the operating staff are the same people. This is a common model for smaller non-profits, where the organizers wear multiple hats. 
-Working Board in which the governance Board and the operating staff are the same peopleThis is common model for smaller non-profits, where the organizers wear multiple hats+  * Traditional incorporated non-profit with a governing Board of Directors that is separate from the operating staff. The Board of Directors are, by definition, volunteers and cannot be paid by the organization for their work. Though they make decisions about the strategic direction and vision, they are usually hands-off when it comes to deciding how that vision is executed by staff. There is another layer of officers who are elected by the Board, who might also be Board Directors: The president, treasurer, and secretary.  
 + 
 +Many orgs move from a working board to a traditional board to prevent conflict of interest issuesIt also improves recruitment as while working board might require a board member to also lead an initiative, a traditional board usually just requires higher level strategy advice -- which tends to attract more experienced and highly knowledgeable board member applicants.
  
 **How do you organize into DEPARTMENTS?** **How do you organize into DEPARTMENTS?**
  
-The smaller an organization is, the more that activities and repsonsibilities will tend to blend together. Individuals will likely wear several hats. Common committees might include:+The smaller an organization is, the more that activities and responsibilities will tend to blend together. Individuals will likely wear several hats. Common committees might include:
  
-Governance +  * Governance 
-Financial +  Financial 
-Partners and Sponsorship +  Partners and Sponsorship 
-Human Resources (find a better term for this...) +  * Hiring 
-Communications and Promotion +  Communications and Promotion 
-Programming+  Programming
  
  
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 A succession plan is often the last thing on people’s minds when starting a new collective or venture, but the sooner you start thinking about it, the better prepared you will be. It’s worth saying that it is totally okay if your festival or event series is only ever meant to last as long as the organizers can keep it running, as long as everyone is on the same page about that.  A succession plan is often the last thing on people’s minds when starting a new collective or venture, but the sooner you start thinking about it, the better prepared you will be. It’s worth saying that it is totally okay if your festival or event series is only ever meant to last as long as the organizers can keep it running, as long as everyone is on the same page about that. 
  
-On the other hand, if you want your organization to outlive its founders, the best time to start considering new leadership is as soon as possible! It can take years to identify and cultivate someone into a leadership position, unless your organization is so established that recruiting a new Executive Director becomes similar to hiring for any other job: Finding someone with the right qualifications and experience, and paying them to work for the organization. +On the other hand, if you want your organization to outlive its founders, the best time to start considering new leadership is as soon as possible! It can take years to identify and cultivate someone into a leadership position, unless your organization is so well funded that recruiting a new Executive Director becomes similar to hiring for any other job: Finding someone with the right qualifications and experience, and paying them to work for the organization. Some ways to cultivate leadership include:
- +
-Observe: Look for leadership potential in volunteers and event regulars who seem passionate, capable, and who bring diverse perspectives to the organization. +
-Cultivating and trainingGiving people the autonomy and freedom to run things in their own way while still fulfilling the responsibilities and values of the organization. +
-Have strong processes in place so that when a new person is onboarded, they can easily fulfill routine administrative duties while concentrating on the more creative and fun aspects of programming.+
  
 +  * Observe: Look for leadership potential in volunteers and event regulars who seem passionate, capable, and who bring diverse perspectives to the organization.
 +  * Cultivating and training: Giving people the autonomy and freedom to run things in their own way while still fulfilling the responsibilities and values of the organization.
 +  * Have strong processes in place so that when a new person is onboarded, they can easily fulfill routine administrative duties while concentrating on the more creative and fun aspects of programming.
  
 ==== Authors for this section: ==== ==== Authors for this section: ====
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 ==== Editors for this section: ==== ==== Editors for this section: ====
  
-Add yourself if you edited something+Jim Munroe
governance.1620054726.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/05/03 10:12 by chazevans