Steering minutes: 2017-01-08

Minutes:

1/8/2017
7 to 7:30pm
Steering cmtee meeting
Convenor/presenter: Gail
Minutes: Jillian

AGENDA:
Discuss and consense (if possible) on a proposal for the 2016 critical
needs fund

Present:
Gail as Steering convenor, Tevah for Work cmtee, Elph for CH cmtee and Tech
cmtee, Jillian for Process cmtee, Ben for Membership cmtee and Grounds
cmtee, Yi-miau for Meals cmtee, Becky H for F&L cmtee, Jim as interested
GO member

One of the roles of steering cmtee is to make decisions about the critical
needs fund. We can still use money from the 2016 fund if we let our
bookkeeper know very soon.

Our agenda item tonight, is a proposal to make a one-time donation to the
Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC) in support of Communities
Magazine.

Initial proposal is to make a donation of $200 from the 2016 Critical Needs
fund. From the message that the FIC sent out, they were concerned that even
the digital version, not just the print version, may or may not be able to
continue.

Questions?

Do they have a good sense that if they get funds together it will help them
continue? Do they have a means of sustaining themselves in future?

I think that's what they're hoping for. Passed out a hardcopy of the email
from FIC.

How much is a magazine subscription?

$25 for four issues.

That seems low. Seems like they should raise their pricing.

This is a one time thing we're talking about tonight?

Yes.

They're hoping for increased subscriptions, and donations.

There's a larger picture of the FICs finances, they have other ventures
too. They have been on a fundraising campaign recently, which has helped
them. They had some unique issues recently including a leadership change.
Giving money to the organization to allow them to get over this hump of
getting back to solid finances again.

In the current political time, community and supporting community is very
important.

We need to be connected to something beyond Great Oak and these three
communities.

twinkles.

How was $200 arrived on? How much funds are there in total?

$2000 is the total critical needs fund. The $2000 has not been used at all
in 2016.

I picked the $200. We could come up with another amount. Is there anyone
who thinks this is not a good idea overall, before we discuss the amount?

All like the idea.

I like the idea but I'm not sure about the amount. If it does not help much
with $200. It feels like it's a feel-good act but I'm wondering if we can
give more?

I like the idea of larger, more meaningful donation.

>From the FIC letter: "If 200 people or groups each spend $50 to $100, and
20 send $500 to $1000 then we can stave off the problem."

Just wondering are TS and Sunward FIC members? TS is not. Sunward usually
is.

Many hundreds of communities listed in the communities directory are not
FIC members.

I don't know how the board works but one would hope the other communities
who are not members, would join.

We could raise the amount to $500.

If we did that I feel like we're going to make a gesture that has more
impact - us feeling like we've done something real, and for them too.

Just wondering, is there anything particularly different for them, to
create the need this year?

Yes, a lot of factors have come together to create a negative financial
situation. They had a new executive director coming in, a fundraising loop
that was at a low, they are in a unique situation and I think this can
help. If they can't get a financial push, they need to drop some financial
weight, which would be Communities Magazine. I'd rather give them a push
than have them drop the magazine.

I'm comfortable with the amount of $500.

I would be willing to entertain a larger gift, larger than $500, if people
want to go there.

Sarah had queried about making individual donations - we could also give
info on how individuals can subscribe and make further donations, above the
$500 from GO.

I feel comfortable with $500 and encouraging people to donate if they find
it meaningful.

One of the conversations Elph started with new Exec Director, Skye, when he
was visiting for NASCO in Nov 2016, is how can FIC help GO directly?
Expertise? Tools? Don't know quite yet where that is going, but technology
is something that they're thinking of. Something to look at over the next
year.

Jim and Gail get emails from the "episcopal cafe" - that are fun to look
at, quick, flashy little things, and you can look further if you are
interested. A page of headlines and further information. Perhaps FIC should
consider doing something like that.

MONKEY: Gail to forward a sample email to Elph to send along to Skye.

FIC - just curious how big is staff? Is mostly volunteers. 1 paid person
in Virginia, 2 or 3 paid people in Missouri.

Indiv donations - would that be as individuals or GO? Individuals.

Are we agreed to donate $500 to FIC?

Yes, agreed, no standasides.

Short discussion around how Steering may choose to meet more regularly,
once we have done our Visioning process in March at skills and thrills. We
will create a 2022 vision as a full group, and then the committees will
need to take the next steps of coming up with new goals and action steps,
to make the vision a reality. Steering cmtee meetings might be a helpful
way for committees to check in with each other about how all that is going,
help keep each other on track.

Thanks all!

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