INTRO Neighbourhood Governance Anne-Marie Sanchez, MA Senior - - PDF document

INTRO

Neighbourhood Governance

Anne-Marie Sanchez, MA

Senior Consultant

INTRO

Who We Are

• The Centre has over 15 years experience working with non-profits and

the public sector in the following areas:

• Board Governance
• Policy Development
• Strategic Planning
• Integrations, Unifications
• Community and Systems Planning
• Mediation/Conflict Resolution
• Organizational Development
• Community Based Research

Our Vision

Thriving relationships,

• rganizations,

communities and systems

Our Core Purpose

Acting as a catalyst, we provide customized, needs-based consulting and facilitation services to enhance

• rganizations’ abilities

to achieve their mission

Our Why

To create greater good for our world by strengthening organizations, communities and systems to better serve their people

DEFINITION

“A neighbourhood association is a group of neighbours who work together to improve their quality of place by:

• Organizing social events
• Monitoring development proposals
• Community clean ups
• Protecting natural and built heritage
• Increasing safety raising funds to improve parks, infrastructure, amenities, public

art and more!”

• City of London

www.neighbourgoodlondon.ca

Core Components for a Successful Association

STRUCTURE

Core Purpose

• Helps the group define the association’s reason for being. What good

will we do for what group of people?

• Helps group in making decisions (e.g. will this project align and/or

support our core purpose?)

• Helps others (prospective volunteers, members, councilors)

understand why the group exists

STRUCTURE

Steering/Executive team

• Establish a core group that are willing to commit more time

toward the oversight and development of the group (i.e. above and beyond volunteering on specific projects)

• Helps members know who is responsible in making sure the
• rganization stays focused with its core purpose
• Identifies individuals who will share the workload of operating

the group and potential successors in leadership roles

• Helpful to identify Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary

STRUCTURE

Membership

• Community Engagement ~ engaging as many community members

should be something a neighbourhood association strives for

• Strength in numbers ~ the larger membership, the more credibility

and accuracy the association will have in representing its community

• Accountability ~ depending on how the steering committee defines

its members through their Terms of Reference (who is a member, what is our accountability to them?)

STRUCTURE

Bylaws and/or Policies

• Difference between bylaws and policies
• Policies can still outline the following:
• Leadership team meeting frequency
• Annual General Meetings
• Organizational structure of leadership and membership
• Other policies could include:
• Conflict of Interest
• Code of Conduct
• Strategic planning
• Communications
• Donations
• Recordkeeping
• Voting
• Financial policies
• Steering Team Recruitment

MODELS

What different models look like:

• Informal nonprofit
• More grassroots, more focused on specific projects or events
• Group’s energy is less focused on administration/finances of the organization
• How the Urban League can support (insurance for events, grants application

process)

• Incorporated nonprofit
• Legal entity with legal obligations (bylaws, public financial statements, record

keeping)

• May be able to seek for grants as an entity*
• Group may have more longer-term projects that requires a more formal structure
• Need for Directors and Officer’s insurance (to protect Board Members re: wrongful

termination of an employer or bad investments)

Community Resources

• https://www.neighbourgoodlondon.ca/ (run by the City of London)
• http://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/library/topic/community-

engagement (Resource library on Community Engagement)

• http://urbanleague.ca/ (Urban League)
• http://www.pillarnonprofit.ca/ (Pillar, great resources for board

members and to learn more about nonprofits)

• https://www.ontario.ca/page/start-and-operate-not-profit (government
• f Ontario website on how to start and operate a non profit)

INTRO

ORCHARD PARK/SHERWOOD FOREST RATEPAYERS

Orchard Park Sherwood Forest Ratepayers serves the Orchard Park and Sherwood Forest areas of London. The area is approximately bounded on the west by Wonderland Road, Sarnia Road on the South, Gainsborough Road to the North, and the University of Western Ontario and the Medway Valley

• n the east.

INTRO

BY LAWS

• Article 1 Name
• Article 2 Purposes
• Article 3 Membership

INTRO

BY LAWS

• The purposes of this organization are:
• To promote the development of an organized

neighbourhood network to respond to development and changes.

• To promote a strong, unified voice at City Hall.
• To represent the interests of this

neighbourhood in its relationship to the municipality.

INTRO

BY LAWS

• Article 4 The Executive Board
• Section 4. Quorum.
• A quorum for conducting the business
• f the executive board shall be not

less than 50 percent plus one of the board empowered to vote

INTRO

BY LAWS

• Article 5 Officers and Committee

Chairpersons

• Section 1. Officers shall be elected for terms of

two years. There shall be the following elected

• fficers.
• If necessary, new directors can be appointed

by the executive to complete terms of any directors leaving before the completion of their term.

INTRO

By Laws

• Article 6 Elections
• Article 7 Duties of Officers

INTRO

BY LAWS

• Article 8 Meetings
• Section 1. There shall be an annual meeting during the

month of May. Notice of such meeting shall be given each member at least 14 days before the meeting.

• Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the

president or the board. Upon written notice of three members, the president shall call a meeting. Notice of special meetings shall be given to the members at least 14 days in advance.

• Section 3. A quorum

INTRO

BY LAWS

• Article 9 Discipline
• Article 10 Amendments
• Article 11 Dissolution

ORCHARD PARK/SHERWOOD FOREST RATEPAYERS

OPSFRP .ca