Is It Right for You? Presenters: PETER PEARS ON & S UE HALL - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Merging a Friends & Foundation Is It Right for You? Presenters: PETER PEARS ON & S UE HALL

Introduction A Little Bit About Library S trategies

What Do Friends Typically Do? • A volunteer Board conducts most activities • Conduct membership campaigns • Used book sales • Volunteers in libraries • Author programs, small events • Advocates & ambassadors for the library

What Do Foundations Typically Do? • Foundation Board is well-connected in the community & hires staff to do the Foundation’s work • Conducts maj or fundraising activities including annual fund solicitation, grant writing, capital campaigns, maj or gifts, corporate sponsorships and planned giving • Hosts maj or fundraising events • May have a role in advocacy and public awareness

Friends & Foundations Working Together • Make sure both organizations are clear on the roles & responsibilities of each group • Honor the work of each group • S ign “ Letters of Agreement” detailing respective roles

Friends & Foundations Working Together • Have a representative from each organization serve ex-officio on the other’s Board • Allow ex-officio Board members to report back to their own Board • Conduct an annual j oint Board meeting

Friends & Foundations Working Together • When communicating with the community, reference the other organization and its role • Involve Friends and foundation Board members in each other’s strategic planning • Consider a j oint activity (special event, advocacy effort)

Where Can Conflict Exist? • Roles & responsibilities that are unclear • Both organizations conducting similar activities • Poor communication • Territoriality

Minimizing Conflict between Friends & Foundations  Open the lines of communication  Clearly articulate “ Who does what? ”  Exchange Board liaisons  Meet annually

Well… That Didn’ t Work!  Be up front about exploring a merger  Communicate “ decision to explore merger” to key stakeholders simultaneously  S eek an outside facilitator to manage the exploration  S et a timeline and appoint a Merger Exploration Committee

Advantages to Merging • Minimize administrative/ staffing needs • Reduce library staff involvement • Coordinate messages of public/ private support • S implify the recruitment of Board members for j ust one organization • Clarity for the community at-large

Reasons Not to Merge • Both organizations are clear about their roles and provide good support to the library • One of the organizations has a bad reputation in the community • One of the Boards is strongly opposed to merger

Challenges to Merging • Distinctly different Board cultures • Increased operating costs • Lack of support for the process • Naming the new organization

The Merger Process • Process should be facilitated by someone with no vested interest • Conduct personal interviews with representatives to gauge support & identify barriers • Design a process that focuses on the opportunities and the challenges and identifies strategies for reaching common ground

The Merger Process • Initial meetings with both groups individually • Joint meeting once each group has agreed to merge • Joint session should focus on Board size, composition, activities & committee structure (retain members from each organization)

The Merger Process • Boards should establish timeline for merger process • Appoint an Implementation Committee made up of representatives from both organizations • Implementation Committee deals with legal issues, new By-laws, Board recruitment and name of the merged organization

First Activities of the New Organization • Recruit and conduct orientation for a new Board • Create a Development Plan to establish vision and 3-year goals • Announce new organization in the community

Real Life Examples • A Community with one Friends & one Foundation • A community with one foundation & multiple Friends groups • A community with a successful merged organization

THANK YOU! Peter Pearson, President The Friends of the S aint Paul Public LIbrary – peterp@ thefriends.org S ue Hall, Library S trategies Director – sue@ thefriends.org www.librarystrategiesconsulting.org