Monday, March 31, 2008

Executive Directors Group Meets for First Time!

The first meeting of the South Central NY Nonprofit Executive Directors Group met on March 26th. The meeting was hosted by A.V.R.E (Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment). Participants included:
Robert K. Hanye, A.V.R.E.
Dick Squire, ACCORD, A Center for Dispute Resolution, Inc.
Joseph Sellepack, Broome County Council of Churches
Rick Peterson, Broome County YMCA
Bill Lelbach, Chenango River Theatre
Michele Napolitano, Fairview Recovery Services
Darrell R. Newvine, Family Enrichment Network
David Karre, Four County Library System
Ralph E. Hall, KNOW Theatre
Sharon Chesna, Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network
Annette Schweiger, Tioga County Council on The Arts
Martha C. Brennan, Tioga County REAP
Carole Coppens, YWCA of Binghamton & Broome County
Keith Leahey, MHAST
Pat Erickson, SOS Shelter
Raini Baudendistel, Crime Victims Assistance Center
Deborah Fitzgerald, Recess Resources, Inc.

The meeting opened with an introduction of the Steering Committee, the nonprofit directors in attendance, and two representatives from NBT Bank (Robin Ellis and David Cahill), a new supporter of the Group. The program continued with a presentation of the Steering Committee's recommendations for the mission, vision and structure of the Group. There was consensus around the presentation, which is available here. If you would like to share you feedback, please post your comments here. The next step will be sending an official invite by e-mail to nonprofits in the region to join the ED Group. Once members have opted in, they will be listed on this website as members.

The remaining portion of the meeting involved the discussion of 6 questions about the Group and its activities. The questions and discussion answers are posted here:

1) How often are you willing or expect for the group to meet; and would you prefer to keep meetings in one or a few designated locations with a small fee or have the opportunity to host a meeting and rotate to other facilities?
  • First year: six times/year with goal of getting to 4 times a year
  • Rotate to other member facilities (including other counties) with opportunity to spend 5 minutes learning about that organization
  • If some smaller facilities do not have space they can be rotated in to present their info
  • Fee per event- you can choose to come or not
  • 6 times/year is ok, but 4 times per year might not be enough
  • 90 minute meetings max
  • Start meetings at 8am

2) What are you looking for from the Group that will bring you back?

  • Networking- sharing and learning
  • Resource development (ie HR questions- who is willing to be called/help
  • Empowerment/recognition
  • Educational value
  • Visibility
  • Outreach- elected officials – does this mean educating elected officials about the value and impact of nonprofits in our area?
  • Definite purpose for each meeting or program
  • Teamwork
  • How are we the same and how we are different

3) Do we want this Group be similar to a chamber of commerce, and if so, in what ways?

  • Yes, for quality of life issues- we’re not a business but we have value
  • No, there are benefits- economic benefits- in chamber membership networking
  • Yes, a formal group who represents us in public policy
  • Networking/sharing resources
  • Reach out to support new nonprofits
  • We are a business- same issues
  • There is a value in numbers (organizations)
  • Create a liaison with each area chamber where we are some form of committee to each chamber. We serve as a resource to the chambers, they come to us when they need assistance.
  • May evolve over time

4) What should the agenda be for our next program meeting?

  • Who’s joined
  • What were the answers to the 6 questions
  • Next step
  • Presentation on topic area
  • Discussion on topics for meetings
  • Clear up questions and ambiguities that exist in today’s presentation
  • Time line and action plan
  • Election of steering committee
  • What type of trainings/presentations does the group want?

5) What is a big idea for us (Group) to do together?

  • Reception for nonprofit community to invite others to join
  • Training for new ED’s and succession planning specific to the area
  • Semi-structure mixer
  • Annual conference
  • NPO Impact report- Steering Committee should survey total budget and numbers of clients served by the group’s membership. And number of staff/payrolls and volunteer hours
  • Multi-topic 1 day training conference
  • Board development

6) How can we get info to the community on who we are and what our plans are?

  • Press releases
  • We will need an up-to-date list- CRT has one (40-50 current media outlets) Valerie Zehl
  • Letters to other nonprofits
  • Reach out to community foundations
  • Expand and promote website and include links to members websites
  • Who is responsible for publicity?
  • Each member agrees to personally invite 10 people to reception

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