ESTABLISHING AN AGENDA FOR THE COLUMBUS ACTION NETWORK

The Board of Directors is charged with adopting an annual agenda for the corporation. This agenda should reflect the goals of the national organization, as well as our local approach to accomplishing those and other local priorities. Each committee description lays out the national, so our role would be to define how we address those goals. The attached worksheet could help guide your committee’s efforts.

For consistency, I would suggest we create a hierarchy as follows:

Goals: (Generally set by NAN National and the Board of Directors): General aspirations of what we want to accomplish long-term, or of a desired future state.

Objectives: (Generally set at the committee level to define what the committee wants to achieve in a year in support of the overall Goals) “SMART” -- Specific and Measureable Achievements that are Realistic and Timely.

Actions: (Generally taken by members working in the committees to achieve the objectives): Concrete steps that members take during the year to achieve the committee’s Objectives.

EXAMPLE

Goal: To end hunger in Columbus

Objective A: To develop a food pantry in Linden capable of serving 200 families a week by December 31st.

Action 1: To contact churches and other institutions to find a site for the food pantry.

Action 2: To contact food distributors, groceries, and other programs and find a reliable source of food for the pantry.

Action 3: To develop a staffing plan and food distribution program that meets the needs of families.

Action 4: To find and schedule a sufficient number of volunteers to staff the pantry.

Objective 2: To help families become more food self-sufficient by creating 100 family plots in a community garden.

Action 1: To find vacant lots with access to water that are suitable for community gardens.

Action 2: To find volunteers to mark and build garden plots and spread topsoil.

Action 3: To recruit and train families in produce gardening

COLUMBUS ACTION NETWORK

ANNUAL AGENDA SETTING WORKSHEET

COMMITTEE OR OFFICE / Crisis Intervention Political Awareness Health/Education/Wellness
Membership Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer
Criminal Justice ______
(circle one or add other)
Goal 1:
Objective A:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective B:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective C:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:

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COMMITTEE OR OFFICE / Crisis Intervention Political Awareness Health/Education/Wellness
Membership Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer
Criminal Justice ______
(circle one or add other)
Goal 2:
Objective A:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective B:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective C:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:

Page ____ of_____

COMMITTEE OR OFFICE / Crisis Intervention Political Awareness Health/Education/Wellness
Membership Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer
Criminal Justice ______
(circle one or add other)
Goal 3:
Objective A:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective B:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective C:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:

Page ____ of_____

COMMITTEE OR OFFICE / Crisis Intervention Political Awareness Health/Education/Wellness
Membership Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer
Criminal Justice ______
(circle one or add other)
Goal 4:
Objective A:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective B:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:
Objective C:
Action Step 1:
Action Step 2:
Action Step 3:
Action Step 4:

Page ____ of_____

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

  1. President. The duties of the president are as follows:
  2. To preside at meetings and act as Chair of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.
  3. To coordinate with the Board of Directors for the appointment of all committee heads.
  4. To exercise general executive authority on behalf of the Chapter between meetings of the Board of Directors and subject to the approval thereof.
  5. To perform such other functions and exercise such further duties as may be voted from time to time by the Chapter or its Executive Committee
  6. To receive all information from the regional director from an undisclosed email database
  7. To be an ex-officio a member of all committees
  8. To work with other officers and members of the Board of Directors to develop a program agenda for the fiscal year
  9. To acknowledges he or she is the primary force within the Chapter in establishing a working relationship and communications with the National and Regional Office(s), State Conference, and to ensure that these offices receive all reports, including quarterly reports, and reports of elections.
  10. To be familiar with pertinent governing documents including: The Constitution/by-laws for the chapter of the NAN.
  11. To sign checks, contracts, other encumbrances, and other duly-authorized items on behalf of the corporation.
  12. Vice President. The duties of the Vice President are as follows:
  13. To take the place of the President when the latter is late or absent, assuming all of the President’s powers, duties and responsibilities.
  14. To assume the chair whenever a motion deals with the President until the motion is disposed.
  15. To attend all meetings
  16. To be responsible for checking the chapter mailbox and dissemination information about activities taking place within the local chapter.
  17. To sign checks, contracts, other encumbrances and other duly-authorized items on behalf of the corporation when the President is not available.
  1. Treasurer. The duties of the Treasurer are as follows:
  2. To be responsible for all group expenditures and revenues
  3. To prepare financial reports of the organization.
  4. To receive requests for funds from the Executive Board.
  5. To be one of two check signers for duly authorized expenditures.
  6. To have checks signed by the President or Vice President, subject to these bylaws or Financial Policies and Procedures adopted by the Board.
  7. To work as an Advisor to the President and to set up a realistic budget for each year.
  1. Secretary. The duties of the Secretary are as follows:
  2. Tokeep full and accurate records of the proceedings of the Chapter and of Executive Committee and record the same in minute book.
  3. To take attendance of those present at group meetings
  4. To serve as the organization’s historian.
  5. To collect and maintain accurate records of what the committees have done over the year.
  6. To maintain a membership list and email database.
  7. To include summaries of the reports from committee in the minutes.
  8. To send promptly list of all memberships received to the National Office; to secure from the Treasurer and forward to the National Office that portion of the fees being to the National Office within 15 days.
  9. To create accurate duplicates of the membership list, with one copy belonging to the Chapter file and one sent to the National Office.

COMMITTEE CHARGES

  1. Membership. The Membership Committee is essential to the growth of the organization. It shall consist of a membership director and a co-director, plus such other members as may wish to join. The membership committee shall develop creative ways to recruit new members to grow the local chapter to conduct membership drives. To keep an active database of all the dues paying members and their anniversary dates and to ensure that all members are paid in full upon the end of the fiscal year, which is December 31st
  1. Crisis Intervention. The Crisis Intervention Committee shall research and investigate cases that have been submitted to the local chapter in writing. It shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for actions to be taken or coordinated by the Chapter. It shall develop a database of resources for referrals; lawyers, social workers, disaster relief agencies, etc., and coordinate with similar organizations to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the resolution of verified complaints.
  1. Political Awareness. The Political Awareness Committee shall work to increase political power of those responsive to the interests of low-income, traditionally disenfranchised, disempowered, and minority voters by developing strategies and programs promoting voter registration and voting (GOTV). It shall coordinate work promote voter-education on critical issues on the ballot. It shall also work for the enactment of municipal, state and federal legislation designed to improve the educational, political and economic status of minority groups. The Political Awareness Group shall be issue oriented, seeking to ensure political bodies are accountable and responsive to the citizenry, but non-partisan, and shall not endorse any candidates for public office.
  1. Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice Committee seeks to eliminate discriminatory practices in the Juvenile and Adult Justice systems. It researches and monitors local and state incarceration, sentencing, arrest, probation rates of African-American and other youth of color. It investigates the disproportionate incarceration and sentencing of African-American and other youth of color. It investigates living conditions and treatment within youth detention centers. It mobilize units to correct abuses when found.
  1. Health and Wellness. The Health and Wellness Committee works to promote, protect and maintain the health of African Americans. It assesses the health needs of the community and advocates for equal access to health education, care, treatment, and research for all Americans. It sponsors health-related activities such as health forums, fairs, and workshops highlighting issues of importance to people of color. It supports the health initiative of the National Action Network.