This workshop is part of a series that look at the internal dynamics of building and sustaining successful partnerships. It focuses on new ways of looking at governance structures that will increase the capacity of the organization to involve community members.
In the previous 2 sessions, partnerships learned about and discussed prevention theory and philosophy. This workshop looks at how a philosophy that emphasizes building strong communities and encouraging increased involvement of and responsibility for community members may affect the partnership's organizational structure. It also helps participants to look at some of the dynamics they will explore when they work on the sociogram in Unit 2E.
The National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations. The Community Collaboration Manual. Washington, DC, 1991.
Predelivery Preparation
Facilitators will need to prepare the newsprint sheets listed above under "Prepared Newsprint."
Chavis, D. M., and P. Florin. (1990). Community participation and substance abuse prevention: Rationale, concepts, and mechanisms. San Jose, CA: Prevention Office, Bureau of Drug Abuse Services, Department of Health, County of Santa Clara, May.
National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations. The Community Collaboration Manual. (1991). Washington, D.C., 1-20, 54-58, 64-66.
Gesbeck, H. S., Jr. (1985). Do's and don'ts for board members. Nonprofit World, 3(2):30.
Solomon, S. (1986). A strategy for building your board. Association Management, June, 96-99.
Swanson, A. (1986). The role of the board. Nonprofit World. 4(2):15.
A. Introduce yourself. Ask participants to introduce themselves by name, to tell what partnership they represent, and to identify their role in the partnership.
B. Review the workshop objectives and agenda (PN-1: Workshop Objectives).
C. Ask each participant to state one expectation he/she has for the workshop. Write the expectation on newsprint. Clarify which expectations can be met or negotiate changes in the agenda (PN-2: Workshop Agenda).
A. Ask each team to create a picture or an organizational chart of the governance structure of its partnership. It should include all staff or volunteer positions, policy or advisory boards, committees, etc.
B. Tell them to draw the chart on a sheet of newsprint with colored markers.
C. Ask them to save this drawing to use later in the workshop.
Trainer Note: Please give credit for this presentation to the National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations, The Community Collaboration Manual.
A. Typical Changes in the Structure of a Collaboration over Time (Typical Changes in the Structure of a Collaboration over Time, HO-1)
A series of changes typically occurs in collaborations over time. Not all collaborations will evolve this way or in this order, but the changes shown in HO-1 represent a general pattern.
Most collaborations begin as an informal group. Often some event will trigger a need for some kind of cooperation, and a small group will get together to explore options. Often this initial effort is seen as ad hoc or time limited.
This initial group may decide to broaden its membership but keep the organization informal, or it may seek some kind of formal recognition, often through asking another group to sponsor it as a task force or committee. (Groups may also start as ad hoc task forces intitiated by the sponsoring organization, e.g., a mayor's task force.)
A group may eventually decide to formalize the organization through developing membership requirements, a vision or mission, and a scope of regular activity. Participants now view this as an ongoing formal organization. At this stage, a sponsoring organization is still required to handle the group's fiscal and legal responsibilities.
The final stage is the incorporation of an independent organization. This entitles the group to seek tax-exempt status, recieve grants and donations directly, and employ staff.
Directions
B. Types of Boards (HO-2)
As you examine the transition of collaborations it is important to understand the different kinds of boards that exist in organizations.
The policy making board is are essential part of all nonprofit organizations. It may be composed of elected or appointed officials in government organizations. In private, nonprofit organizations, this type of board is usually called a board of directors or trustees. Members of this board may be elected by the general membership. They can also be appointed by the existing board of directors, which is called a self-perpetuating board.
A second kind of board is the advisory board. This board is often appointed by government or nonprofit leaders to serve in an advisory capacity to the policy- making board. It has no legal authority to make decisions-it can only make recommendations.
A third type of board is an Advisory Board with decision-making powers delegated to it by the policy making board. It important to remember that delegated power can be removed, changed, or over-ruled.
Since most partnerships have a lead organization or sponsoring organization, it is important to that organization may be able to exercise policy making functions. Partnerships and sponsoring organizations need to be clear about roles and responsibilities.
C. Organizational Committees (H0-3: Types of Committees or Work Groups)
Directions
Ask participants to brainstorm a list of committees or work groups that partnerships might want to develop.
Note that people mayu volunteer to be appointed to committees or work groups. Committees are an excellent way to bring new people into an organization. Committee members do not have to be members of the board.
Review HO-3 (see Content Points below) for any types of committees or work groups that haven't been mentioned, and add new ones suggested by participants.
Content Points (HO-3)
Executive. Usually made up of officers of the organization and committee or work group chairs. It is often empowered by the board to make some decisions, if needed, between board meetings.
Nominating. Nominates new officers and/or committee chairs.
Financial. Oversees financial reporting and monitoring functions.
Audit. Responsible for the annual financial audit.
Fundraising. Plans and solicits financial and inkind resources for the organization.
Membership. Recommends and reviews new members or member organizations for the group. Often handles new member orientation.
Program/Services. Responsible for developing new services and monitoring current services.
Evaluation. Plans and conducts evaluations.
Public Relations/Marketing. Develops and oversees communication within the organization and between the organization and the community.
Needs Assessment. Conducts needs assessment with members, clients, and the community.
Future Trends. Tracks and analyzes new developments and future trends that may affect the organization.
Planning. Develops and monitors the organization's short- and long-term planning process.
Ad Hoc Committee or Task Force. A group with a specific assignment and a limited term. Often developed for new or unanticipated issues.
D. Rethinking Organizational Structures (HO-4: Variations in Organizational Structures)
Content Points
When most people think of an organizational structure, they think of the traditional business and government organizational chart. This chart usually has the board of directors or public officials at the top. Each level of employees is shown in boxes descending from the appropriate supervisor (PN-3: Traditional Organization Chart).
The community that these individuals serve or represent is not usually shown. If the community is shown, it usually appears at the bottom.
The paradigm shift in thinking discussed earlier in this Institute suggests this model is not effective for developing participatory community organizations. It is important to remember that everything is communicated about a partnership reflects the philosophy and values of that organization.
The paradigm shift suggests that the community be added as a key player in the organizational chart. It should probably appear at both the top and bottom of the traditional chart.
Generally, the people who hav ethe most contact with the community are the staff and volunteers providing direct services. A new way of looking at the roles of management staff and volunteers is to see them as providing support to allow the direct service staff to do the work of the organization. This suggests it may be best to invert the traditional chart, so that the community is on the top, direct service staff next, and so on (PN-4: Inverted Traditional Organization Chart).
Many people may believe that this still does not accurately reflect how they work together as a partnership; this suggests the partnerships may need to reconceptualize how they diagram their organization.
Directions
E. Ask participants to think of new ways for drawing an organizational chart. Some possibilities include a series of concentric circles, a wheel with spokes, or a network of work groups. Suggest they try to come up with a few creative possibilities (PN-5: Concentric Circles Organization Chart and PN-6: Wheel Organization Chart).
A. Ask participants to return to their small groups and to use the information and ideas presented in the workshop to draw a new organizational diagram. They will have 20 minutes. If they finish early, ask them to experiment with another design (PN-7: Network Organization Chart).
B. Ask each partnership to briefly present both its diagrams to the entire group (The one they created at the beginning of the workshop and the they just finished).
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