Final Report and Recommendations of the Discernment Committee of the The Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc. Lawrenceville, Georgia (Report issued on April 3, 2015) Members of the Discernment Committee Ms. Elbie Ancona, Co-Op board member from Gwinnett Community Church, Lawrenceville Ms. Lucille Buckingham, Co-Op volunteer from Victory Hamilton Mill Church, Buford Ms. Barbara Cabaniss, Co-Op volunteer from Dacula United Methodist Church Ms. Linda Freund, Co-Op Executive Director and member of Grace Snellville Church Dr. Sandra Gustavson (Chairperson), Co-Op board member and volunteer from Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Lawrenceville Ms. Meredith Miles, Co-Op volunteer from First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville The Rev. Robert Mitchell, Pastor, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Lawrenceville Mr. Andy Phucas, Co-Op Board President and volunteer from McKendree United Methodist Church, Lawrenceville Ms. Faye Riley, Co-Op volunteer from Trinity Life Church, Lawrenceville Ms. Sandra Webb, Co-Op board member and volunteer from First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville Mr. Jay White, Pastor and Co-Op volunteer from First Christian Church, Lawrenceville
Final Report and Recommendations of the Discernment Committee In August 2014, the Lawrenceville Co-Op s Board of Directors authorized the start of a strategic planning process, with the goal of discerning God s will for the Co-Op s ministry during the next five years. A Discernment Committee was appointed to lead this effort. This document briefly describes the process used by the Discernment Committee and summarizes several important observations that led to the committee s proposals. The majority of this report focuses on the committee s recommendations and proposed action steps. Comments about the proposals are welcome, as described below. Deadline for Comments: MAY 1. Comments about the recommendations being made by the Discernment Committee will be shared with the Co-Op s Board of Directors if received by the Co-Op no later than midnight on Friday, May 1, 2015. Comments may be submitted by completing the online response form available on the Co-Op s web site. A link to the form is provided on the home page at www.lawrencevilleco-op.org. The Discernment Process The Discernment Committee was made up of 11 persons who met five times as a group over a seven-month period, beginning in late August 2014. Committee members also met in subgroups to review the Co-Op s current priorities and operations. To obtain additional input for the discernment process, the committee conducted an online survey of Co-Op supporters, including volunteers, donors, board members, and members of supporting churches. A separate survey of Co-Op clients provided additional insights for the process. At its final meeting on March 30, 2015, the Discernment Committee finalized and approved the recommendations and proposed action steps described in this document. These proposals will be presented for consideration at the May 7, 2015 meeting of the Co-Op s Board of Directors. Mission Statement At the conclusion of its deliberations, the Discernment Committee affirmed the existing mission statement for the Co-Op, which is: The mission of the Co-Op is to glorify God and to demonstrate God s love to those in crisis. The Co-Op is an intentionally Christian organization seeking to honor the Lordship of Jesus Christ in word and deed by following His example in sharing and caring for brothers and sisters in need. The Co-Op seeks to preserve clients dignity while encouraging self-responsibility and spiritual growth. Important Observations The following observations by the Discernment Committee provide some context for the committee s recommendations, which begin on page 3. The poverty rate in Gwinnett County is increasing, with growing disparity between the rich and the poor. The senior population (ages 65+) in Gwinnett is also growing and will affect housing, health care, and transportation needs. - 1 -
Homelessness in the Lawrenceville area has increased and is anticipated to continue to be a major issue. At the same time, the availability of emergency shelter options for those in need is extremely limited. The Co-Op has gradually moved away from a focus on providing assistance to those in crisis, as called for in its original mission statement. Publicizing of services offered by the Co-Op may have encouraged clients to seek assistance over long, multi-year periods of time. Thus, the Co-Op may unintentionally have fostered client dependency, rather than the self-responsibility called for in its mission statement. For many years, the Co-Op has elected to provide some assistance for more clients, rather than more assistance for fewer clients. Approximately half of the clients who responded to the client survey during September 2014 had been receiving assistance from the Co-Op for at least a year. About 20% of client respondents had been receiving assistance for more than three years. The Co-Op s existing governance structure is not fully functioning in the way envisioned within its bylaws, resulting in poor communication between the Co-Op and some of its supporting churches and a lack of engagement by some Board members. A strong majority of Co-Op clients, donors, volunteers, Board members, and members of supporting churches have very positive attitudes about the Co-Op, its services, its staff, its volunteers, and the overall stewardship of its resources. Many local churches have experienced a decline in attendance and in financial contributions, thereby limiting their ability to increase their support of organizations such as the Co-Op. During the past five years, 90% of client assistance and Co-Op operating expenses have been funded by donations from churches, individuals, and businesses. Feedback from churches indicates that there is a need for improvement in communication about the Co-Op and its most important needs. Several fundraising events benefiting the Co-Op have taken place during the past five years, with great variation in the extent of active involvement by the Co-Op in each of the events. There appears to be room for growth in the funding provided to the Co-Op through competitive grants. Pursuing governmental grants, however, is not encouraged, due to their associated constraints and administrative burden. The Co-Op s Executive Director is its only paid employee. No leadership succession plan has been discussed or approved by the Board of Directors. The majority of work at the Co-Op is done by about 450 volunteers, who recorded approximately 16,000 hours of volunteer service during each of the past two years. Most volunteers first learned of the Co-Op s need for volunteers through their churches. The Co-Op has been increasing the transparency of its finances and operating policies over the past five years, but there is a need for several additional policies, including: disaster preparedness and response, privacy protection for clients and volunteers, expectations for Board members, and guidance for participation in fundraising events. - 2 -
Recommendations & Proposed Action Steps Recommendation #1: CLIENT SERVICES Refocus the types of client services offered and the length of time such services are provided, to better reflect the Co-Op s mission statement regarding clients in crisis. Action steps for the Board of Directors to implement this recommendation: a. Formulate and publicize a working definition of the word crisis. b. Determine operational procedures to implement the focus on clients in crisis. c. Formulate and implement a transition plan for clients and volunteers to move from current procedures to new ones more consistent with the mission statement. Recommendation #2: SUCCESSION PLANNING & STAFFING Formulate a written plan of succession for the position of Executive Director and job descriptions for any new staff positions that may be created during the next five years. Action steps for the Board of Directors to implement this recommendation: a. Appoint a task force of approximately three individuals to work with the current Executive Director to write a job description for the position of Executive Director. b. Whenever additional paid staff positions are considered, prepare written job descriptions for each position prior to recruiting and hiring candidates. c. Write a series of action steps to be implemented when filling an open staff position. d. Annually review all staff job descriptions and action steps for filling open position(s); update these documents as needed. - 3 -
Recommendation #3: FUNDING Diversify the Co-Op s funding so that annual funding is provided from the following sources, with the amounts within the percentage ranges noted: Financial contributions: 75 to 85% Competitive grants from non-government sources: 10 to 15% Fundraising events: 5 to 10% State / Federal contracts and grants: 0% Action steps for the Board of Directors to implement this recommendation: a. Regularly solicit input from the proposed Church Board of Advisors (see recommendation #4) about forms of communication that would be helpful in encouraging individual and church donations. b. Reaffirm a commitment that the Co-Op not seek funding through state or federal government contracts or grants. c. As the Co-Op s focus and services evolve, periodically review potential new, nongovernmental sources for competitive grants. d. Increase the number of competitive grant applications submitted each year. e. Involve one or more volunteers in identifying new grant opportunities and in submitting some of the grant applications. f. Formulate a policy to guide the Co-Op s involvement in fundraising events. Some recommended features for this policy are provided in Appendix 1. Recommendation #4: GOVERNANCE & COMMUNICATIONS Revise the Co-Op s bylaws to (1) Create a Church Advisory Board consisting of representatives from all supporting churches, for the purpose of facilitating improved communication between the Co-Op and its supporting churches and (2) Downsize and restructure the Co-Op s Board of Directors, to facilitate an improved focus on policy formation, implementation, and review. Action steps for the Board of Directors to implement this recommendation: a. Formulate a proposed set of restated bylaws and circulate the proposal to the Co-Op s Supporting Churches and members of the Co-Op s Board of Directors by September 29, 2015. (Recommended features of the new Church Advisory Board and the restructured Board of Directors are provided in Appendices 2 and 3.) b. Present the restated bylaws for consideration by the Co-Op s Board of Directors at its October 29, 2015 annual meeting. c. Implement the new governance structure as of January 1, 2016. - 4 -
APPENDIX 1 Recommended Policy on Fundraising Events It is recommended that a new policy governing the Co-Op s involvement in fundraising events include the following elements: The Co-Op will assist in publicizing known fundraising events that will benefit it, regardless of whether the Co-Op agrees to be an active participant in the event. Examples of assistance might include notices on the Co-Op website, as well as verbal announcements at meetings of the Church Advisory Board, the Board of Directors and to Co-Op volunteers as opportunities arise. Active involvement by the Co-Op in a particular fundraising event should be approved in advance by the Board of Directors and should include appointment of a coordinating team and team leader. (Repeat events should be approved each year.) If the Co-Op agrees to play a major role for a specific event, the Co-Op s involvement will likely include recruiting volunteers to work at the event, placing notices on the Co-Op website, publicizing the event within supporting churches, and sending informational emails to Co-Op board members and volunteers. The success of a fundraising event in which the Co-Op actively participates should be measured by the amount of funds raised, the number of volunteers who participated, and the overall visibility of the event within the community at large. In considering whether to approve active participation in a particular fundraising event, the following factors should be considered: *** Clarity of the Co-Op s proposed responsibilities *** Probable overall visibility of the event within the community at large *** Number of volunteers proposed for recruitment by the Co-Op *** Availability of a competent team leader to champion and coordinate the Co-Op s involvement *** Degree of involvement that will likely be required from paid Co-Op staff *** Potential total dollars to be raised for support of the Co-Op *** Length of time between fundraising events It is desirable that the Co-Op be actively involved in a fundraising event at least once every 12 months. At least four months between such events is desirable; for events requiring substantial Co-Op involvement, more than four months between events is preferable. - 5 -
APPENDIX 2 Recommended Features of the Proposed Church Advisory Board Each supporting church would be entitled to and encouraged to name a representative to the Church Advisory Board. Members of all area churches might also be invited to attend meetings of this Board. The focus of the Church Advisory Board would be sharing current information about the Co- Op and obtaining recommendations about how to better connect with the members of each church. Topics that might logically be discussed by this Board include: *** Development of communication tools to more effectively inform churches and their individual members about the Co-Op s current needs *** Potential improvements to the Co-Op s website *** Sharing of ideas among churches about different methods used to conduct food drives and to promote support for the Co-Op within congregations. *** Discussion of ways that churches might partner with the Co-Op in providing specialized services to clients. Examples could include English-as-a-Second- Language classes and providing leads for client job placement. *** Recruitment of new Supporting Churches *** Recruitment and retention of Co-Op volunteers *** Scheduling of church food drives *** Use of social media *** Sharing of Co-Op financial and operational information, as well as feedback from church members Meetings would take place at least twice a year, with additional meetings scheduled as needed. Members of the regular Board of Directors would be encouraged to attend meetings of the Church Advisory Board. The President or another member of the Board of Directors would chair meetings of the Church Advisory Board. - 6 -
APPENDIX 3 Recommended Features of the Restructured Board of Directors The focus of meetings of the Board of Directors would be to: (1) regularly review the implementation of existing Co-Op policies, making modifications as needed, and (2) develop and approve new policies as needed for the effective management of the Co-Op in fulfilling its approved mission. Board officers would work with the Co-Op s Executive Director to develop the agenda for each Board meeting. No Executive Committee would be empowered to act in place of the Board. However, each director would be assigned to membership on one or more of the following Board Committees: *** Programs Committee, charged with development of proposed policies regarding client services, including policies regarding Co-Op volunteers, for final approval by the full Board. At the option of the Board, additional non-board members may be invited to join the Programs Committee. *** Governance Committee, charged with (1) serving as the Board s Nominating Committee to recruit new Board members, (2) recommending an annual slate of officers of the Board, (3) periodically reviewing the definition of a Supporting Church and recommending changes as needed, (4) developing proposed bylaw amendments as needed, and (5) maintaining records of Board member terms and committee service. *** Finance and Audit Committee, charged with (1) developing an annual budget proposal, (2) providing oversight for the management and accounting for receipts, disbursements, and investment of Co-Op funds, and (3) recommending and serving as the liaison with any external auditors engaged by the Board. At the option of the Board, additional non- Board members may be invited to join the Finance and Audit Committee. *** Compensation and Staffing Committee, charged with (1) researching compensation paid by comparable organizations and recommending periodic changes to staff compensation, (2) annually reviewing and recommending potential updates to any succession planning documents approved by the Board, and (3) providing leadership and/or consultation services when Co-Op staffing changes are anticipated. Board size would be within the range of 7 to 9 directors. No more than two directors should be from the same denomination, no more than one director should be from the same congregation, and no more than three directors should represent non-denominational churches. Directors would be nominated by the Board s Governance Committee and elected by the full Board of Directors. The Co-Op s Executive Director would not be a voting member of the Board of Directors but would be expected to attend all Board meetings. Directors would be elected for 3-year terms, with a term limit of two consecutive 3-year terms. Initial terms after approval of the restructuring would be for 1, 2, or 3 years, so that terms are staggered and not all directors terms end at the same time. Initial one and two-year terms would not count toward the two term limit. Any person subsequently appointed to fill part of an unexpired term on the Board would be eligible to serve an additional two full terms of three years each. Board meetings would take place at least quarterly, with additional meetings scheduled as needed. - 7 -
Directors would annually elect a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Board, with no limit on the number of times a person could be elected to an officer position (other than the term limit for Board service in general). A director s position may be declared vacant if that director misses three consecutive Board meetings without requesting and receiving approval by the Board for his or her absence. Vacant positions may be filled by the Board at any time following declaration that a position is vacant. - 8 -