Subject: Proposal: Building Permaculture Orgs in NA

From: [email-masked]
Date: 1 Nov 1996 13:32:24 PDT

Hello International Permaculture People:

Does anybody have experience of building permaculture non-profit
organizations?

If you do please comment on this proposal below.  I did it because the
Seattle
Permaculture Guild found it useful to join the Seattle Tilth
Organization and because administration and getting the word out is not
a talent of mine.

A Guild Proposal

I am proposing a designed invisible structure 
for Permaculture in British Columbia.

I propose that Vancouver Permaculture Network 
and FarmFolk/CityFolk be planted together as 
they are mutually beneficial and both produce 
good fruit.

VPN gets from FFCF

space (a recongnizable page) on their newsletter ->publicity &
bimonthly mailout
networking services - contacts contacts and info
occaisonal use of office and meeting space: photocopy etc etc
adminitrative services: maintaining membership database and other things
legitimization - the ability to get grant funding 
issue tax deductable reciepts   
Encouragement of VPN Activists
Accounting setup.

FFCF gets from VPN

A larger newsletter mail out
Brutally grassroots connections  - street legitimization
Permaculture Tradition and Knowhow & new ideas
Most of the newsletter reciepts ie cash
Volunteer Energy and connections
Networking
a working phone tree perhaps.

Purpose for VPN

Enable VPN to grow much bigger eventually to have its own office &
register it.

Purpose for FFCF

Encourage NGO's in Sustainable Agriculture to become strong

Costs to VPN

a constant struggle to keep separate identity from FFCF in the minds of 
new members (or potential new members)
a constant struggle to keep the activists and planning in a
permaculture 
method and direction that benefits VPN rather than FFCF.
FFCF may do things that may tarnish VPN reputation.
Any grant money that VPN gets a cut or % will have to go to FFCF.

Costs to FFCF

Administrative time: phone calls use of space a meeting or two per
season.
Some FFCF memebers may feel they want to join VPN and leave FFCF
Risk that FFCF charitable status and squeaky clean reputation could be 
ruined by creative not careful VPN activists. Espcially if things get
political.

Limits:

FFCF cannot represent VPN and visa versa except by instance by instance 
agreement
FFCF must calculate a limit of hours over which they will not deal with 
VPN  Ie limit the possibility of FFCF burn out caused by VPN requests.
VPN will agree to register their activists and keep them under control.
(who will speak for VPN issue)

Sunset Clause:

This arrangement is good only for 3 years after which a year not having
this
type agreement must occur for a year or  when VPN gets registered
NGO/charitable 
status.

Termination Events

Or when VPN seeks registered ngo status /and or charitable status
OR when VPN gets involved in things very political (very unlikely)
FFCF or VPN may ask to terminate this agreement with cause.
And make further limitations.

Exit Agreements:

VPN shall get the membership database back intact and complete with all
new 
members. (ie FFCF must ask new members if they are joining FFCF or VPN)
VPN shall remove from all liturature FFCF contact number where ever it
is posted

This is the proposed planting.  
However implementation has to be looked at.

Formal Meeting about propsal in February March with
Offical implementation in April May: this is a signing and party.

On the short term:

VPN will do phone tree for up coming Colony Farm Workshop
FFCF will mail the VPN with VPN event flyer for January delivery with
Newsletter
Work closely together to see if works out ie test case: Colony Farm.
FFCF will ask their membership/board if this guild arrangement would
work and
to get approval/mandate to make such an agreement.
VPN will talk and email and understand the consequences.