Progetto co-finanziato dall’Unione Europea
4) THE EXECUTIVE BOARD: THE CONCRETE AND DAILY MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION
It is the executive organ of the association. The Executive Board must meet more often than the assembly (however, a minimum or maximum number of meetings is not foreseen), and the minutes of the meetings must be drawn up, signed by the President and by the recording Secretary. There is no obligation to endorse the minutes, which must then be collected in the Record Book of the Executive Board.
5) BUDGET AND ACCOUNTING: EVERY ASSOCIATION MUST DRAW UP AN ANNUAL BUDGET
The budget can also consist of a simple statement of the income and expenses that the institution has had during the year. The budget is prepared by the Executive Board and must be approved by the Assembly within 4 months from the end of the financial year. In order to prepare the financial statements, the association must keep accounts (in free style) and for this purpose, it is advisable to open a bank account.
6) COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY: MUST NOT BE PREVALENT COMPARED TO THE INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITY
An association can also carry out commercial activities, provided that this remains lower (in terms of economic income) than the institutional activity. If the association decides to carry out commercial activity, it will have the obligation to open a VAT account and to implement the related tax obligations.
7) INSURANCE: BETTER INSURE YOUR OWN VOLUNTEERS
Although not yet mandatory, in some cases it could be more than appropriate to insure the association and its volunteers: think, for example, of the realities that operate in the civil protection sector, or those that address their activities to minors or to people in physical or psychological disadvantage. Stipulating an insurance policy also allows you to limit the liability of the directors of the association.
This editorial product aims to provide a basic toolbox for managing an association, effectively designing a network and raising funds. Daniele Erler, Marco Linardi and Andrea Romboli wrote the contents. These three professionals focused on the essential aspects of the subjects, creating a manual of immediate usability. The publication was conceived by Non Profit Network – CSV Trentino, within the project “Mondinsieme”, funded under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 - Specific Objective 2. Integration/Legal Migration - National Objective 2. Integration 04 - Promotion of the active participation of migrants in economic, social and cultural life, also through the enhancement of associations. The leader of the project is the Cinformi - Information Center for Immigration of the Autonomous Province of Trento.
8) THE REFORM OF THE THIRD SECTOR: “THE NEW RULES OF THE GAME”
The Third sector Code provides some important news from a management point of view for the associations that qualify as Institutions of the Third Sector (ETS). More information about the Third Sector Reform, as well as facsimile and other useful forms for managing an association (for example the Membership Book, the minutes of the Assembly Meeting and the Executive Board, the economic statement) can be downloaded from the CVS website: www.volontariatotrentino.it Daniele Erler is representative of the legal and fiscal area of Non Profit Network - CSV Trentino
more information
Non Profit Network CSV Trentino via Lunelli, 4 - 38121 Trento (Italy) Tel. +39 0461 916604 info@volontariatotrentino.it www.volontariatotrentino.it
Cinformi - Centro Informativo per l’Immigrazione Dipartimento Salute e Solidarietà Sociale - Provincia autonoma di Trento via Lunelli, 4 - 38121 Trento (Italy) Tel. +39 0461 491888 convivenza@cinformi.it www.cinformi.it
PROVINCIA AUTONOMA DI TRENTO
AUTORITÀ DELEGATA
AUTORITÀ RESPONSABILE
FONDO ASILO, MIGRAZIONE E INTEGRAZIONE (FAMI) 2014-2020
Trentine and migrant associations together
Mondinsieme ELEMENTS OF MANAGEMENT, NETWORK DESIGN AND FUNDRAISING FOR ASSOCIATIONS
Association yes, but how? by
Daniele Erler
KEY ISSUES TO MANAGE AN ASSOCIATION
1) THE STATUTE: THE IDENTITY CARD OF ASSOCIATIONS
The Statute defines the objectives, activities and the organization’s operating rules. The Statute is the law between the parties and must therefore always be consulted, mostly to address doubts, issues or controversies related to the associative activities.
2) MEMBERS: IN AN ASSOCIATION, PEOPLE ARE FUNDAMENTAL AND NECESSARY
The minimum number of members is 3, there is no maximum number. Who wants to be part of an association must submit an application to the Executive Board; once admitted, the person is enrolled in the Membership Book. There is no obligation to endorse the Membership Book, which can be kept using a free style.
3) GENERAL MEETING: ALL MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND DUTIES
To guarantee democracy, all members have the right to participate and vote in the Assembly. The members must therefore be convened in the Assembly, this is why it is important that the Membership Book is kept up to date. It is mandatory to convene the Assembly at least once a year for the approval of the budget. The minutes of the Assemblies must be drawn up, signed by the President and by the recording officer, to whom it is advisable to attach an attendance sheet signed by the participants to the Assembly. There is no obligation to endorse the minutes, which must then be collected in the Assembly Record Book.
Weaving networks by
Marco Linardi
7 IDEAS FOR NETWORKING BETWEEN ASSOCIATIONS
2) THE PARTNERS
A network is born when different organizations meet in order to pursue a common goal concerning the community of reference. The components of the network (partners) must be chosen accurately, making clear what individual organizations can guarantee to achieve the common goal. The richness of a network is given precisely by the diversity, quality and richness of the relationships established between its partners. The benefits of investing time and energy into networking are concrete: richness of relationships, more opportunities, more information and learning different ways of doing things.
Small groups or individual organizations cannot make decisions: all members of the network must participate in decisions, work distribution and benefits. However, it is necessary to establish how decisions are made and by what method (unanimity, consent or simple majority...), also differentiating methods based on the importance or urgency of the decisions to be taken. The role of the individual representatives in the organizations they belong to must be clarified immediately, as for the decision-making power of the network compared to the individual partners.
by
Andrea Romboli
5) INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NETWORK COMMUNICATION
1) THE NETWORK
A network is a group of associations that is created to deal with complex situations, bringing together different energies, resources and skills. The goal is not to do things the same way, but to enhance and exploit the diversity of specific skills of each organization, experiences, knowledge and styles that can help to address a situation through multiple points of view and with more resources.
The challenges of sustainability
4) HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS
3) THE MEETINGS
Network operations take place through the meetings of the coordination group, which is made up by representatives of the individual organizations. The meetings can also be carried out with the use of telematic tools (for example Skype) but it is preferable that the representatives meet in person in order to get to know each other better. The frequency of meetings varies according to the intensity of the work required. The administrative and management functions (such as drafting minutes, internal communication, and the soundness of the accounting aspects) may be entrusted to the same person or different people, and can be carried out in turn.
It is important to activate communication tools within the network, using for example mailing lists or social networks to integrate, if and when necessary, briefings and vis-à-vis meetings. It is then necessary to decide together which tools to use to share and archive the minutes and the various useful information, and how to circulate communications in good time, guaranteeing transparency and completeness. It is essential to decide what kind of image and identity we intend to convey to the outside, through taking care of the website, social networks and mailing lists.
6) SHARE TO GROW
To achieve its goals, the network needs its partners to share resources, skills, contacts and information. Offer each other their resources for free (people, premises, equipment, visibility in the events) even outside of network initiatives, or simply participate in the celebrations of other organizations can further strengthen mutual understanding, strengthen the bonds over time and foster the growth of the network.
10 RULES OF GOOD FUNDRAISING
3) THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR AND DEFINED PROJECTS
7) CONFLICTS
The differences that characterize the members of the network will inevitably bring conflicts and possible tensions between them. The network is called to manage and resolve such conflictive situations. The coordination group must prepare tools and methods to bring out, collect and discuss the problems, divergences and needs that underpin conflicts. To this end, it is convenient to identify one or more figures to guarantee listening and to favor comparison and mediation between the various subjects. Marco Linardi is a trainer in participatory projects of education for active citizenship, guidance and community empowerment
1) A CLEAR AND DEFINED MISSION IS THE FIRST PREREQUISITE FOR A GOOD FUNDRAISING
It all starts with the Mission, this must be clearly written and shared among the various members of the association and must be made communicable to the outside with simple and “universal” terms (avoid too technical language).
2) FUNDRAISING IS A TEAM EFFORT
Collecting resources for the association is a team effort. The president or a volunteer in charge of doing so can not achieve satisfactory results if they do not have a team (a work group) to support their effort.
It is essential to demonstrate concreteness and subsequently transparency and to always ask for precise and defined proposals. Therefore, the association must get used to plan its needs in clear and concrete actions before asking for help outside (always pay attention to the not too technical language).
4) BEFORE ASKING, YOU MUST COMMUNICATE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO
Good communication is a prerequisite for a good fundraising! Asking for help from a person who has never heard of the association or its projects drastically lowers the success rates of the request. Before asking for help, it is crucial to communicate the mission, projects and activities of the institution.
5) THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WEBSITE FOR FUNDRAISING
The website is the place where all the information concerning the association and its projects are contained. It should be updated every day, making sure that all activities (including fundraising) are also well described on the site, especially based on the value they create for the people or the community of reference.
6) THE DATABASE AS A FUNDAMENTAL TOOL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FUNDRAISING.
All contacts and relations of the association must be held and organized within computer systems, dedicated to the profiling of the association’s public (including donors). It is very important to have an application that can record all the characteristics of the donors of the organization and at the same time provide the association with the tools for sending mail and text messages (DM activity).
7) ALWAYS REPORT WHAT YOU DO TO DONORS
The donors are pleased to know where the resources donated by them are used and what they have provided to the beneficiaries that the association supports. Accounting is fundamental, not only towards donors, but above all towards volunteers who, like those who donate money, contribute with their time to make the association operational.
8) TAKING CARE OF RELATIONSHIPS
The fundraiser thrives on relationships, human relations. We need to take care of relationships: call your donors, talk to them and meet them at least once a year. Make them feel that you are close not only when the institution needs resources.
9) FUNDRAISING IS NEVER JUST A QUESTION OF MONEY
Everything has a value if it comes from a gift! Money, time, material resources, professional services... everything has value if it is donated. The association needs many supports and every person that is met can donate something. Those who do fundraising must know what is needed by their institution and what they can ask to their interlocutor.
10) CROWDFUNDING IS JUST A FUNDRAISING TOOL
For some time, many people have been thinking that placing one’s own project on one of the many crowdfunding platforms is enough to collect resources. Unfortunately, this does not happen in most cases, since crowdfunding is a way to gather resources, which requires the association’s ability to generate and manage its own online community. Andrea Romboli is a consultant for non-profit organizations and a professor of “The FundRaising School”