December 16, 2009 NPC Meeting Notes
Decisions:
- We agree to support the flat-rate scale for organizational registration rates, and the language for scholarships and May 1 as a late registration date. We can move forward with the flat rate registration rate proposal! YAY
- We agree to go live with new website, but not promote it yet
Requests: - Read Poverty Working Group Proposal ASAP as we will be calling for an email/online vote - Test the registration pages (links below) - Read and send feedback for the workshop registration forms by FRIDAY December 18.
Cindy Wiesner, GGJ; Louis Head, SWOP; Genaro, SWU; George Martin, UFPJ; Sha, Resource Working Group; Michael Guerrero, GGJ; Sylvia Orduno, MWRO; Oya, DLOC, Hush House, Detroit Women of Color; Adrienne, Ruckus; Flo, IJAN; B, Field Organizer for USSF; Jerome, LRNA; Fredo, Project South; Emily, SEN; Rishi, Leftist Lounge; George, IPPN; Kaajal, Praxis Project; Maureen, MWRO; Marion, MWRO; Sarah, IJAN; Maria Poblet, St. Peter's/Just Cause; Jennifer Cox, PPEHRC; Alfredo, ICT/Mayfirst;
DECISION CONVERSATIONS:
1) Registration (Sylvia and Maureen) {SEE RATES BELOW AGENDA!}
Individual rates proposal (We have OC consensus on the tiered structure)
Organization-Institution rates proposal
Scholarships proposal
Solidarity fund timeline proposal
Individual Rates Convo: The idea is that folks would go to the registration page and be able to see these options, and that folks from all different backgrounds would be able to see themselves represented in the options.
Questions? - Was there a decision not to have a sliding scale, and what was the thinking? .....Yes there was a consideration, and the thinking was that we wanted even the most disenfranchised folks to make an investment. - Question is for professionals, to have a range, people who can should give more. ...There will be a "Helping Hand" fund that people can choose to give to if they only have more to give. - Note: we want to identify what rate would be recommended for Intl attendees.
Organization Rates Convo: We got input from folks including the funders groups. We have early and late rates. On the scholarship conference call we added a piece for groups with small budgets. Is there feedback now around scale vs. tier fee.
Questions: - Are artists included in scholarships? ...Not yet. Tomorrow Oya please work with scholarship group on that. - Can we move to support the flat rates for organizations? ...Support. (Simpler is better) - Are we covering folks properly in terms of the fees? ...Yes, let's add the sentence - if you have additional dollars, please donate. Other than that, support the flat rate. - Any questions/concerns about how many people are included in registration? ...We support the proposed numbers, no opposition. - We're asking foundations who ARE NOT supporting the forum to give an additional $1000 to the forum when they register...that cool with folks? Is the language appropriate? ...No opposition, language looks good. - In terms of scholarship, we are asking folks to wait a while and see if money is available, to do some fundraising personally/organizationally and we're linking folks to the fundraising toolkit. Travel assistance is a separate proposal. ...Dianne is proposing we allow folks to volunteer 4 hours in place of $10 registration. Seems hard to track and we need to work it out. - Any questions around late registration date being May 1? ...let's push this date, and leave a little wiggle room if folks need it. want to give people feedback in time for them to make plans.
So - we have consensus!
- Should we put hotel info on there already? We don't have all the information around housing options. Idea - when we launch the solidarity travel, we can inform folks about housing. Sign contracts before
2) Poverty Working Group proposal (Marian)
Review attached document
At October 2009 NPC meeting, we came up with this definition as other groups consider organizing new working groups...A working group: is national in scope, has leadership + responsibility, is an authorized body (accountable to the NPC), is a recognized entity working on behalf of building the USSF, is charged with being part of the building blocks of the USSF, has specific tasks it is working for/towards, is self organized or NPC will recognize a need.
Request: We would like the Poverty Working Group added to the OC
Questions: - Who else has been on the poverty working group? ...PPEHRC, MWRO, Call Em Out, National Welfare Rights Union, Poverty Initiative, folks working on march in the delta - There's other organizations. Note - have a real concerted effort to reach out and bring a out of folks in. We have a group working on international participation. There will be a lot of overlap if this group is set up. ...This sounds like part of the outreach of the poverty working group. - historically for the ussf which has represented low-income folks, to raise to the status of working group. - Marion wants it noted that she is extremely upset that folks who haven't read the proposal want more time, feels it is an serious issue and that every time poverty comes up folks balk. - Maureen: we can wait a few more days for folks to read this and make a vote or send any feedback. I am certain we will make that elevation. - Michael: there is an issue here that if folks have any questions, then folks jump to conclusion that folks are not politically committed. we affirmed the "what we believe" statement which aligns with this. my questions are how this is going to be implemented - are we duplicating work of Outreach?. - Sylvia: Want to note that we are setting a precedent with the level of scrutiny we are giving this working group. - Sarah: Can we have general agreement on this working group happening. - Maureen: Detroit gets calls every day about how folks think they are smarter or know how to organize better than folks in Detroit. She is committed to being this thorough with every working group.
Marian stated: "members of the NPC talk about poverty, but don't know what it is to live in poverty." And she stated that she was leaving the call in protest.
No decision point could be reached. C-Team and OC will work to move this conversation. Adrienne noted: this is more about the structural questions around the NPC than it is around the Poverty Working Group specifically. This is the first time a group tried to elevate, and we have t work on the process.
UPDATES: 1) Website content update (Sylvia) Proposal to NPC working groups, committees and groups Deadline 12/30/09
2) January OC-NPC meetings update (Louis) Reminder registration and travel stipend forms due 12/23 OC meets: Thurs, 1/7/10 from 10am-5pm, there will be a town hall this evening from 6-7:30pm NPC meets: Fri-Sat, 1/8 and 1/9/ from 9am-9pm, and Sun, 1/10 from 9am-12pm; with a cultural event after the meeting day Saturday where Invincible and Finale from Detroit will get together with young folks in New Mexico and give performances. Will be a cultural exchange. This will be a fundraiser. Community outreach and social, political activities Overall budget, estimated: $12,000 (food $5000, mtg spaces/supplies $500, ground transportation $600, travel stipends $6000)
There are 10 solidarity housing spaces? A few more have opened up, plus more soon. We have the Hyatt as the main space, a limited amount of solidarity housing. There's a few things going on over the course of these days. We don't have a headcount yet. Outreach to indigenous groups. Just had a call between outreach and PMA about who and how we want to outreach. Outreach has a list, and asking folks in the region.
Questions: - budget. ...would be SUPER helpful to know if folks on the NPC are going to need travel stipend assistance. that's the variable - if people can let us know. there are 3 DLOC folks with no money trying to get to ABQ. Let's get a budget in time for the OC call and for folks doing regional outreach, please send a budget (to Sylvia) - Is there a Sunday outreach event? ...there's a Thursday townhall that is open to NPC members and is on local budget and mobilizing. On Friday we're going to do a walk-through of the PMA, and on Saturday evening there will be a reception and SWOP is doing a lot of the outreach, so not meeting on Sunday.
3) ICT update on year end work (Jamie or Alfredo) Registration updates, see: http://ict.ussf2010.org/wiki/RegistrationCurrentStatus Review of current registration page drafts Individual: https://community.ussf2010.org/en/civicrm/event/register?id=4&reset=1&ussf_regtype=ind Organizations: https://community.ussf2010.org/en/civicrm/event/register?id=4&reset=1&ussf_regtype=org c. Note: ICT has not implemented yet any of the recommendations from the Scholarship call that happened.
workshop registration forms will be ready by the middle of January latest. we have been prioritizing the other registration stuff.
PLEASE TEST THE FORMS THAT ARE UP!!!
- What about the cultural submission forms? ...the are aware of it - Is January 15 when folks can actually register workshops? ...yes, want to have it even earlier - By test, do you want us to go through and register? ...you can type in anything you want at this point, its a dummy payment form. you also will not BE registered. - if you find a bug, post it as a ticket.
Request: The old content is not lost, but lots of it was outdated. There is new content for the new website so it will look different. Can we go live now?
YES - don't announce it but let's switch it and be testing it out!
4) Online grassroots funding appeal (Sha) Year end plan to contribute to USSF What’s needed from NPC organizations
email appeal: going out to 70,000 people! not doing a push for orgs to send it cuz this is when orgs are doing their own push.
translation is a little bit behind.
ussf2010.org/theroots - the fundraising flyer
still getting a sense of pledges from npc orgs.
5) OC conference call report (Will) Field Organizer hires - was approved by the OC to hire B Loewe (on donated salary, in Chicago) and Akudo (in Philly) - same $ amount but with 2 people. Meeting schedule - have been a couple of calls WITH the outreach working group. Next meeting is Tuesday, December 22, 1pm EST
7) Anything else?
Program and Culture
Walda: We're getting inquiries. We sent the latest version of the forms to the NPC on Monday (and again today). Just want to understand the process.
Oya: Does the cultural submission form need to be approved too?
Tell the NPC they have until Friday to weigh in, and then bang out a final version to approve by OC on Tuesday!
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Language Access update...no one on call. AMB has reached out to Roberto and is trying to get an update.
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THE REGISTRATION RATES (for your review before the call!)
a) INDIVIDUAL RATES PROPOSAL (ADOPTED BY OC):
Modified proposal: homeless/youth (under 18?): $10--4,000 registrants ($40,000)--no late fee? welfare/unemployed: $20--$4,000 registrants ($80,000)--no late fee? low-income seniors/college students/partially employed: $30--4,000 registrants ($120,000)-- $10 late fee? lower wage working people: $50--4,000 registrants ($200,000)--$10 late fee blue collar/medium working people: $75--4,000 registrants ($300,000) $20 late fee? professionals: $100--4,000 registrants ($400,000)--$20 late fee? Total goal: $1,140,000
Emphasize: We need the NPC's agreement on the political statement of keeping these categories and rates to target the people we want to attend.
b) ORGANIZATION RATES PROPOSAL:
Option A (scale fee rates):
Organizations/K-12 schools: $125-$200 (early); $200-$350 (late) Colleges/Universities: $350-$500 (early); $500-$700 (late) Foundations/Funders/Businesses: $125 (early), $200 late for funders who have made a grant of $1000 or more to the USSF. $500 (early), $700 late to funders who have not made a grant. (rates proposed in part by Funders Movement Group)
Option B (flat fee rates): Note: funders in Res Mob wg and ITC wg recommend flat rates for simplicity in outreach and database technology.
Small budget organizations/grassroots groups: $40 (early), $60 (late)—proposal from Scholarship Committee Organizations/K-12 schools: $125 (early), $200 (late) Colleges/Universities: $350 (early), $500 (late) Foundations/Funders/Businesses: $125 (early), $200 late for funders who have made a grant of $1000 or more to the USSF. $500 (early), $700 late to funders who have not made a grant. (rates proposed by in part by Funders Movement Group)
c) FLAT RATE FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE:
For all organizations and institutions, they would pay a base rate that includes registration for 3 people, then pay a flat rate for additional people based upon an orgs/inst budget:
- For organizations/institutions with budgets under $50,000, it's $10 for each additional person.
- For organizations/institutions with budgets under $100,000, it's $10 for each additional person.
- For organizations/institutions with budgets between $100,000-$500,000, it's $15 for each additional person.
- For organizations/institutions with budgets between $500,000-$1 million it's $30 for each additional person.
- For organizations/institutions with budgets above $1 million it's $50 for each additional person.
d) Plus, include language on form that reads: "Funders and donors whose institutions are not already supporting this initiative are asked to provide a grant of $1000 or to contribute airline miles to organizers to help cover the costs of bringing additional community leaders to the Forum. Tax deductible contributions and airline miles can be donated through the following website: http://ussf2010.org"
e) Proposed "late" rate would begin May 1, 2010 (to encourage folks to go ahead and get the resources in).
f) Scholarship language on registration form Scholarships: registration fee waivers for individuals or organizations unable to afford even the lowest amount ($10 and $40, respectively). Solidarity fund stipends: travel assistance grants to assist registered participants get to Detroit.
Scenarios/possible language: If individuals and organizations want to register and tell us they cannot afford even the lowest amount, they click on a link, “Can’t afford to pay your registration fee right now? We’ve got some ideas for you!”:
- You have until XX to register early. We suggest you wait and determine if you can raise the registration fee later. Your registration fees are critical to the success of carrying out the USSF!
- If you are an organization, who wants to submit a workshop proposal, you must first pay a registration fee…you have until 3/15/09 and all proposals are treated equally.
- Here are some ways to you raise funds to gelp you register and get to the USSF (Grassroots Fundraising Toolkit).
- Download a scholarship application and email or mail to: XX
Possible overall timeline:
January 1: launch registration, apply for registration scholarships February 1: launch solidarity travel fund, also publicize "what it costs to participate in USSF"? i.e., accommodations, travel, food, misc? share travel discount info February 15: deadline for submitting registration scholarship applications March 1: deadline for announcing registration scholarship recipients March 15: deadline for workshop proposal submissions April 1: deadline to apply for solidarity travel funds May 1: deadline to notify recipients of solidarity travel funds
In January, work with Registration Committee to draft Solidarity Travel Fund guidelines and proposal.
g) Review and agreement of what should be on registration form: -- Personal information -- Registration rates for individuals and organizations -- Additional contributions/donations -- Scholarship info -- Workshop proposal info -- Hotel info