I got this information from Coalition for a Livable Future in Portland. I have researched this organization extensively, and it seems to me it is a very effective way of organizing a coalition. They have been working together for about 16 years with amazing results. I revised their organizational structure to be more generic. I would love to have coalitions formed similar to this group. You can find out more at www.clf.org
Livable Neighborhoods Coalition
Information for Prospective Member Organizations and Individuals
The Livable Neighborhoods Coalition is a partnership of organizations, including non-profits, businesses and governments, and individuals all over the world that share a commitment to helping every neighborhood become a thriving, self-reliant community where every voice is heard and the needs of all living creatures are met non-coercively.
Livable Neighborhoods Coalition provides neighborhood organizers with step-by-step/1-2-3 programs that coordinate and focus their efforts to maximum effect.
We connect people, ideas, resources, and organizations to support one another to accomplish more than they could alone. Through research, think tanks, public education, a website, communication systems, and networking, LNC works to:
1. Identify, coordinate, and mentor the existing and future grass-roots organizers in the different neighborhoods, cities, districts/states and the internet to synergize their results.
2. Create and support successful Community Gatherings, first in every congressional district, then county, city, precinct and then neighborhood.
3. Educate about how to organize Community Gathering through mentoring and other successful groups coming a long side future leaders.
4. Provide tools/strategies/ideas which create name recognition for Livable Neighborhoods Project
5. Provide education about the issues including upholding our unalienable rights, how to influence the government and powers that be, and how to take responsibility for our actions.
6. Support successful Coalitions in every state then region.
7. Recommend the best practices, websites, and resources to help anyone who wants to better their neighborhood.
8. Get mainstream media coverage, household name type people like movie and rock stars behind us, and make neighborhood betterment a trendy, popular action.
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By joining the Coalition, your organization is helping to create a stronger, collective voice for promoting the message of Livable Neighborhoods. A diverse membership from the non-profit, public and private sectors allows us to understand each other’s issues and concerns, to find common ground, and to share resources and information.
The Benefits of Joining a Coalition
Organizations may choose among three membership levels: core, supporting and affiliate. Only core members have voting rights and responsibilities as described on page
2. Supporting and affiliate members provide financial support and/or lend credibility and breadth to Livable Neighborhood Coalition by adding their organization’s name to our membership list. In general, members that invest the most time and resources in Livable Neighborhood Coalition activities are those who receive the greatest benefits and services.
Through LNC, members can:
• Broaden relationships;
• Avoid wedge politics;
• Increase collective capacity for research;
Increase collective capacity for media coverage
• Increase collective capacity for outreach;
• Explore collaborative funding opportunities;
• Receive letters of support for projects and campaigns;
• Increase participation by under-represented groups;
• Participate in education and training opportunities;
• Enhance effectiveness of your organization’s work;
• Increase opportunities for communication via newsletter, with
listserves;
• Celebrate our collective and individual accomplishments;
Accomplish systemic change through collective action rather than isolation. All members receive Coalition publications: Daily email updates; LNC newsletter; the LNC member directory, and special LNC research reports. Members may participate in RPRC listserves, be included on the LNC website.
Members receive discounts on special events and the upcoming Livable Neighborhoods Summit which will be an open space conference that will encourage rich interactions that result in heightened skill levels and inspiration.
Coalition Member Requirements
Each organization or individual are encouraged to join working groups and committees and to participate in Coalition Activities.
• Help recruit new members
Make donations to the projects that the coalition endorses
How the Coalition Works
Supporting and affiliate member organizations and individual members are welcome to participate in weekly conference call meetings. Representatives of each team are expected to report regularly to LNC on the activities f the team, and agree to bring policy decisions of that body before the LNC membership for decisions at monthly conference call meetings.
All final decisions at this time will be made by the LNC Steering Team, and we will spread out the decision making policies as trust is built. We will definitely be a responsive steering team.
Responsibilities as a Member of the Coalition
Each member of the Coalition is asked to:
• Select a representative and an alternate to participate in Coalition proceedings and delegate this job, or serve as the primary contact for phone and internet meetings.
• Advertise the activities and policies of the LNC
• Actively work toward the Coalition’s Objectives.
• Support the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition
• Abide by all LNC’s organizational policies.
Decision mking: The core membership provides leadership to the Coalition by electing the Board of Trust annually, with approximately half of the seats up for election each year, and by participating in policy decisions. Policy decisions are made at bi-monthly general meetings or special meetings of the membership called for a specific purpose. In between meetings of the membership, the Board of Trustees will make decisions on items that require a fast turn-around, in addition to carrying out its strategic planning, fundraising and personnel responsibilities. Interim decisions related to policy objectives will be made by following an adopted interim decision making procedure that involves participation by working group/committee leaders and board members. LNC has working groups and committees that focus on specific issues, research concerns and projects, and bring policy and project recommendations to both the Board of Trustees and the full membership for discussion and approval.
Fundraising: Coalition staff actively searches for collaborative fundraising opportunities for members on the priorities of the membership. When opportunities arise, LNC acts as a vehicle for leveraging funding for our collaborative efforts, at this point using chip ins for various groups placed on the website.
Volunteer Staff: LNC currently has one staff person, director and founder Patricia Mikkelson. Staff will work with groups to create a plan that fits individual organizations’ needs and capacities.
It is important to note that the Coalition for Livable Neighborhoods is NOT a fundraiser. Rather, the members who are fundraising collaboratively are a team of member organization representatives who are supported by LNC.
Membership Dues Membership dues are a critical way to sustain the Coalition. They also build our power. By investing financial resources in LNC, members demonstrate a significant commitment to the cross-discipline collaboration that is possible through LNC, which in turn, leverages other funding. We recognize that all organizations have very different capacities, and want to provide opportunities for all kinds of organizations.
Therefore, assistance with fundraising (ie; selling event tickets, sponsoring an event, or volunteering for phone banks and other fundraising activities) in lieu of paying the minimum $150
Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:
Operating Budget Dues Range
Under $200,000 $150-$250
How to Join
If your organization is interested in becoming a member of LNC, first choose the appropriate membership level for you. Fill out the appropriate application form stating that your group agrees with the Objectives of the Coalition and that you will support all of these Objectives in your work with the Coalition, and send in membership dues at your selected level.
For prospective core members only: As LNC staff are reviewing your application, one or more representatives from your organization should attend one of the Coalition’s meetings and/or membership forums in order to learn more about how the Coalition works, meet other members, and allow us to get to know you. We will schedule a time for voting on your application at a steering team meeting. We will give you
time to introduce your organization and explain why you are interested in joining LNC. The Steering Team will vote on your application for membership.
If approved,
RPRC’s Executive Director will sign off on the membership agreement form and new members will receive additional materials explaining in greater detail how to get involved in RPRC.
Livable Neighborhoods Coalition
Core (Voting) Member Application To Join
We wish to join other Livable Neighborhoods Coalition members in fulfilling
the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:
(insert our mission and objectives)
We recognize that our organization will benefit from joining a coalition to address these issues by creating a stronger, collective voice; improving our understanding of each other’s issues and concerns, and how they intersect; increasing our organizational capacity through joint research, advocacy and requests for funding; and coordinating our efforts on these issues with those of others who share these objectives.
We will support LNC initiatives through research, advocacy, outreach, and public education to advance this mission, and we will also reach out to other groups and individuals that have a stake in these issues.
As a member of the Coalition, our organization will be responsible for:
• Selecting a representative and an alternate to participate in Coalition proceedings and committees and/or serve as the primary contact.
• Advertising the activities and policies of the Coalition and its membership through our organization’s publications and other means.
• Actively working toward the Coalition’s Objectives.
• Supporting the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition at a level that is feasible for our organization.
• Abiding by all LNC oganizational policies when participating in Coalition activities.
• Helping recruit new members to the Coalition.
Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________
Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________
Title _____________________________________________________________
CLF Executive Director ______________________________________________ Date__________________
Core (Voting) Member Application To Join, continued
Livable Neighborhoods Coalition
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________
Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________
Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________________________________
Web page: _______________________________________________
Please describe briefly your organization’s mission, work, etc. If you have it, send us a brochure or other written information about your organization.
Why does your organization wish to join RPRC?
Which issue(s) are you interested in getting involved with? (LIST THE KEY AREAS)
This is just for our information; you may join any working group or committee at any time; you may also propose new working groups or task forces, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:
Operating Budget Dues Range Please Check
Under $200,000 $150-$250 □
$200,000-$500,000 $250-$750 □
$500,000-$1 mill $750-$2,500 □
Please return this form to 310 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 612, Portland, OR 97204
If you have any questions, please contact Patricia Mikkelson 479-225-0047 livablefutureproject@gmail.com
Livable Neighborhoods Coalition
Supporting or Affiliate Member member to join:
We wish to join other LNC members in fulfilling the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:
• Selecting a representative to serve as the primary contact.
• Supporting the health of LNC
• Abiding by all organizational policies when participating in LNC activities.
Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________
Membership Level: _______________________________________ (Please indicate Supporting or Affiliate.)
Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________
Title _____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________
Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________
Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________
Email: ___________________________________ Web page: ___________________________
Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:
Operating Budget Dues Range Please Check
Under $200,000 $150-$250 □
$200,000-$500,000 $250-$750 □
$500,000-$1 mill $750-$2,500 □
Please return this form to Patricia Mikkelson
livablefutureproject@gmail.com
I wish to join other Livable Neighborhood Coalition members in fulfilling the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:
• Selecting a representative to serve as the primary contact.
• Supporting the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition at a level that is feasible for our organization, meetup, or other group.
• Abiding by all organizational policies when participating in RPRC activities.
Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________
Membership Level: _______________________________________ (Please indicate Supporting or Affiliate.)
Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________
Title _____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________
Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________
Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________
Email: ___________________________________ Web page: ___________________________
Suggested range of dues for Individual members:
Student/low income:
Middle range income
Wealthy:
If you have any questions contact Patricia Mikkelson livablefutureproject@gmail.com
