|
PEER
SESSION REPORT-CODA CONFERENCE MAY 2004
Guilds and
Membership Organizations
Attending the session were: Dana Singer with SNAG, Cornelia Carey
with CERF, Cathy Finnegan with International Society of Glass
Beadmakers, Alice Merritt with TACA, Andrew Glasgow with the
Furniture Society, Carla Dillman with Guild.com, Linda Van Trump
with CODA, Donna Vacquer with NW Crafts Alliance, Mary Lacer
with Wood turners Society, and Marti Dart with Cleveland Economic
Development.
Topics that the group believed warranted discussion include: growth,
partnerships, boards of directors, funding, membership forums,
retail outlets, membership, and outreach, and websites.
Discussion of Member Organization budgets. Range was from
40K/yr to over 1 million/yr.
Major Discussion on the impact of technology and websites. Using the
round table form, each group member explained how their website was
designed and maintained.
Dana – Their first website was written in 2001 by a volunteer. That
is now a paid position
Andrew – Their website is manned by 7 volunteers and one full time
person
The importance of a member organization having a website, how
important it it to keep the site up to date, and the fact that the
website should work for the organization. The group agreed
that a website doesn’t need to be pretty but needs to be fast, easy,
and easy to change.
Cathy – they have volunteer webmasters who police the site.
The group agreed that in forums, people should post their names and
register their names. Rules for the forum should be posted. It was
also agreed that the organization through its website and
communication should have one voice. It was also agreed that all
information to members should go by email, regular mail and or a
call. Each organization should require its board to check email
daily.
Polling membership electronically was discussed along with survey
software and companies who perform this service.
Discussion about board of trustees. How important
communication is within the structure of the board as well as
between director and board.
Discussion point was about collaborating with other organizations on
projects in order to accomplish larger endeavors.
|
