NCF 1996 Organizational Structure ================================= 13 February 1996 Contents: 1) NCF Organizational Structure (3 pages) 2) Appendix A: Who Does What at NCF (2 pages) 3) Appendix B: Levels of Organization Growth (4 pages) Introduction: ------------- To support our expanding growth and on-going service to members, the NCF is augmenting its volunteer force with two new staff positions. Operations will need to be as efficient as possible as we face the new year -- and continue to provide a on-line community/service on half the staff a similar commercial entity would utilize. Structure: ---------- To accommodate our growth of staff and the demands on our organization, we will be dividing up organizational activity into three NCF divisions: Content & Technical Services, Operations & Human Resources, and Development & Public relations. Clear areas of responsibility will foster quick and good decision making as we move forward. This will also improve inclusion and utilization of volunteers and increased responsiveness to our members' needs. Staff and Volunteer management: ------------------------------ Volunteer groups will continue to operate as usual. Often this means there is a contact volunteer heading up a group fairly independently. The major formal change is that all volunteer groups, with the exception of Board committees, will be able to get quick answers from the appropriate staff person for their type of work - instead of having all groups report to the Executive Director. Organizational Overview: Who is Responsible for What ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Content & Technical Services: ============================ Staff: Technical Director and Systems Administrator Volunteer groups and activities: Hardware/software Task Force Help Desk & Documentation Task Force System Design Task Force News Administration Post Master Related Responsibilities: Technical services Hardware acquisition and deployment Research and development Operations & Human Resources: ============================ Staff: Administrative Coordinator and Projects Coordinator Volunteer groups and activities: Translations Task Force Minute Takers Task Force Office Administration Task Force Boutique Administration Information Management Task Force IP Administrator SIG Administrator Menu Administrator Information Provider Training Task force Volunteer Coordination Task Force Outreach Task Force Speakers Coordination Task Force Time Limits Task Force Related Responsibilities: Processing donations and memberships Public Access Development & Public Relations: =============================== Staff: Director of Development Volunteer groups and activities: Development Committee -Sub committee for Special Events Public Relations Task Force Related Responsibilities: Projecting and monitoring NCF's image Executive Director: ================== -Evaluation, tracking, reporting and statistical measurements -Ensuring that the organization meets its strategy and targets -Financial management -Organizational planning, design and implementation -Staffing: hiring, evaluating and dismissal -Resource allocation -Volunteer groups' mandates and structure Executive Committee: ==================== -Assist in Operations support to the Executive Director -Have voting authority for additional urgent expenditures -Assist with urgent complaints Board: ====== Committees: Planning Finance Francophone Annual General Meeting Complaints Related Responsibilities: Develop and set policy Set-up and manage select projects of the Board ----------------------------------------------------------------- NCF 1996 Organizational Structure 13 February 1996 APPENDIX A: Who Does What at NCF ================================ This list is in no way exhaustive but serves to illustrate areas of responsibility. With input from others we can continue to build the list into a comprehensive reference tool. Content & Technical Services are responsible for: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -on-line quality of services -on-line page and menu design -style guide design -monitoring and managing modem congestion -finding solution for newgroup problems (ncf.unmoderated is too large; who fixes?) -ensuring that members have a good editor -investigating and fixing mail problems -software quality and maintainability -hardware acquisition and deployment -arranging for on-line services to facilitate content on NCF Operations and Human Resources are responsible for: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -quality of printed documents -on-line page and menu maintenance -ensuring members have materials for learning about new editors and tools -volunteer support, evaluation, training -off-line training materials -surveying non-users to find out what it would take to get them on-line -management of office and other physical space -gathering content (off-line) -resolving volunteer, staff, or board people-problems -processing memberships and donations Development and Public Relations: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -raising funds for NCF -arranging for donor recognition -training Board members and other volunteers to ask for donations -designing and projecting the NCF image -coordinating NCF media activity -coordinating special events -announcing new services/content and make sure people know about it Executive Director: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -designing structures that best implement the strategy -proposing short and long-term plans -arranging for various types of insurance -hiring, supervising and firing of NCF staff and contractors -physical plant planner -tracking and evaluating strategy progress -representing NCF to the media -overseeing spending within the approved budget -managing fiscal resources Board: ~~~~~~ -setting policy to guide staff, volunteer and member activities -setting up committees to research Board related issues -ensuring that committees have clear mandates and evaluations ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NCF 1996 Organizational Structure 13 February 1996 APPENDIX B: Levels of Organizational Growth ============================================ Introduction: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This document is taken from United Way material and is provided as information and insight into NCF's current level of growth. It is hoped that this document may promote thinking and dialogue about our organization. The following covers a brief synopsis of the four stages of organization growth; Creation, Expansion, Prime and Maturity. In addition it ties in organizational, board and staffing standards frequently associated with various levels. The Life Cycles Concept: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Non-profit organizations are easily viewed via a life cycle concept. Understanding an organization in this fashion helps to understand current challenges, appropriate staff roles, volunteering and the type of Board structures most common for a certain stage. Organizations grow and develop throughout their life cycle. Some organizations evolve naturally, while others are guided by internal or external forces. The knowledge that organization are not static, but develop and change, is important. There is no set pattern - the organization is not a linear continuum. -Organizations begin as an idea mobilized by an individual or a small group with a vision -The organization, the people and the external environment all change over time -As a result, the organization exhibits stages of development that include the Board, staffing and volunteering needs as well as various beliefs and behaviors at different stages The Four Stages: Creation, Expansion, Prime and Maturity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Creation: -------- The creation stage begins with awareness of a common vision or need. Founders recruit others, secure the necessary resources and create some form of organization to meet the need. It is often small, informal and managed by the founders, their friends and family. Organization: -leadership is provided by the founders -minimal organizational structure -shared values, goals and behaviors; though often not formally articulated -volunteers/Board do all organizational work -the organization struggles to develop products, programs ad services Board: Collective model -shared responsibility for policy, management and operations between all Board members -highly value driven but may not have a clear, commonly accepted understanding of how to implement those values Staff: -frequently no staff or one person in a clerical role Expansion: --------- The organization has flourished and its public have responded enthusiastically; opportunities for growth have been exploited and resources stretched to the limit. Organization: -unchecked growth -highly centralized structure with founders in control -second generations leaders start to emerge -conflicting demands for limited financial and human resources Board: Working /Administrative model -assists with many of the operational responsibilities of the organization -provides some policy and general direction -initial clarity of mission clouded by unchecked growth -policies and procedures developed randomly as need arises Staff: -often have no Executive Director yet -staff development may begin but there is frequently some confusion between Board, volunteer and staff roles Prime: ----- An organization in its prime has a stable and predictable growth that is well-serviced by the operations and the organization. The organization is clear about its purpose and its plans. Organization: -has developed a more professional approach to its methods of doing business -more defined goals and plans and clearer roles and responsibilities are matched with increased management practices -defined accountabilities and systems management procedures -leadership often provided by non-founders -plans for medium and long term development Board: Policy or Policy-governance model -policies and procedures and other administrative systems become well established -hiring, supervision and evaluation of an Executive Director to ensure that policies are carried out -there are a number of committees that include people who are not on the Board Staff: -the organization has staff which implement policy and run programs -the Executive Director and other staff support committees Maturity: Rapid growth and healthy consolidation are often followed by quick decline. Bureaucratic and conventional thinking extinguish the innovation which fueled the Expansion stage and the driving sense of urgency is lost. Organization: -leaders are focused on maintaining the status quo -slow decision making process -programs and services stagnate or decline -entrepreneurial fundraising slows Board: Policy or Policy-governance model -policies and procedures and other administrative systems are well established -sets policy almost exclusively -committees sometimes decrease because staff is performing most of the work -often older assumptions become fixed and operate to filter out new approaches and strategies Staff: -staff infrastructure exists -roles are clearly defined The difference between Prime and Maturity stage can be crucial to the organization's health: Prime Stage Organizations Maturity Stage Organizations ------------------------- ---------------------------- 1. Success stems from taking risks vs. Success stems from avoiding risk 2. Expectations exceed results vs. Results exceed expectations 3. Emphasis is on function over form Emphasis is on form over function 4. From why and what to do vs. To how to do and who did it 5. Problems are seen as opportunities Opportunities are seen as problems 6. From value based vs. To political gamesmanship The concept of Synergy: a Vision ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Prime stage is a desirable level for organizational effectiveness, but the concept of synergy provides a vision or ideal for organizational effectiveness. This means a state of cooperation in order to achieve a level which exceeds that which any given group could do alone. The accomplishments of the larger group are greater than the total output of any individual contributors. In an organizational context, this image describes a state where all the cogs of the wheel turn together for greater efficiency and effectiveness. When an organization is operating in a synergistic state, it focuses on values and vision. All members of the organization work together to advance the mission of the organization. The organization maintains a "loose-tight" attitude (i.e., loose on rules and regulations in order to foster innovation and allow quick action in a changing environment; tight on basic values which guide decisions and action). The organization values and respects its human resources and people respond with loyalty, trust and honesty. Characteristics: -shared leadership -frequent, shared communication, both formal and informal -shared planning and goal setting -simple systems, policies and procedures -quality and creative programs and services -systems and processes manage and tensions in a creative and productive way -additional financial resources through new sources and better management -- Lisa K. Donnelly, Executive Director * National Capital FreeNet/Libertel de la Capitale nationale * Telecommunities Canada, Board of Directors (613) 241-9554 voice & fax (613) 241-2477