[last updated: Jan. 2017]
Section 1. Project Stewardship
Board of Directors ~ responsible for Identity, Finances, Legal Entity & Contracts, including full final/formal authority and accountability for the legal entity that makes up the Group Pattern Language Project. Responsible for approving the budget, any legal agreements, entering into and managing any promissory notes, updating Bylaws if necessary, monitoring 501(c)(3) status and framing overall strategic direction. The Board meets a minimum of one time per year.
President: calls annual meeting; houses physical file of GPLP legal documents as legal project address [currently Tree Bressen]
Treasurer: maintains financial records, issues regular financial reports, prepares budgets and makes regulatory filings [currently Dave Pollard]
Secretary: documents meetings and other Board actions through minutes and maintains e-files of these [currently Dave Pollard]
3rd Board Member: [currently Caitlin Robertson]
Core Team ~ Responsible for stewarding Purpose, Identity, Finances, Community and Work of the Project, including: overall development, management and coordination of the work of the Group Pattern Language Project. Really, the heart driving the project. Formerly paralleled Board membership (changed Jan. 2017). The core team communicates regularly by email, and meets on an as needed basis--by phone or the occasional face-to-face. Current core team members are: Tree Bressen & Dave Pollard.
Next Circle ~ Others who regularly volunteer for GPLP or actively promote the deck on a regular basis. As of Jan. 2017, includes Caitie who is a volunteer administrator of email list subscriptions and poster on social media (in addition to her role serving on the board); Sue Woehrlin & Daniel Lindenberger (former core team members); and acknowledged ambassadors Raines Cohen, Betsy Morris, Michael Wolf, Christopher Allen, Keala Young. There are additional people actively supporting GPLP over time who are called upon in a variety of circumstances, currently including: Tom Atlee, Nancy White, Chris Corrigan, John Abbe, Leon Janssen, Sandy Heierbacher, Wesley Lucas, and others.
General principles of involvement and inclusion in decision-making
In addition to participating in the broader learning community, all are invited to join in and help initiate, organize, and advance the work of the Group Pattern Language Project. Having a formal role in decision-making is commensurate with one’s level of time investment, commitment, and responsibility. Decisions are typically made by consensus of those present and participating in any given context. That said, the active core team has final say in decisions, except for those in which the board has final say.
Section 2. Functions & Responsible Person
1. Overall Shepherd & Holder of Space [Tree]
• overall holding/shepherding of project
• monitoring for what might be falling through the cracks…
• noticing and attending to relationship issues with key players involved
• anticipating next/further work of project
• default filler of gaps
• default recruiter
• anticipating upcoming conferences and other opportunities to spread the word [Tree by default]
2. Financial & Legal [shepherd: Dave]
Finances/Financial Accounting
• annual financial report (for previous year) & budget (for coming year) [Dave]
• monthly financial statements (on modified accrual basis) that report all money-related transactions including free decks sent, balances, sales summary, gross margin, bank statement/reconciliation, donations, inventory, directors' loans and repayments [Dave]
Non-Profit Status
• filings as required to maintain official 501c3 status [Dave as Secretary/Treasurer]
Taxes
• annual Oregon State filing each spring [Dave]
• annual federal/IRS filing by April 15 [Dave]
Banking
• making deposits [any Board]
• paying bills [mostly Treasurer/Dave; but any Board member]
• reconciling monthly statements [Dave]
Loans (& Other Financing)
• soliciting, accepting, authorizing promissory notes [Board]
• monitoring, scheduling and implementing repayments [Dave]
Donations
• monitor PayPal account [Dave]
• follow up donations with personalized thank you (from PayPal tracking sheet) [Dave]
3. Website Development & Management [shepherd: Tree]
• monitors overall functionality & functioning, addressing issues as needed [Tree]
• liaise with Elly regarding website maintenance & improvements [Tree]
• technical work on website [currently Elly who is paid to do this work]
• post reviews and testimonials to site (obtain permission first) [Tree by default]
4. Group Works Card Decks
Inventory, Fulfillment and Sales Tracking [shepherd: Dave]
• tracking inventory and communication with printers, fulfillers and wholesalers [Dave]
• monthly reconciliation of inventory/sales/shipments data [Dave]
• tracking gift decks [any core team member can send directly from stock, request Olin to send out for project. Dave tracks for budget purposes]
Production [shepherd: Tree]
• coordinate as needed with graphic designer, Janelle Frazier
5. iPhone & iPad apps [shepherd: Dave]
• monitor Apple communications & respond as appropriate regarding Apple Developer License/account
• receive and forward iPhone app sales monthly statements
6. Foreign Deck Translations [shepherd: Tree]
• nurture contacts/communications with foreign deck translation folks
• coordinate 'contracting' and supplying files as needed
7. Internal Communication
Board Calls [shepherd: ?]
• facilitate Board calls (including sending out advance meeting reminders) [?]
• organizing meeting agendas [any volunteer, typically Tree]
• meeting note taker [any volunteer; often Dave]
Admin/Pasword Sheet [Dave]
8. External Communication
Public Posts
• Pattern Hi/Lo communications post work sessions & public events, and when other significant news [Tree & Dave]
• posting news on website [typically Tree]
• Send announcements through website
• Social media posting Facebook & Twitter [Caitie; sometimes Raines]
Email Lists [Tree]
• Maintains email lists at riseup.net (Pattern-Lo & Pattern-Hi) [Tree and Caitie]
• Approves new subscriptions [Caitie primary, Tree as backup]
Website Registrations [Tree?]
• Deal with new account requests
Receive general inquiries [Dave?] via contact email address
Section 3. Annual Calendar of Financial, Tax and Regulatory Filings
[Dave, except as otherwise noted]
January:
• Renewal of hosting of GPL.org website by Hosting Matters [31-Jan]
March:
• Renewal of Apple developer's license [2-Mar] [Dave]
• Approval of annual statements, budgets at annual mtg of Directors [31-Mar] [board]
May:
• Renewal of domain of GPL.org (wagn/wiki site) thru Dynadot [05-May]
• Form 990-N annual IRS filing [15-May]
• Annual Oregon Dept of Justice form CT-12 filing [15-May]
October:
• Renewal of domain registration of GWD.org, GWD.com, GPL.net, GPL.com by Dynadot [14-Oct]
November:
• Annual report/ corp. registry renewal with Oregon Secretary of State [04-Nov]
Fallow
LEGACY DESCRIPTIONS
Stewards’ Circle ~ responsible for stewarding the month-to-month work of the project: the group focused on hands-on work promoting the use and development of Group Pattern Language and the Group Works Deck. Some members head specific projects-- such as app development, website design or game development--while others take part in more general discussion around the project. Stewards’ Circle members are all expected to be carrying some specific work, though may join for an intensive short period and then drop off when not active. The Steward’s Circle holds roughly monthly conference calls, and periodic face-to face working sessions. Continually active members of the Stewards' Circle may be asked to join the Core Team. The Steward's Circle currently consists of the Core Team members, plus Christopher Allen.
Ambassadors ~ those ‘evangelizing’ or doing outreach about the deck at events, in groups they are part of, or out in the world. Ambassadors sometimes join in Stewards’ Circle calls to touch base, or to help plan local public events or workshops they may be hosting. Current acknowledged ambassadors include: Raines Cohen, Betsy Morris, Michael Wolf, Kate "Sassy" Sassoon, Nancy White, Tom Atlee, John Abbe, Keala Young, and Leon Janssen.
1. Event Planning & Coordination
• securing a location
• develop event flyer
• set up and manage registrations (now using PayPal account from our website); including communications to registered participants
• meal and snack planning
• design and facilitation of components
• handout prep and other supplies
• onsite work: room set-up, door registration, recording, laying out snacks, taking photos, taking videos, clean-up etc.
2. Work Session Planning & Coordination [no overall shepherd, varied roles happen through coordination]
• securing a location (and accommodations)
• invitations to possible participants
• meal and snack planning
• agenda planning
• in the moment facilitation
• arranging for supplies needed supplies/materials for work to be done
3. Open Source Shepherd
• Writing clear documentation, resource support
• Responding to community
4. Activities Documenting & Organizing
5. Method Mapping Collection & Organization [shepherd: currently Tree + Sue]
6. Photo & Video Library [shepherd: ?]
7. Learning resources [curriculum group: Dave, Daniel & Sue]
