Chapter 6: Planning For An Organizational Home

Using An Existing Organization In The Local Community

It takes time, energy, and resources to create a new organization. Volunteers have to be found for the Board of Directors. Funds and staff have to be acquired for administration. New incorporation documents have to be developed.

Embedding your new program in an existing organization makes sense to consider. This could be an existing Big Brothers Big Sisters agency, a Boys and Girls Club, or another community organization that focuses on the needs and interests of children and youth.

The first step is to look at what effective, sustainable, and healthy organizations exist in your community that might provide a good home for your new program or club.

There has to be an interest on their part.

There also has to be a good fit in terms of:

• The mission or goals of your new program

• Your values and beliefs

• The kinds of children and young people that you want to serve.

The pro’s of this approach include:

• The resources that the existing organization can bring to bear as you implement your new program or club, such as: community credibility, access to funds, fund raising experience, access to volunteers, already developed policies and systems, financial management, training programs, staff expertise ….

• The savings in time, energy, and other resources from not creating a new organization

• The easier and richer connections with other programs for children and youth in the existing organization, so that children and youth, and their families, are better served in more holistic and comprehensive ways

• The broader organizational community that would be available for your volunteers and staff

• Already established links with key people and organizations in your community.

The potential con’s include:

• The loss of distinct identity of your new program or club in a larger organization

• Potential difficulties in connecting the organization to the national associations

• Potential issues around the name of the organization

• Potential concerns that the program or club will be a “small fish in a big pond”, lacking in constant focus and dedicated resources.

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Back: Chapter 6 Introduction

Next: Creating a Satellite...

Chapter 1: Getting Started With A Dream

Chapter 2: Developing Big Brothers Big Sisters And Boys And Girls Clubs Programs

Chapter 3: Taking A Deeper Community Approach

Chapter 5: Planning For Program Sustainability

Chapter 8: Working Together