Greensboro HIVE

What: We envision a network of organizational “clusters” as a new way to manage the HIVE. These small teams will hopefully provide a combination of shared responsibility for the overall project with individual accountability for specific tasks. We hope that this structure will diminish frustration and improve communication within the HIVE as well as with the community.

In the immediate future, clusters begin with 2-3 people willing to organize around a specific issue or task as written in the list below. There are 10 suggested clusters. If we have two people for each cluster when we begin, we need 20 volunteers. (Plus Open Hours Volunteers – see below, but we may re-evaluate our ability to maintain open hours 5 days/week.) However some clusters may not need 2-3 people to begin.

Each cluster will begin by brainstorming its own expectations and responsibilities, and how it needs to operate in order to achieve them. Once each cluster has brainstormed its own outline, we can combine them all into a HIVE book… the HIVE memory. Referring to this guideline of history and precedent will allow us to operate more efficiently, and to waste less time in re-deciding and re-planning things we have already done but were forgotten or not clearly communicated.

Brainstormed Stages: (Begin ASAP or Early-Mid May)

Stage 1: Set Up (3-4 weeks)

• Effort to organize enough individuals for clusters to be filled.
• Clusters meet individually and draft a set of guidelines according to its purpose/role. (Level of Commitment: 1-3 hrs/week for 2 weeks)
• All clusters meet as one group. The individual drafts are amalgamated into one document, and edited for overlaps and oversights. As this document develops, it becomes easier to recognize the ways in which clusters relate to each other and will work together. This draft becomes the working document of the HIVE that can be edited and changed as we see fit. If everyone that has ever been involved disappears one day, a new group of people can see what has been done, what works and what does not. (Level of commitment: At least 2 meetings 1-1.5 hours each)
• A group of people volunteer to combine all drafts into one document and make initial attempts at editing. (Level of commitment: 1-3 hrs/week for 2 weeks?)

Stage 2: Operation

• The clusters are responsible for communicating and meeting as often as needed to get their job done. 1-2 individuals volunteer to be the cluster reps, the “go to” people. Once the clusters become consistent and solid, they would commit to drawing in more volunteers. It is a reality that people are going to have varying levels of commitment and time. Affinity groups within clusters can form, which are groups of individuals within the cluster reflecting its level of commitment Low-High affinity groups correlate to low-high commitment level. Someone can feel good about giving 1 hour of time or 10 hours of time.
• The clusters meet at least once a month as one group. There has to be at least one representative from each. In addition, there is ideally one representative from each partner that would attend 1 meeting/month. Opinion thus far has said partners should not have to be involved in the organizing at the hive. Partners contribute a significant aspect of the hive, and thus should have a rotating representative that comes to an organizational meeting 1x/month.

Stage 3: The Whole Perspective (something resembling a Board of Directors)
A group should exist to consider the entire operation of the HIVE, to observe and notice how all the pieces and parts work as a whole. Alongside with the clusters, this group would help to develop and document the HIVE’s presence. This group is made up of representatives that have familiarity with the HIVE’s struggles and successes. It allows for people who have encountered similar situations before and have learned great lessons to contribute on a as needed basis.

Stage 4: Sustaining the New System
The first HIVE fundraiser begins with the clusters. Each volunteer contributes whatever they are able to give, from $1.00 to $100. It is up to the person what she feels comfortable with. This would increase a sense of ownership and investment in the process. This money can be used to move forward on the 1st community fundraiser, as the Fundraising Cluster determines.

The Clusters (The description of each cluster below is an initial brainstorm. The exact descriptions would be determined by the cluster reps)
Having a clear outline of the needs and responsibilities of the HIVE makes it easier to recruit new volunteers and suggest where they can direct their energy. Each cluster can map out levels of commitment and time required for varying tasks. One thing that is continually voiced is the need for 1 distinct leader or go to person. There can be multiple leaders with distinct roles clearly delineated.

1. Cleaning/ Physical Space: Responsible for cleaning the main room, bathrooms, hallway, outside grounds, taking out trash on a weekly basis, changing light bulbs, stocking toiletries, maintenance, etc.
2. Events: Maintaining the online and written calendar, in charge of opening and closing the space after an event, seeing event conflicts, managing online request forms, works closely with external communication cluster.
3. Intergroup Communication: It is able to direct new people to the appropriate contact person, to refer issues to the appropriate cluster, and to pass information between clusters (and partners). It also organizes monthly meetings, and sets the agenda. It documents decisions, and adds anything necessary to the HIVE memory book.
4. Open Hours: All of the volunteers would be in this cluster; however there could be 2-3 people that are main coordinators. It helps to keep contact info up to date, monitors comments in the volunteer log, and makes sure there is someone to regularly cover all shifts. Greets visitors, answers the phone, refers inquires to communication cluster, carries out phone and computer policies, Trains volunteers to keeps the HIVE open and accessible to the public. Coordinates meetings amongst volunteers to sort through any days to day questions/things to be addressed. We will need additional volunteers (more than the 18 stated above) to fill many Open Hours that the OH cluster determines that we can sustain.
5. Outreach/External Communication: External publicity, press releases, communicates to the neighborhood, other community groups, maintains website, maintains listserve.
6. Finances/Accounting: Collects money and pays bills. Communicates with Fundraising cluster to make sure the HIVE is financially secure.
7. Fundraising/Donations: Accepts donations and organizes fundraisers.
8. Technology: Keeps computers working properly, and makes any necessary improvements.
9. Library: maintains library organization, logs and shelves new books, keeps track of books checked out.
10. Peace: Conflict is inevitable. This group is focused solely on helping to facilitate good communication and to sort out misunderstandings/conflicts. It would be used on a as needed basis.

Other positions:

• Paid positions: It is important to consider that there is administrative work at the hive that volunteers may not be able to complete on a regular basis. There seems to be a day to day need to have a consistent presence at The HIVE. However the job description needs to be carefully thought through, because of the conflict that may arise between a paid staff person and unpaid volunteers. In addition, there should be steps taken to prevent this person from being seen as “the leader” of the hive. Rather than being the “spokesperson” of the hive, he/she makes sure administrative details are not lost.

Maintaining transparency about the work this person does is important and he/she should be in line and familiar with the culture of collective decision making that has been central to the creation of the HIVE.

Our first fundraiser could be aimed at hiring 1 person at minimal time. If they get paid $10/hr for 10 hrs/week, that is $400/month. Consider taxes and that may increase to $600/month (maybe more) that we need. For a full year, that comes to $7200. Before we hire someone, we should have this money already secure in our account.

Comments about incorporating:
Incorporating as a federally recognized nonprofit potentially creates more frustration. Previous comments that question incorporating are referenced below:

• The resources and time it takes to chase grants and not being certain that we would get them in the midst of a strained economy.
• Grassroots organizations give up some power when they become 501c3’s.
• The ongoing requirements and work it takes to maintain status.
• The time and money it takes to incorporate in the first place. Someone has mentioned it can take months and the basic fee is $700.
• Placing a new legal structure over our organizational problems would not solve them; rather make them administratively more complicated.
• The concern that nonprofits merely end up mimicking capitalist structure they seek to change.

As listed in comments on the website, not being a 501-c3 does not stop us from grassroots fundraising. Depending on how much we raise, we may have to report this as profit to the IRS, but if we spend it all on program and operations, we won’t pay taxes on it.