Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program How To Build A Water Trail
Managing A Water Trail -
Formalizing The Organization
As your work proceeds from planning into
implementation and long-term management, you will need a more formal and
durable organizational structure to manage the organization.
Implementing plans, raising and spending funds, generating and managing
volunteers and staff members—all require day-to-day and long-term
managerial skills. First, decide what the real work of your group is
going to be. Is your group really a coalition or alliance of partners?
Could one partner serve as coordinator and another as the fiscal agent
and fundraiser? Will a state, regional, or local agency eventually
become responsible for managing the trail? If so, will your group focus
primarily on support, such as organizing volunteers, inviting public
involvement, and raising money for special projects? That type of
venture might be called a “friends group,” a nonprofit organization
called a 509 (a) organization by the Internal Revenue Service that is
closely associated with a public agency and can accept charitable
donations. Friends groups often form later in the whole process, after a
trail has already been established. Here are two options to consider:
Partner With An Existing Organization Using an existing nonprofit organization, such as a
land trust or another trail group, to build and manage your water trail
is not uncommon. An agreement could allow both organizations to share
such resources as office space, equipment, and administrative services.
You also could obtain many nonprofit advantages without the need to
apply for your own 501c3.
Establish A New Nonprofit Organization Creating a newly chartered nonprofit organization
with a board of directors and an executive director and staff has
several advantages, especially in raising funds. An uncomplicated,
single-named organization enhances public recognition when you approach
landowners, public agencies, other organizations, and potential donors.
Get legal assistance to make sure your organization has met all of the
U.S. Internal Revenue Service and state requirements to qualify as a
tax-exempt 501c3 entity.
Roles and Responsibilities Whether you decide to become a friends group, part of a coalition, or a project of an existing nonprofit organization, the Whether you decide to become a friends group, part
of a coalition, or a project of an existing nonprofit organization, the
board of directors or executive committee will be accountable for
overseeing the organization's budget, planning, operating policies,
personnel matters, projects, and financial stability. Be careful to recruit board members who have the
skills and enthusiasm to pursue the organization's mission. Look for
water trail enthusiasts who are also accountants, public relations
professionals, engineers, planners, attorneys, or community leaders. The evolution of most boards of directors follows a three-step pattern:
Steering Committee Sometimes the people who are most helpful initiating
the water trail effort do not want to be involved in building and
managing the trail. Public officials and business leaders, for example,
might be willing to serve on the steering committee during the trail's
formative stages, but they might not have the time to serve on the board
of directors.
Working Board Most young water trail organizations have few or no
staff members. The board of directors has to tackle everything from
answering the mail to writing newsletters, from keeping the books to
choosing access sites along the trail. At this point, board members must
have the time, energy, and interest to keep the project moving forward.
Governing Board and Staff At some point in their development process, many
trail organizations become staff-led operations. This does not mean that
the board is absolved of responsibility. It means the role of the board
changes. The board delegates program implementation and decision-making
authority to an executive director and staff. The board now focuses its
attention on planning, fundraising, and governance of staff activities.
How Boards Work One of the most convenient ways for boards to work
is to form permanent committees responsible for management policies,
finances, and personnel and to form temporary committees to oversee
special projects and studies.
Other Sites of Interest:
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