Main Office507 S. Gay, Suite 1120 Knoxville, TN 37902Tel 865.522.1604Fax 865.522.5281info@communitysharestn.org

www.communitysharestn.org

Middle Tennessee Office4732 W. Longdale DriveNashville TN 37211615.834-7444 Office615.463-7994 Faxcsnash@communitysharestn.org

May 15, 2023

Dear friend:

Thanks for your interest in becoming a member of Community Shares. Enclosed is our membership application, which includes a description of CS, our criteria for membership and our membership participation guidelines. Community Shares is a collective organization and, as such, members are required to make specific time and monetary commitments.

Before filling out the application, please look this material over to determine if your organization meets our guidelines and criteria and whether your organization will be able to fulfill the participation and monetary requirements of an associate member. NOTE: If your organization would like to be a member of Community Shares but do not think you can fulfill the participation requirements; you might be interested in becoming an “Adjunct” Member. Look in the Membership Criteria and Standards section for more information on this type of membership.

One important piece of the criteria in that all CS Member Organizations must be an organization whose primary purpose is to advocate for progressive social change. Please understand that this is not a judgment on the great work many social service organizations do. However, when CS was founded, we decided to serve only social change organizations since they were seriously underserved in workplace fundraising. In order to become a member of CS, you must explain how your organization works at a systems level to change the problems you address. This does not have to be all that you do, but it must be a primary component.

Applications are due by December 5, 2011 (emailed by midnight that day). Everything should be submitted electronically. You may send us pdf’s, word (or rtf) documents and excel documents. It can all be one document or several documents. You can email it or send it all to me on a disk (cd or dvd). If you only have a hard copy of a certain document you can usually take it to someplace like Kinko’s and have them scan it in for you. If you absolutely cannot send the documents electronically, please call me at 865-522-1604 and we will try and work something out. Late applications will not be accepted.

This application is a “fill-able form” and has boxes that you can fill in (and some that need to be checked). If you’ve never used a form like this one and need assistance feel free to call. To check a box, just double click on it. To type in a box, just click inside the box and start typing.

Once we receive all the applications, the Membership Committee will review them and may request further information before making a recommendation to the full board at it’s January 2012 meeting. You will be contacted in late January about the Board’s decision.

Thank you for your time and energy. If you have any questions about Community Shares or about the application process, please call me at 865-522-1604.

One more note: You may use your own forms instead of the forms included for things like the financials, board list, etc. However, all of the required information must be included or the application will be incomplete and will not be considered for membership.

Sincerely,

ShelleyShelley WascomExecutive Director

Please email your application to: shelley@communitysharestn.orgDue: December 5, 2011

GIVING AT WORK, GIVING THAT WORKSBuilding Social and Economic Equity and a Healthy Environment

Check List and Preparation of CS Membership Application

Return this form with your application!

1. Check list INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

2. General Information Form INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

3. Staff Form INCLUDED NO (explain why?)      

4. List of Board members INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

5. Board members terms of office INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

6. 2011 Board meeting Dates/Places INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

7. Minutes from four 2011 Board meetings INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

8. Actual Income/Expense for most recently completed fiscal year INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

9. Budget for current year INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

10. Current IRS 501(c)3 determination letter INCLUDED NO (explain why? )

11. Most recent IRS Form 990 (or 990 EZ) INCLUDED NO (explain why? We are not required to file an IRS 990 or 990EZ

12. Are you required to do an audit for your TN State Solicitation Permit (income over 500k)? YES NO If you answered yes, is your audit included here? YES NO (Explain why )

13. Copy of your by-laws INCLUDED NO (explain why? )

14. Tennessee State Solicitations Permit or Exemption Letter INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

15. Knoxville Solicitations Permit (if you fundraise in Knoxville) INCLUDED NO (explain why?      )

16. Statement by your Board of Directors, signed by Chairperson, authorizing the organization to apply for Community Shares’ membership. INCLUDED NO (explain why? )

Include these if you have them:

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17. Annual Report Yes Don’t produce one

18. Newspaper articles Yes Don’t produce one

19. Organization newsletter Yes Don’t produce one

20. Other educational materials, brochures, Flyers, handouts Yes Don’t produce any

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General Information Form

Group:      

Street address of office: (We have to have a (Tennessee) physical address for your office – federal rules).Street address:      

City:       State:       Zip Code:      

Mailing address (if different):

Address:      

City:       State:       Zip Code:      

Organization Phone Number:      

If your organization does not have a dedicated phone number and/or address –what phone number and address do you want us to use on brochures, etc.?

Fax:      

Website:      

Your fiscal Year:      

Date (month and year) organization was founded:

Contact Person:

Title/Role in Organization:

Contact Phone (if different from organization phone)

Contact email:

ONLY FOR GROUPS WHO HAVE OFFICES IN DIFFERENT CITIES The CS Brochure and Website give city names and phone numbers for every member group. If you have offices in more than one city and want those cities/numbers listed in our brochure, please list them below.

City/Phone number 1:      

City/Phone number 2:      

City/Phone number 3:      

City/Phone number 4:      

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STAFF/BOARD Form (Page 1)

Group:      

List of Staff Members and their positions (attach additional sheet if necessary)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

All Board meetings in 2011 1. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

2. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

3. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

4. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

5. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

6. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

7. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

8. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

9. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

10. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

11. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

12. Date       Place       Quorum present? YES NO In person Conference call

NOTE: Your board of Directors must meet at least 4 times per year. Meetings must be held in person or by conference call – not by email. At least one meeting must be in person (not a conference call).

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STAFF/BOARD Form (Page 2)

List your Board of Directors with dates of terms of service (attach additional sheet if necessary). PLEASE NOTE BOARD OFFICERS. You may attach a separate form if you have one that includes terms and demographics.Name Address (include city, state, zip) Board terms (beginning and end)

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

List your board officers (include name of person and office):

     

     

     

     

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FINANCIAL STATEMENT/BUDGETS Please fill in the form below, providing income and expense information for your most recently completed fiscal year and a budget for the next fiscal year. Please use the most recent information you have, even if it does not match the 990/audit that you are sending. You may use your own form, as long as it is similar to this form. Project budgets are not good enough. It must be an organizational budget.

Organization     

Fiscal Year starts       ends      

Most Recently completed fiscal year (actual)

Current or next fiscal year (BUDGET)

REVENUEIndividual donationsMembership DuesEventsFees for ServiceHonorariumInterest/InvestmentsSales of ProductFoundation GrantsGovernment GrantsOther

Total Revenue

EXPENSESSalariesFringe BenefitsPayroll TaxesProfessional feesSuppliesTelephonePostage and ShippingRent/UtilitiesEquipment rental/repairPrintingPublicationsTravelInsuranceDues/SubscriptionsConferences/MeetingsOther

Total Expenses

Revenue minus Expenses

This form seems to confuse folks so here is an example. Fiscal year ends in June: Use actual income and expenses for July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011 and your budgeted income and expenses for July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012. Fiscal year ends in December: Use actual income/expense for 1/1 through 12/31/10 and budgeted income/expense for calendar year 2011.

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NARRATIVE PART OF APPLICATION

1. Describe your organization's mission and purpose and the specific problems that your organization addresses.      

2. Describe who is affected by the problems that your organization addresses and the geographic community you serve.      

3. Describe how your constituency (as defined in question 2 above) is: a. Involved in the decision-making process of your organization?      b. Involved in determining the programs and issues your organization pursues?      c. Involved in the activities of your organization?      

4. Estimate how many people are regularly involved in the work of your organization. Break it down by donors, volunteers, members, board members or any other way that fits your organization.      

5. Please review the Best Practices and Minimal Standards that are included in this application. If there are any minimal standards that your organization does not currently meet, please list them below and explain how you plan to meet these standards.

My Group meets all the minimal standardsMy group does not meet these standards (list):      

6. The majority of a Community Shares’ member group’s program work must promote social change. Community Shares defines social change as having three parts:

Collective action Involvement of the people most affected by the problem you are addressing Resulting in systemic or institutional change.

Give three (3) specific examples of work done in the last year to promote progressive social change. Note: For more information on what we are looking for or mean with this question, please see additional description at the end of these questions. 1.      

2.      

3.      

7. Describe the role(s) of the Board of Directors (local decision-making group) in your organization      

8. Describe your organization's annual goal setting and evaluation processes. Community Shares’ minimum standards require significant participation by the people most affected by your organization’s issue(s). Please explain how your processes meet this standard.      

9. Describe the leadership and growth opportunities for individual members or constituents (not just staff) of your organization. Give specific examples.      

10. State your specific goals for 2011 and report your progress on each goal. If you did not meet certain goals, please explain why. If your goals changed mid-year, provide an explanation as to why, how they changed and the progress made on the new goals.      

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11. 2012 Goals. a. State your organizations program goals (program and internal) for the 2012.      b. State your organization’s internal goals for the 2012.       Note: Goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely (also named "SMART" goals). For example: “Reduce Hunger in Knox County” does not meet the SMART criteria. Instead your goal might be “Reduce hunger in Knox County by 10% by getting the city council to fund a mobile meals on wheels program.” For more information on what we are looking for in reporting goals, please see description at the end of these questions.

12. Community Shares values working together to end racism and the elimination of social, economic, cultural and political barriers that keep any person from fully participating in society. We believe that in a social change organization, issues of racism and oppression are important, no matter what issue. Please describe how your organization demonstrates thoughtful and deliberate consideration of issues of diversity, oppression and racism.      

13. Describe your organization's single most significant programmatic accomplishment in the last year and what about it was significant.      

14. Describe your organization's most significant internal (organizational) accomplishment in the last year and what about it was significant.      

15. What are the most pressing challenges your organization will face in the next year? (These can be both internal and external to your organization.)      

16. Describe any MAJOR CHANGES (budget, board, staff, structure, constituency, issue focus) during 2011.      

17. If your organization had a deficit in 2011, describe your plan to deal with this in 2012. You will also need to provide a statement signed by the presiding officer of the Board and the treasurer of the Board stating that they are aware that the organization is operating with a deficit.      

18. Will your organization have an independent audit or financial review performed for 2011 (or fiscal year ending in 2011)? YES NO If yes, please make sure that the audit and/or financial review is included. If no: Please describe what processes are in place within your organization to assure transparency, accuracy and integrity in financial transactions.      

19. Community Shares depends heavily upon the "sweat equity" of its member organizations. Review the Membership Standards of Participation (enclosed) and tell us specifically how your organization is prepared to meet the participation requirements.      

20. What can your organization contribute to Community Shares in terms of resources, expertise, labor, opening up workplaces, payroll deduction campaigns, etc.?      

21. Does your organization receive United Way Funding? YES NO If yes, when did you last receive United Way money, what was the amount, and what was it to be used for?      

22. Does your organization participate in any workplace (payroll deduction) fund drives? YES NO If yes, please list the workplaces and describe the fund drive.      

23. Please write a 25-word (no more than 25!) description of your organization. Please see the member groups’ page of our website (www.communitysharestn.org) for examples. Your name does not count as part of the 25 words.      

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What are "SMART" goals and how do I write them?

Community Shares asks that you report on the goals for the upcoming year -- both programmatic and internal goals. We evaluate these goals using the following criteria (the acronym is SMART): Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

We know that different organizations use different terms, ie. goals, objectives, tasks, etc. For this purpose, we want to see the work that your organization will be doing in the coming year to advance your mission -- to get to the point of where your organization is no longer necessary! Some groups have asked if they can just turn in the same goals each year -- that their goals do not change. While your large goals may not change, the work involved in reaching that goal will likely change from year to year depending on many factors. For example, if your goal was to raise $20,000 to fund your work each year, some years that will mean writing two grants, some years it may include research into available money, some years it may include a major donor campaign. That is the kind of detail that we need.

Below are examples from two different organizations of the goals they sent to us last year. Please remember, we need enough information from your goals to be able to assess whether the work you have laid out for yourself in the coming year seems strategic and a reasonable amount of work for an organization of your type (whether staffed or not, large or small, etc.).

1. Here is an example of one groups' goals for the coming year. This group is a small organization with only 2 staff.

Explore two alternative avenues for funding: The Executive Director, CMC staff, and CMC Board will work together to brainstorm alternative avenues for funding. Individuals from CMC will create a written proposal for each potential funding avenue, consisting estimates of time/resources to be expended and resources to be gained from that particular possibility. These proposals will be submitted to the CMC Board for approval, and once they have been approved CMC staff and/or volunteers will pursue these funding alternatives.

Hold a signature event to raise money and awareness of CMC and mediation: CMC's Marketing Committee will continue our tradition of holding an annual signature event in the Fall to raise money and awareness of CMC and mediation. The Marketing Committee will continue the same theme as 2009 and 2010, Peace in the Valley Dinner and Silent Auction. The auction will continue to focus on "the finer things in life": paintings, music, jewelry, food and drink. We will give out a Mediator of the Year Award and a Mediation Appreciation Award. The development committee of the board is in charge of the planning for this event. They will meet in April and begin the process to:- identify and contract with a guest speaker who can present a related topic- identify and reserve a venue for the event to take place (In 2009 we used the Sunsphere, and would have used it again but for it's unavailability due to bankruptcy. In 2010, we used the Foundry.) - organize a silent auction, - identify community members who deserve recognition for their contributions to local mediation- create a web presence, paypal site and send out invitations to community members.Our committee will report back to the board by August and the even will be held in early October.

Plan at least one event relating to peer mediation: CMC's Peer Mediation Committee (PMC), led by our Peer Mediation Coordinator John Selser, will continue working with the local schools with active peer mediation programs, and will meet with coordinators from each peer mediation program to evaluate what kind of training event would be most useful to their programs throughout the school year. After determining the appropriate type of training event, CMC's PMC will tailor a specific training module for the occasion and work with each school coordinator to schedule an event that students from all schools can attend in the summer. CMC will assist the coordinators to plan logistics and will seek donations from Knoxville area businesses to fund materials and food for this event.

Explore at least one new avenue for contracts to provide mediation services or training: As a result of CMC's success in providing mediation training for other mediation centers, we are receiving initial

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requests from other mediation centers in Tennessee for similar training. In 2011, CMC's Executive Director will negotiate with each of those organizations to determine if our training will meet their needs, and what the appropriate cost of that training should be. Our goal is to contract with at least one other organization to provide mediation training. The CMC Training Team will adapt our training module to the specific needs of the county in question, and will travel to that location to conduct the training. We will also explore marketing and training for employment/workplace mediation services with small businesses and governmental entities.

Conduct at least two conflict skills trainings in new venues: CMC will offer at least two workshops/skills-trainings to our already-trained volunteers in the coming year. CMC will survey our volunteers and identify areas in which they want additional training, and our Training Team will develop programs and materials around those areas between March and July. CMC staff will seek Continuing Mediation Education credit from the AOC for these trainings, and will publicize them, find/reserve locations for them, and provide meals/beverages for them. CMC staff will also conduct follow-up evaluations with attendees to determine the usefulness and success of each event, so that we can incorporate feedback into our future trainings.

2. Another example of SMART goals -- this group was particularly clear about their internal goals. This group is a small organization with no paid staff, only volunteers.

State your organizations program goals (program and internal) for 2011.1) Our main program goal is to hold a monthly Roundtable for all progressive organizations and individuals, regardless of whether they are members of NPJC. Each month we will choose one or at most two burning issues of the moment and discuss what to do about them. The meetings will be held at different places and different groups or individuals can assume leadership on different issues. Our first Roundtable is scheduled for January 24th at the Friends Meeting House. We will discuss cooperation in the face of the conservative takeover of the Tennessee State Legislature. Topics which have been suggested for future meetings are: defense of healthcare and Social Security at the national level, racism, immigration, workers' rights and green collar jobs.

2) Rather than have the year's main peace event be an outdoor program, we intend to concentrate on bringing peace speakers to various indoor venues. We are working with Iraq Veterans Against the War to help us book speakers this spring.

3) We intend to table at at least six community events in our ongoing effort to attract a more diverse constituency and membership and to provide information and points of view not easily available elsewhere.

4) We hope to restart our Leadership Training Institute. The number of sessions we can hold in 2011 will depend upon how quickly we can obtain funds and recruit and train someone to organize it.

5) We will continue to provide speakers on peace and justice topics at local events. (Last year's topics were Gaza, Islam and Pakistan.)

State your organization’s internal goals for 2011.We hope to have recruited at least 100 dues paying individual members and one dozen organizational members 30 days before holding our annual meeting, where we expect to elect nine Board members. The Board will meet as necessary, at least four times during the year, and elect 4 officers from among themselves. We

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expect the Board members to be actively involved in fundraising as well as in managing the affairs of the Center.

We intend to recruit at least one unpaid intern per semester, including the summer, and several volunteers willing to spend substantial amounts of time doing office work. We hope that one of these will become the organizer of future Leadership Training Institutes or even become a staff person, possibly utilizing one of our member group's offer of rent-free housing.

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How do I answer the question about social change -- giving three examples of how my organization is promoting progressive social change?

You can tell us about examples of three programs or events that happened in the past year that show a) collective action, b) involvement of the people most affected by the problem you are addressing, and c) systemic or institutional change.

A few of the most frequently asked questions about this include: What does "collective action" mean? We define collective action as the action of more than one

person working towards a goal. Of course, the greater the number of people taking action together, the more power they have and the more likely it is that they will win the changes that they want. Sometimes the work of an organization can also be connecting people who have the same problems with each other so they can then work together on their shared problem.

What if my organization is an environmental organization -- how to I show the people most affected by the problem working to fix it? One of Community Shares' values is that the people affected by an issue (or problem) help make the decisions about solutions and strategies. In question number 2, we asked you to tell us who is most affected by the problem you work on. In this question, we want to you to share with us how the people from question 2 are involved in your work. (We do not mean to dismiss work that protects animals or the environment, but every organization is made up of people and we want to know how those people are involved.) What we want to ensure is that organizations are including those most affected by a problem in determining the solution. There are several examples at the end of this document (one from an environmental organization) of how organizations answered this question last year.

What do you mean by "systemic or institutional change"? We mean that the change that your organization brings about has to change the "system" that has created the injustice you are addressing, not just make things better for individuals. Another way to think about this is to ask yourself whether the change you are making will bring about justice for more than one person at a time -- will the next person in the same situation have to fight the same fight again, or have you fixed the problem for the next people?

My organization changes people and that will eventually change society, so isn't that social change? Community Shares funds organizations whose primary work is social change. There are many organizations whose work make the world better and kinder. There is a parable or story about a community where babies were found floating in the river and drowning. Some people worked to pull out one baby at a time, but could never get them all. Other people walked upstream to try to see how the babies were getting in the river and then worked to stop the conditions that allowed the babies to get into the river. While everyone's work is important and valuable, Community Shares chooses to have member groups who go "upstream" to stop the babies from getting in the river in the first place. Two different organizations can have the same issue focus, but one group might work in a way that helps individuals one person at a time, while another organization works to change the law or the rules that create the injustice they work to resolve.

Here are examples from two different organizations and how they answered this question last year: First example from Community Food Advocates in Nashville

1) In 2010, Community Food Advocates Policy Advocacy focus was on the national Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, also referred to as Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). The provisions of the 2010 CNR bill included an extension of the “Afterschool Meals” program, that would reimburse schools for programs centered around an afterschool meal, a new definition of eligibility for other school meal programs and new required standard for the nutritional quality of school meals. If it passed, the CNR bill would serve to ensure many more children who often receive the majority of their daily calories from school meal programs, would have a greater opportunity for food security.

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While Community Food Advocates supported passage of the CNR bill, we were opposed to the proposed funding mechanism for new programs in the legislation – cuts to SNAP. Through our SNAP Outreach and Advocacy work, Community Food Advocates met Angela, a mom who was wrongly denied SNAP benefits. Angela strongly believed the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) had made a mistake regarding her family’s SNAP application. Our Community Outreach Specialist researched the details of Angela’s SNAP case and successfully advocated for her family to receive the benefits they were due. Angela’s experience, which was similar to many of the people we served through SNAP Outreach and Advocacy, and her own advocacy skills and self-interest, lead us to invite her to join us in petitioning US Representative Jim Cooper around passage of the CNR bill. Our Director of Hunger, Food Access and Policy programs, our Community Outreach Specialist and Angela visited with US Representative Jim Cooper to urge his support for the Child Nutrition bill. We also energized constituents with e-news regarding the legislation. Happily, due to nation-wide messaging and advocacy around Child Nutrition, the bill passed, though with the proposed cuts to SNAP. Community Food Advocates published an opinion piece in the local newspaper, The Tennessean, to celebrate passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, and to pressure readers and elected officials to seek alternative funding for the new programs. We will continue to align our work with national anti-hunger organizations in 2011, to focus on implementing new Child Nutrition programming and maintaining full funding for SNAP. 2) In 2010, Community Food Advocates’ Growing Healthy Kids (GHK) campaign made strides in affecting Nashville’s school food environment. Our GHK campaign works to improve the nutritional quality of food served to school children. Through GHK, Community Food Advocates is responding to what has become a national concern - the childhood obesity epidemic. We accomplish our work in GHK in three venues – “in the classroom” with a food system curriculum, “on the playground” by engaging students in creating and maintaining school gardens, and “in the cafeteria,” through our Healthy School Foods Leadership (HSFLI) Institute for parents and teachers. Over a period of months, our GHK program director organized graduates of the HSFLI and simultaneously developed a relationship with the Director of Food Service with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). The HSFLI graduates identified flavored milk as a lunch-line item that contributed to the poor health among MNPS students. Through a series of meetings with the MNPS Food Service Director and his staff, our HSFLI team and GHK program director resolved to address the problem of flavored milk. In particular, MNPS agreed to pilot test removing flavored milk from the lunch-line of three of its schools. 3) Another realm addressed by our organization is food access across all areas of our city. Re/Storing Nashville is a grassroots campaign, run by Community Food Advocates, to ensure that all Nashvillians have access to affordable healthy foods. We are working to reduce health risks, including obesity, facing residents of Nashville’s identified food deserts, including East Nashville/Cayce Place, Edgehill (South Nashville), and North Nashville/Charlotte Ave. Re/Storing Nashville has developed momentum, since its inception in December 2008, to engage the city in dialogue about the existence of food deserts in Nashville, the misconceptions about the onset of diet-related disease (as an individual vs. environment issue), and the reality of food desert residents’ interest in purchasing healthier food options than are currently available in the area. Community Food Advocates believes that access to fresh, healthy foods should not be solely the privilege of the largely White, middle and upper-income earners, but is a right for everyone. However, for the lower-income, disproportionately African American residents of food desert neighborhoods, this is merely an ideal. Building on the principles of self-determination and equal

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access, Re/Storing Nashville uses a community organizing model, which builds leadership among residents of food desert areas. Re/Storing Nashville continues to engage community leaders and public officials in dialogue in an effort to remove the barriers of food deserts.

Second example from Cumberland River Compact

The Compact attempts to do these things in everything we do.A. Our Watersheds Program: We work to do this by providing educational activities and using those activities to create the foundation for long lasting watershed organizations. We first did this in creating the Harpeth River Watershed Association over 10 years ago.The Watersheds Program focuses on each of the fourteen watersheds in the Cumberland River Basin - watershed by watershed, one at a time. Our process involves holding geographical focus groups to find out what the issues are in each particular watershed. If the stakeholders are interested, we then hold a series of 6-8 educational meetings and bring in experts who can talk about those issues. At each meeting, attendees have the opportunity to work together in small groups and begin to form relationships and problem solve. Thus far, when we have finished the series of educational meetings in each of the watersheds, stakeholders have decided to form their own local watershed organizations.Currently we are working to form watershed groups in the Collins River Watershed (McMinnville, TN) and Lake Barkley Watershed (west of Clarksville, TN). So far there are seven watershed groups formed: Red River Watershed Association, Harpeth River Watershed Association, Mid-Cumberland Watershed Committee, Old Hickory Watershed Association, Stones River Watershed Association, Caney Fork Watershed Association, and South Fork Watershed Association. We continue to support the organizations in whatever ways that they decide such as partnering on grants, providing nonprofit management advice, and sharing information and contacts.

B. The Compact is currently working with minor crop and commodity farmers to develop a sustainable agriculture program that maximizes economic impacts for producers while limiting or eliminating chemical use through integrated pest management techniques. We have developed a committee, the Cumberland Basin Strategic Agriculture Initiative Committee (CBSAIC) and have been working to develop tools for farmers focused on high-risk, restricted use chemicals, sustainable Best Management Practices (BMPs) and reducing nonpoint source pollution to water resources. Today’s conventional farming techniques and the excess nutrients they provide to water have been shown to be a large cause of the hypoxic zone (“dead zone”) in the Gulf of Mexico.

C. Climate Solutions University: Forest and Water Strategies: The project works to empower rural, underserved communities to protect their forest and water resources and become resilient in the face of changing climate. The Compact partnered with the Model Forest Policy Program (www.mfpp.org) to create this project which is offered as a distance learning program with monthly webinars and coaching calls from Feb through Dec. We began as partners in the Cookeville, TN pilot community, which resulted in green infrastructure and climate change provisions in the Cookeville 2030 Comprehensive Plan. In 2010, we have worked with Sumner County, TN as one of six communities participating in the CSU Class of 2010. The others 5 communities are in NH, NM, CO, UT and WA. The participating communities are creating climate adaptation plans that protect their forest and water resources and create climate resilience to help offset the impacts of floods, droughts, fires, disease and invasive species.

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY SHARES

Community Shares is an innovative way for community non-profit organizations to raise much-needed funds for their organizations. CS is a funding federation of progressive social change organizations based in Tennessee. As a federation, CS members work together to raise money for their organizations, tapping resources they otherwise could not effectively tap on their own.

Community Shares is one of about 165 or more federations now established across the nation. Alternative funds are non-United Way umbrella groups raising money primarily from payroll deduction giving in the workplace. Unlike United Way, which raises money from employees for the more traditional charities (Red Cross, YMCA, etc.), CS is a fund for employees to support social and environmental justice work in Tennessee. CS raises money for its operations through direct mail, special events, major donors and phone-a-thons.

The purposes of Community Shares are to: 1. Raise funds for its member groups.2. Create a strong and viable network of progressive social change organizations in Tennessee. 3. Maintain and strengthen Community Shares member groups through training and technical assistance.

Our aim is not to be the sole funder of any single member organization. Rather is it to encourage each group to seek diversified funding while providing a stable source of income.

Community Shares is a long-term investment for its members. Much like a new machine, the fund requires energy, time and resources to assemble and get started, after which point it only needs good maintenance to keep running smoothly. The front-end investment is time that it takes to gain access into the many workplace campaigns (federal, state, and municipal agencies, as well as private corporations), and then building a high level of name recognition within the workforce.

Currently we distribute about $480,000 to approximately 50 member groups. About 60% of this money is designated to specific member groups with 40% being divided between the full member groups (see Distribution Policy and Procedures below).

DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND PROCEDURESDonors may give to Community Shares as a whole (this is called an "undesignated" gift), or they may designate their gift to go to certain Community Shares members.

All undesignated contributions are divided equally among Full Members only. Designated contributions go the designated group, and are added onto the amount the groups received

from the undesignated contributions. Associate Members receive only designated contributions. An administrative fee of 10% is deducted from each member's allocation to go toward paying the

fundraising and administrative expenses.

New members begin receiving their first allocations in the year following their admission. This is because workplace fundraising is based on pledges. Employees pledge in the fall of the year how much they will contribute throughout the following year. Therefore members admitted in January 2012 will be in the fall 2012 workplace campaign and begin receiving distributions in June 2013. (If this is confusing or unclear, please call our office at 865-522-1604 or toll free 866-717-4273.)

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MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND DUESFull Members: Full Members of Community Shares shall receive designated fund and undesignated funds. Undesignated funds will be distributed equally to all Full Member organizations. Full members pay service fees of 10% and dues of $300 + 15.5% of their estimated net distribution from the previous fall’s workplace campaign. Full Members shall fulfill standards set forth by the membership committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may lower a full member to associate status because of lack of full participation.

Associate Members: Associate member shall receive only designated funds. Associate members pay service fees of 10% and dues of $150 + 13.5% of their estimated net distribution from the previous fall’s workplace campaign. Associate Members shall fulfill standards set forth by the membership committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may lower an associate member to adjunct status because of lack of full participation.

Adjunct Members: Adjunct Membership is a subset of Associate membership status. Adjunct Members shall receive only designated funds. Adjunct members are not required to fulfill any of the participation requirements. They pay service fees of 10% and dues of $150 + 15.5% of their estimated net distribution from the previous fall’s workplace campaign.. Although they don’t have to participate they do have to turn in the annual evaluation report and its attachments. Groups cannot move directly from Adjunct status to Full Member status. Any member can choose to be an adjunct member.

All groups are admitted as Associate Members (unless they request to be admitted as Adjunct Members) and remain Associate Members for their first two years. Associate members receive funds designated to their group, but do not share in undesignated contributions. After 2 years, groups may choose to remain Associate Members, or they can become Full Members and receive an equal portion of the undesignated funds. To become a full member, a group must complete the participation requirements of Full Members for one year (see below).

MEMBERSHIP EVALUATION PROCESSIn the first quarter of each year, all current members go through an annual evaluation process to insure they are continuing to meet the criteria and standards of membership. It is strongly felt by the Board that the spirit of this process is one of helpful exchange of information, ideas and encouragement from other member groups. Groups fill out an annual report and discuss with the Board their strengths and weaknesses in light of the membership criteria and standards. If the Board thinks a particular group is not meeting all the standards and criteria, they will specifically identify in writing the problems and give a timeline for correction. The Board will also identify, where possible, any resources it thinks could be of some help to the group. If there is a major diversion from the standards and criteria, the Board can remove a group from its membership.

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COMMUNITY SHARES VALUESCommunity Shares’ Board of Directors spent several board meetings working to get our values down in one place. This is still a working document (especially in how these values are grouped together and the actual wording). The board will work to finalize this document in the next 6 months.

We value working for progressive social change made on a systemic or institutional level in communities throughout Tennessee. To that end we value:o The just distribution of wealth, resources and power o Giving people the tools to act together to affect change on a systems level o The elimination of social, economic, cultural and political barriers that keep any person from fully participating in

society o Collective action on a systems or institutional level to bring about significant progress towards equity and justice o Everyone being treated with dignity and equality and being free from discriminationo Self-determination and empowerment for all peopleo That the people affected by an issue (or problem) help make the decisions about solutions and strategieso Respect and sustainability for the environment o Working together to end racism.o The right of organizations to follow their conscience in compliance (or non-compliance) with unjust lawso The connection of local issues to national and global ones.o Funding organizations -- not individuals, a few people or projects.o The inclusion of member groups based on their work for progressive social change and their strength as an

organization. We will not exclude organizations from membership based solely on them being “controversial”. We will not add member groups based solely on their ability to bring in more money.

o Collective fundraising and networking among our member groupso Donors controlling where their donation goes no matter what size the gift.o Creating a base of steady financial support for our member organizations.o Funding and supporting progressive social change organizations in Tennessee.

We value fairness and equality in CS and our member groups. To that end we value:o Diversity within Community Shares and our member organizationso Working in an intentional manner to combat all forms of racism, including institutional racism and

being willing to look critically at our own weaknesses in this areao Non-discrimination within CS and our member organizations.o A unified approach to new workplace campaign development and operation. We will not sacrifice or

remove one of our groups to satisfy the wishes of a workplace campaign.o A cooperative work environment that is respectful of differenceso Open communication between supervisors and employees that includes employees responding

positively to direction and guidance and supervisors being forthright and constructive in identifying problems

o Integrity on all levels of our organization with individuals acting in the best interest of the whole organization and identifying and eliminating conflicts of interest

o Constituencies of people affected by problems being included in decision-making and governance within member organizations.

o Accountability to the communities served by CS and our member organizationso Treating those within our organizations with the dignity, respect and equity that we expect in our larger

communitieso That individual member groups are accountable to Community Shares as a whole o Providing steady support and assistance to member organizations through the natural ebbs and flows of

organizational life while also maintaining our commitment to high quality work and donor accountability.

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We value working together to create a strong statewide organization. To that end we value:o Diversity in kinds of organizations that are members – their locations, their issue focuses, their

strategies and tactics, their governance structures, their sizeo Taking the time when making large organizational decisions to work until we can get to a place of broad

support and by-in across the organizationo Mutual respect (not total agreement) among our member groupso Shared and equitable participation by member groups in the work of Community Shares, both with

financial support and participationo Shared and equitable distribution among full member groups of the (undesignated) money raised by

Community Shares in the workplace campaigno Growth of our organization in a manner that continues to provide stable support to our member

organizations.o Our own employees working with a high level of quality, accuracy, integrity and effectivenesso Our own employees working to achieve the objectives of Community Shares in compliance with the CS

philosophy, policies and procedureso Providing our employees a living wage and good benefits, including health insurance, paid leave,

pension and staff development opportunitieso Regular employee evaluation processes that provide feedback and opportunities for growth, not

judgment

We value the trust of our donors. To that end we value:o The money we raise is being spent responsibly and by organizations that are working to make a

difference.o Our member organizations have goals that advance their mission and make regular and reasonable

progress towards their goals with ways to evaluate that progresso That our member groups are not members of other federated workplace campaigns in Tennesseeo Maintaining standards that provide transparency, donor control and fairness in our operations.o Always (within our abilities) honoring a donor’s designation.o Compliance with federal and state solicitation laws by CS and our member groups.o That CS and our member organizations are free of fiscal fraud or mismanagemento That our member organizations are doing the work they say they are doing

We value choice in giving in workplace fundraising. To that end we value:o Supporting a national movement for choice in giving both financially and with our time.o Membership in Community Shares USA. o Including all federations who meet the criteria for admission in a workplace giving campaign.o Equal representation of all federations in a workplace giving campaign.o Fair and equitable distribution of monies and expenses in workplace giving campaigns.o Donors being free to choose whether or not to give without any coercion from federations or employers.

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MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA, STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES

MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY SHARES MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS:1. Have a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The 501(c)(3) letter must be in

the name of the member group and not that of a “fiscal agent”. If a member group is a chapter of a national organization with the same name they may use the national organization’s 501(c)(3) letter.

2. Be an organization whose primary purpose is to advocate for progressive social change, provide needed services, and work to change the circumstances that have necessitated those services

3. Serve an identifiable community in Tennessee.4. Be at least two years old.5. Meet the Standards of Participation as determined by the Board, and pay dues.6. Provide financial information to Community Shares and to the public upon reasonable requests for

information.7. Conduct all activities without discrimination regarding race, gender, creed, age, ethnicity, disability or

sexual orientation.8. Maintain generally accepted accounting principles.9. Not be a member agency of the United Way.10. Not prohibit its employees from collective bargaining.11. Be subject to the admittance process, as determined by the Board.12. Have a current state solicitation permit or have a current letter of exemption from the state.

STANDARDS OF PARTICIPATION FOR COMMUNITY SHARES MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS*1. Pay annual dues set by the membership (Associate: $150 + 13.5% of estimated net distribution; Full: $300 +

15.5% of estimated net allocation; Adjunct: $150 + 15.5% of estimated net allocation).2. Promote CS among your board and members3. Provide the necessary paperwork required by Community Shares. EG: financial audits, 501(c)(3) letter,

charter, solicitation permits, by-laws, etc.4. Abide by the distribution procedure established by the Board. 5. Work cooperatively with Community Shares.6. Meet participation requirements set by the board and membership including (but not limited to) helping

with workplace campaigns, helping find new workplace campaigns, attending monthly coordinating meetings, participating in the annual evaluation process, printing CS logo on materials such as brochures, newsletters, letterhead etc., serve on a committee, help raise funds for CS operations budget. *

* SEE SAMPLE PARTICIPATION FORM AT THE END OF THIS APPLICATION TO GIVE YOU A FULL IDEA OF THE EXACT PARTICIPATION REQUIRED.

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COMMUNITY SHARES STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES

Introduction: This document has been created with the hope of making transparent the minimal standards that member groups in Community Shares must meet and to highlight best practices that non-profits throughout the country use to make their programs and organizations stronger. Community Shares' mission is to support Tennessee social change organizations in order to promote a more just and caring community. One of our values is the elimination of social, economic, cultural and political barriers that keep any person from fully participating in society.

There are several ideas underpinning these standards: They are not meant to be punitive. Instead, they are meant to clarify what is already being used to

evaluate groups and therefore make the evaluation process more transparent. (In some cases there are minimal standards that are new for CS. For example: a minimum of 4 board meetings each year has been a standard for the state and federal campaigns, but not a CS minimum standard.)

These standards come out of our statement of values, mission statement and by-laws. These standards and best practices are intended to help strengthen social change work in Tennessee by

providing groups with information about best practices from sister organizations. Clarifying our standards and communicating them are beneficial to Community Shares:

It helps current and potential member groups understand what is expected of them; It helps donors and workplace partners feel confident about CS and the quality of work that we fund; It helps us clarify how we live out our values.

When groups do not meet minimal standards, this will be identified (usually as part of the annual CS Evaluation) and groups will then enter into CS' processes for correcting problems, i.e. probation, etc. as governed by CS policies. Groups will not be kicked out for violation of standards without a chance to correct the problem and due process as defined by CS policies.

While we have tried to clearly state all the minimal standards that CS member groups are held to, the Membership Committee and CS Board still retains the right to raise additional concerns through the evaluation process if these present themselves. Also, while the standards provide more clarity in the evaluation process, they do not substitute for common sense, extenuating circumstances and the best judgments of Membership Committee and CS Board members -- people who are also part of social change groups throughout the state.

ProgramBest Practices:

Every organization has both mission and vision statements, created by the Board, that guide the decision making and work of the organization. The mission and vision statements are used frequently as the organization makes decisions.

The organization, as part of an annual goal setting process, creates goals that are focused both on the program(s) component and the internal work of the organization – the work of caring for the organization, such as board development, leadership development, fundraising, planning, etc.

In addition to annual goals, organizations benefit from long term or strategic planning allowing the organization to create a plan of action that will be for a longer period of time, such as 3 years or 5 years. Analysis that includes both major opportunities and challenges that are facing the organization allow for a focused plan that can meet challenges and achieve social change.

As a result of regular planning and evaluation, the organization can maintain a sustained impact on the community and/or issue they are addressing -- not just a "flash in the pan."

Find and make use of links between "your" issues and the issues of other organizations -- locally, nationally and globally.

Leadership development is part of every piece of work that the organization does -- creating strength and skills development for the people most affected by an issue. "Winning an issue" does not sacrifice leadership development; neither does leadership development limit the ability to win the issue.

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Minimal Standards: Annual goal setting and evaluation processes in place and used, incorporating significant participation

by the people most affected by the organization's issue. The organization must have annual goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and

timely) and that reflect the work for the coming year in both program work and internal process (i.e., board development, leadership development, fundraising, etc.). Also, the organization’s social change work must be reflected in their annual goals.

Regular and reasonable progress made on goals yearly. If goals are not met, we will expect as part of the annual CS evaluation process, analysis as to why the goals were met and what corrections will be made for the following year. Note: if goals are not met because circumstances changed mid-year and the organization decided to focus on other opportunities and had different outcomes as a result, we need an explanation of that, but would not penalize a group for a change in direction (provided they still meet other minimal standards).

The majority of an organization's program work promotes social change -- the collective action by people most affected by a problem that results in systemic or institutional change.

Member/Constituent Involvement:Best Practices:

An organization is made up of a broad base of community members who share in the work of the organization -- the program work, the fundraising, the governance, the administrative work, etc. We believe that for an organization to be healthy and strong there should be at least a minimum of 20 individuals sharing in the work of the organization.

The people most affected by the issues a member group works to address (coalitional or otherwise): o Should play an active leadership role in the governance, decision-making and direction setting

for the member group. This would include participation at all levels of the organization -- from committees to attending program activities to inclusion on governing bodies.

o Influence the direction and strategies of the organization -- not just serve as the beneficiaries of the organization's mission and work.

o Inform and lead the issues and campaigns of the organization. o Are participants in the goal-setting and evaluation processes within member organizations.

We believe that organizations are most effective in fully involving those most directly affected by an issue when the organization has a plan to do so and regularly evaluates that plan.

Member groups are strongest and most effective when they are diverse in their membership. This includes diversity in race, ethnicity, income levels, physical abilities and sexual orientation.

Minimal Standards: A member group must be able to show that the people most directly affected by the problem or issue(s)

they address are involved in meaningful ways in the decision-making and direction setting of the organization.

If the member group is a coalition of groups there has to be a demonstrated relationship between the people most affected by the issue and the direction setting and strategy for the coalition.

Community Shares member organizations must demonstrate thoughtful and deliberate consideration of issues of diversity, structural oppression and racism.

GovernanceBest Practices:

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Organizational boards should be large enough to ensure diversity of opinion and to represent the perspectives of people most affected by the issue the organization addresses. We believe that a minimal number of board members to ensure diversity would be 5 people.

A majority of board members (at least 50% plus 1) should attend every meeting. If the organization's board is localized, board meetings should be face-to-face. If the board is for a

regional or statewide organization, at least one meeting a year should be face to face. The majority of the people in leadership roles and/or governance positions should be the people most

affected by the problem that the organization deals with. The board makes sure there is ethical behavior standards adhered to in the organization, including

Conflict of Interest policies and Whistleblower Policies. The organization has a written diversity policy and plan. The organization can demonstrate a commitment to diversity with measurable results. Board members are involved in critical roles within the organization, including representing the

organization publicly, fundraising, policy creation/oversight, staff oversight and mission and program oversight.

Boards should regularly monitor and evaluate performance of staff -- at least the executive director if there is more than one staff person. Additionally, the board should receive the regular information from staff needed to provide oversight.

Minimal Standards: Organizations must abide by their own policies and by-laws. At least 5 people on the board. Boards must meet a minimum of 4 times/year, maintaining a quorum at 3 out of the 4 board meetings,

minimally. Board members must be able to hear each other at board meetings. Therefore, a meeting via email does

not qualify as a board meeting. At least one board meeting a year must be face-to-face. There must be significant participation in the organization's leadership by those most affected by the

problem that the organization addresses. An organization or board may not prohibit its employees from collective bargaining. Board minutes and documents must be created, circulated and retained. Organizations and boards must conduct all activities without discrimination regarding race, gender,

creed, age, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and any other federally protected classes.

Staff may not serve on the board of their organization as a voting member or officer. For the two member organizations that do not hold their own 501(c)3: the Community Shares member

organization must have its own governing entity that meets all Community Shares' minimal standards for governance.

Fiscal ControlsBest Practices:

For groups able to afford one, conduct an annual audit or financial review done by an independent accountant. Board of Directors should review the audit annually. The Board (or a committee designated by the board) should meet with the auditor annually.

Have systems in place that provide transparency, accuracy and integrity in all financial dealings. Regular accountability to the board of the organization. Local, state and federal forms filed as required and are complete and accurate. Clear processes in place for creating, approving and reviewing the annual budget by the Board before

the fiscal year begins. Budget planning that plans for a modest surplus at end of year. If, despite all attempts to prevent this, there is theft or embezzlement within your organization, you

should notify your funders upon discovery. Following the discovery, follow-up with your funders on what changes have been made to correct the vulnerabilities indicated by the incident.

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Minimum Standards: An independent audit must be conducted when required by the State of Tennessee to get a solicitation

permit. There are some workplace campaigns that have stricter requirements than are Community Shares'

minimal standards. To participate in any of these campaigns, you must comply with the requirements of each specific campaign. For example, there may be a requirement for audits or governance.

Follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Must have filed all required local, state and federal forms and be in good standing with these entities. Annual reporting to Community Shares through the Evaluation Process of:

o Regular systems for Board oversight of financials and oversight of staff, or if no staff, the treasurer;

o All required financial information, including actuals for the past fiscal year and budget for the coming year.

If do not do an audit or financial review, annual reporting to Community Shares on what processes are in place to assure transparency, accuracy and integrity in financial transactions.

If run a deficit, provide a plan for dealing with the deficit in the coming year and a statement signed by the board chair and treasurer indicating awareness that organization is operating at a deficit.

For the two member organizations that do not hold their own 501(c) 3, both the Community Shares member organization and the fiscal agent for the member organization must adhere to all Community Shares' minimal standards for fiscal controls and reporting.

Community Shares be notified upon discovery of theft or embezzlement. Following the discovery, we will expect a written report that analyses how the theft or embezzlement occurred and how the organization will correct the vulnerabilities indicated by the incident.

FundraisingBest Practices:

It is best practice to have many different "streams" of funding: foundations/grants, fundraisers, donor campaigns. It is also best to have a mix of "outside" money and "internally raised" money, i.e. foundation funding would be "outside" money; major donor giving would be "internally raised" money.

Within your donor base or foundation funding, it is best to have a diverse base of funding so that if one foundation, government agency or donor decides to change their giving focus the organization has other funding sources still in place.

Board members, members and/or volunteers should participate in the fundraising. The fundraising should be aligned with the values and mission of the organization. Organization expends funds responsibly; ensuring donated funds are dispersed according to donor

wishes and requirements, and regularly communicates with donors regarding its activities. Financial reserves, even modest ones, allow the organization to withstand hard times.

Minimal Standards: Organization complies with all local, state and federal laws and regulations concerning fundraising

practices. Fundraising communications include clear, accurate, and honest information about the organization, its

activities, and intended use of funds.

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FAQs about membership in Community Shares

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A MEMBER OF COMMUNITY SHARES?Fundraising is an essential part of non-profit work, yet it takes time, money and people. Often fundraising takes more resources than one group can afford without cutting into program work. Community Shares provides a low cost way for groups to raise significant amounts of money without having to drain all their resources. The revenues are stable and steady from year to year. Aside from income, Community Shares also provides greater public exposure before a wider audience than just one group would attract. Community Shares gives its members access to employee giving drives, which are very lucrative for non-profit organizations. In addition, Community Shares conducts skills workshops at nominal cost to its members, on such subjects as how to improve your grassroots fundraising, financial planning and management, marketing, board development and public relations.

HOW MUCH TIME IS INVOLVED IN BEING A COMMUNITY SHARES MEMBER?We estimate that fulfilling all obligations of Associate Membership (workplace campaign activities, workplace access activities, promotional activities, etc.) requires an average of 80 hours a year per group. Participation at a Full Member level will average around 120 hours a year. There will be months that won't require that much time, and other months that may require more, depending upon the time of year and the specific work of your representative.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON OUR OWN FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES?No and Yes. Community Shares members are encouraged to do their own fundraising. It is helpful if they coordinate their activities with other members, so there are no direct conflicts with Community Shares' member agencies fundraising drives. The only restriction is that a Community Shares member cannot be a United Way agency, because we do not want to duplicate United Way funding.

HOW ARE THE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED?All undesignated donations to Community Shares are equally divided among the Full Member groups. Designated donations go to the member(s) specified by the donor in addition to their undesignated share. A 10% fee is taken out of all campaign revenues to put back into Community Shares to help cover fundraising expenses.

HOW MUCH CAN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE? Associate members receive only designated funds, ranging from $300 to $15,000 a year, depending upon the popularity or attraction to the name and upon the familiarity the public has about the group. Full members will receive approximately $6,000 each in undesignated funds, in addition to their designations.

ARE ALL COMMUNITY SHARES MEMBERS EXPECTED TO ADOPT ISSUES/STANDS TAKEN BY THE OTHER MEMBERS? No. Our sole purpose is to fund-raise together, not to be a coalition around issues. However, many times our members will work collaborative on common issues, which we encourage. We also encourage our member groups to network with each other around both issues and common concerns regarding non-profits.

HOW DOES COMMUNITY SHARES PAY FOR ITS EXPENSES?Currently about 1/3 of the funds raised to cover our costs -- staff, office, phone, materials -- come from

foundation grants. Membership dues and the 10% fee make up another 1/3 and “grassroots fundraising” (mail appeals, phone-a-thons, events, etc) make up the last 1/3. We know we must become less dependent on foundation grants and are always working to lower dues and fees. That’s why, as part of CS, you’ll help with our fundraising efforts!

HOW DOES COMMUNITY SHARES DIFFER FROM UNITED WAY?Both Community Shares and the United Way represent various non-profit organizations in fundraising campaigns in the workplace. The major difference is who runs the fund, how allocations are made, and what sort of non-profit organizations are supported. Community Shares' allocations are based on the donor's wishes, rather than the wishes of an allocations committee. Community Shares members are represented on the Community Shares Board, and have a voice in deciding how the money will be raised, how it is to be allocated, and what other groups will be admitted. Community Shares also specifically seeks to be a resource for self-help grassroots organizations throughout Tennessee, and does not limit its membership to a particular county.

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