TELE-WORKSHOP FACT SHEET October 2, 2002 MAKING THE GRASSROOTS GROW: BUILDING AND SUSTAINING BYWAY ORGANIZATIONS TELE-WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT SPEAKERS Anne Tellett Anne Tellett is currently a Senior Partner with Move the Mountain Leadership Center, Inc., teaching programs that focus on transformational leadership.She has a Master of Social Work degree and is currently working toward her doctorate in Education through the University of Minnesota’s Leadership Academy. Previously, Anne spent 13 years as a regional planner and manager at the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, serving seven counties in Northeastern Minnesota. She was project manager of a five-year grassroots community leadership program, the Nor’easter Project, funded through the Kellogg Foundation. Anne was a featured presenter at the 1999 National Scenic Byways Conference and at the Orientation Training for newly designated National Scenic Byways in June 2000. Anne has expertise in administration, planning, strategic planning, organizational structures, group dynamics and leadership. Cheryl Newman Cheryl Newman joined America’s Byways Resource Center in February 1999. As a Byways Resource Specialist, she works with All-American Roads and National Scenic Byways in twelve states. Cheryl brings a background in education, administration and voluntarism to her role at the Center. Prior to joining the Resource Center in Duluth, Cheryl worked for 17 years at the 3M Company in St. Paul. A unique assignment in 1990-1991 gave her the opportunity to work as a staff member for the 1991 International Special Olympics, an event that involved coordi- nating 3,000 athletes with mental retardation from 160 different nations, as well as 30,000 volunteers and 16Twin Cities sports venues. Cheryl lives along Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Drive (an All-American Road). ORGANIZATION MAKES IT HAPPEN What do scenic byways have in common with lemonade stands and the Egyptian pyramids? Each requires some level of organization.The key is to find a structure that serves you without getting in your way. This Tele-Workshop focused on advantages and disadvantages of different organizational structures, and offered tips on making your group more effective. Cheryl Newman first referred the group to an upcoming publication from the America’s Byways Resource Center entitled,“Making the Grassroots Grow:Building and Sustaining Byway Organizations,” expected to be released in early 2003.“The project started two years ago as a twenty-page overview,” she said.“It has grown into a major publication with close to 200 pages now.” In part, the project’s change in scope came from the diversity of byway organizations themselves. No two byways share the same exact byway structure or operations. Additionally, each byway group also faces different challenges as it matures. Cheryl posed the question to the byway leaders tuned into the conference call, "What are your main issues related to byway organization?" The byway leaders from coast to coast responded with a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from coordinating multi-state and multi-jurisdictional byways to planning for leadership continuity. Anne and Cheryl discussed many of the issues in the limited time for the call. Other organizations related to byways include “friends of the byway” groups, foundations and multi-state collaborations. FIGURE: PRIMARY BYWAY ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS A. Citizen Group with Outside Fiscal Agent B. Nonprofit Organization C. Cooperative Agreement D. Government Agency as Lead E. Joint Powers Entity in the center of A-E: CUSTOMIZED STRUCTURE (an organizational mix) WHAT TYPE OF MODEL WORKS BEST? In the upcoming America’s Byways Resource Center publication, the authors noted that nonprofit organizations are very common among byways today. But most byway organizations began as a small group of active citizens.These informal citizen groups usually need outside fiscal agents and methods to accept money and handle financial transactions.They may also struggle with liability issues, since there may be a lack of legal protection for individuals within an informal structure.When they reach this point, many groups move to a more formal structure, such as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, to alleviate these concerns. Anne commented,“One of the issues facing byways is the complexity of structures. Sometimes creating a leadership group to get work done and then organizing a coalition to deal with broader issues is helpful.” This is especially true of lengthy byways or multi-state or multi-jurisdictional byways. BRIDGING THE MILES Newly designated byways headed toward a change in organizational status,such as moving from citizen group to nonprofit organization,or existing byways covering hundreds of miles,often find the logistics of scheduling and attending meetings a bit daunting. Both Anne and Cheryl agreed that the Historic National Road All- American Road,which spans a six-state corridor,is an excellent case study for other multi-state or multi-jurisdictional byways.The Historic National Road created an umbrella organization, the National Road Alliance,which obtained 501(C)(3) status.The Alliance invites membership from all six states. “One of the things they have done is to include three representatives from those six states and meet three times a year,” explained Cheryl. “The umbrella organization helps to coordinate strategic planning, wayfinding,interpretation and other activities to develop continuity across the miles.” Nonprofit organizations include more than the well-known tax-exempt 501(C)(3) status.The 501(C)(3) designation relates to the Internal Revenue code for a common type of tax-exempt corporation.Your byway may qualify for different codes and tax status based on the purpose of your organization.Seek advice from someone who is familiar with the legal aspects of nonprofit corporations before committing to a structure with legal and financial implications for your membership. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TAKE THE LEAD One common and easy organizational structure places leadership responsibilities for byway planning and oversight with a single government agency. Frequently, the governmental entity where all or most of the byway is located oversees managing the corridor, typically as part of a broader management plan.The agency may assign a staff person to commit a certain amount of time to the byway. A partnership with a government agency provides the ability to access agency skills and expertise on a variety of topics. Common byway leaders are the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, State Department of Transportation,or Bureau of Land Management. PHOTO: Some byways are located partially (or entirely) on public lands. In those cases, it’s common for a state or federal government to take the lead in managing the corridor.The USDA Forest Service takes the lead along the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway in Oregon.The byway winds by more than a dozen waterfalls and through the Umpqua National Forest. (Credit: Ron Murphy - BLM) An example of a fairly complex organization led by a single government agency is the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in Oregon.The corridor extends 360 miles and touches 26 incorporated cities, 7 counties and 40 state parks.“The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is the lead,” Cheryl said.“They hooked up with two existing byway groups with responsibilities for managing the corridor.The CMP (Corridor Management Planning) process unified their efforts and brought the three separate groups together.” AGREEING TO COOPERATE When the partners in a byway organization are agencies—rather than individual citizens—other types of byway organizations may evolve.Two formal organizational types are the cooperative agreement and the joint powers entity. Cooperative agreements, generally termed an interagency agreement or memorandum of understanding, can be useful tools for unifying the efforts of multiple agencies (public,private or both).The actual agreement, a written document, can range in complexity from a general statement of cooperation to a more comprehensive document that outlines specific procedures for accomplishing shared goals. Anne said,“The memorandum of understanding (MOU) or cooperative agreement defines each group’s responsibilities.” Anne noted that an MOU can be established between a government agency or nonprofit group and a marketing group to monitor commercialization of byway boundaries. A nonprofit organization and a government agency can establish an MOU,too.“Midland Trail National Scenic Byway in West Virginia has a nonprofit organization as its heart and soul. An MOU among government units and the nonprofit group’s lead staff allows them to handle broader policy issues for all.The MOU is an intersection point.” What if your byway is comprised of several government entities? A joint powers entity is a formal way for government agencies to work together.The foundation of a joint powers entity is a formal written agreement that legally defines the roles and responsibilities of the member agencies.This can streamline decision-making processes when you have many government organizations involved. “This is a more formal approach, particularly because it creates another government entity,” said Anne. She also commented,“A joint powers board or joint powers entity must be authorized by your state.This structure is regulated and defined a bit differently within each state, and not all states have enabling legislation.” FRIENDS HELP Within the various types of nonprofit structures, organizations such as “friends groups” and foundations may increase opportunities and efficiencies for byways, too. It’s possible that the type of organizational structure may restrict a byway’s ability to seek and accept certain types of donations. For example, some private foundations will only donate to nonprofit corporations. In this case, a properly registered nonprofit friends group may serve as a bridge. Famous for helping public libraries, friends groups have hosted book sales and other fund raisers to expand library resources.Their organizations serve as a terrific model for byways (see http://www.folusa.org/html/factsheets. html). Chel Ethun, a Byways Resource Specialist at America’s Byways Resource Center, suggested that byway leaders explore the friends group option through materials presented at the National Refuge Friends Conference co-hosted by the National Wildlife Refuge Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.“They held an entire workshop in Virginia just on friends organizations,because the NRWA now connects with a network of more than 200 friends groups across the country,” Chel said.You can learn more about this conference at http://www.refugenet.org/.The next conference will be held in January 2003. The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) also offers programs on friends groups, according to Chel. She suggested visiting the NCTC Web site at http://training.fws.gov/courses.html for more information. Friends groups are not new to byways,Cheryl noted.She commented that the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road in Louisiana has formed partnerships that have worked well.“Maine’s Acadia Byway has benefited from gifts from the Friends of Acadia, an organization dedicated to protecting Acadia National Park and the byway communities.The friends group donates millions of dollars,” she said. Another excellent case study comes from the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway in Colorado, which formed “The Friends of Beckwith Ranch” to save a historic ranch property for use as an interpretive center. Rural byways may find success with friends groups or other ancillary organizations, the presenters suggested. North Dakota’s Sheyenne River Valley Scenic Byway saw that the local hospital,the schools,the City, and other organizations were all seeking funds. Instead of competing, they formed a “grant writers round table” to share ideas for funding sources. “They share resources that might be a good fit for each other. Maybe one representative discovers a grant that won’t work for the hospital, but it’s an excellent match for the byway,” said Cheryl.“They use a breakfast meeting once a month to exchange ideas and information.” ATTRACTING VOLUNTEERS Looking around the community and familiarizing yourself with other organizations can also help build your volunteer base, according to the presenters, no matter what the population or location of your byway.“Where is the heart and soul, the galvanizing force for your byway?” asked Anne.“It’s in the volunteers—the individual people.” At Crowley’s Ridge Parkway in Arkansas, a spectacular brigade of 500 volunteers and 37 task forces tend to byway issues. Executive Director Ruth Hawkins went from county to county explaining the byway program and asking residents to complete a volunteer interest form.Volunteers were asked to sign-up for a wide range of specific committees such as Civil War history,cemeteries and beautification projects.Taking time to identify byway needs up-front was a successful strategy. A wide range of volunteers could find areas that matched their personal interests. The North Shore Scenic Drive All-American Road in Minnesota found a way to build volunteer support using a progressive informational packet.The first page stated the byway goals and the second page explained why byways are important. Page three told the prospective volunteer how much has been accomplished and what’s left to be done.Then page four told the reader how to get involved. PHOTO: Many a byway can trace its origins to a small group of citizens who shared a greater vision for the region or a road through the area. A dynamic citizen group provides leadership for North Dakota’s Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway.The group received a Community Spirit Award from the local Chamber of Commerce for its work to achieve national designation in 2002. Chel suggested using events, such as dedication ceremonies, as an opportunity for volunteer recruitment.“A dedication event celebrates the place–your community,” she said.“It can be an effective way to involve new partners and outside interests.” Chel cited the All- American Road Whistle Stop Tour presented by Louisiana’s Creole Nature Trail, which included a bus tour for local leaders and the press traveling a route with untraditional stops.The byway sent out creative invitations and partnered with CVBs and other visitor organizations to broaden the scope of the event. Similarly, the Historic National Road in Indiana coordinated with “designated byway” schools. Elementary schools, high schools and colleges were presented with a curriculum packet and a certificate honoring them as a National Road School. Students and teachers planned special programs such as skits, gymnasium programs, an instructor’s tea and other recognition events.“It generated a lot of interest in the National Road. In fact, schools beyond the corridor have asked to become involved.The byway is considering a similar program for National Road churches,” Cheryl said. Identifying byway stakeholders and related organizations allows you to effectively reach prospective volunteers in the community. More volunteers and partners help break up the load of responsibility and build positive momentum for your byway. PLANNING FUTURE LEADERSHIP Certainly, one person can ignite the passion of many others. Over time, however, one person may not be enough to carry the torch. What if a credible and influential volunteer started the byway organization, but now he’s retiring? How do you keep your coalition and partnerships going? Anne noted that with leaders retiring or moving for their jobs or other reasons, your byway’s organization cycle has an ebb and flow of people. Recruiting new byway members and leaders requires ongoing efforts. Byway groups may want to use succession planning to identify and groom future leadership for the organization. By planning ahead, there will be smooth transitions as the people within an organization change. Anne mentioned the recruiting tips adapted from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development in the upcoming America’s Byways Resource Center publication as a useful tool in building volunteers (see reverse of this page). FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU As your group grows and changes, so should your thinking about the group’s structure.When your size and needs change, it may be time to try something new. Groups do not need to be attached to one structure forever. A group may start as an informal citizen group and eventually form a nonprofit corporation. A byway that is led by a government agency may add a nonprofit friends group. A nonprofit organization may become a partner in an interagency agreement. Endless options and arrangements exist for byways. Successful byway organizations find organizational structures that work for their situations.The America’s Byways Resource Center and its partners can answer specific questions for your byway or direct you to resources that can help guide your planning. RESOURCES Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Sustaining Byway Organizations. America’s Byways Resource Center, available 2003 800-4BYWAYS or (800) 429-9297, ext. 5 BoardSource (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards) 1828 L Street NW, Suite 900,Washington, DC 20036-5114 Phone: (202) 452-6262 or (800) 883-6262 or Fax: (202) 452-6299 http://www.boardsource.org Carter McNamara, Free Management Library http://www.managementhelp.org/ Don Clark, Big Dog’s Leadership Page http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leader.html Heartland Center for Leadership Development 941 ‘O’ Street, Suite 920, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 Phone: (800) 927-1115 http://www.heartlandcenter.info/ Susan J. Ellis, The Volunteer Recruitment Book: (And Membership Development). Energize Books, October 1996 Joan M. Hummel, Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization. University of Minnesota Press, 1996 The Internet Nonprofit Center http://www.nonprofits.org/ Emily Kittle Morrison, Leadership Skills: Developing Volunteers for Organizational Success. Fisher Books, 1994 Ivan H. Scheier, When Everyone’s a Volunteer:The Effective Functioning of All-Volunteer Groups. Energize Books, 1992 Recruiting Byway Leaders and Volunteers Adapted from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development and included in the upcoming publication from America’s Byways Resource Center,“Making The Grassroots Grow: Building and Sustaining Byway Organizations.” 1 ASK “WHO’S NOT HERE?” Understanding the make-up of your community allows you to analyze the leadership pool and know when a section of the community isn’t represented.Your answer to "Who’s not here?" helps you develop a plan to increase involvement and target the areas that aren’t represented. 2 LOOK FOR SKILLS, NOT NAMES Rather than depending on the same people again and again for help with certain tasks, analyze the skills needed for the job and seek out a new helper. By looking at skills rather than names, you can discover leadership potential and involve new people in a byway project. 3 TRY INVOLVEMENT IN DEGREES Ask for help with small, simple tasks that allow people to grow into larger commitments. Gradual involvement helps leaders emerge and builds a cohesive group at the same time. 4 WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Match your recruiting style to the personal motivation of the new leader. Self-interest may be intellectual or social, but it is the foundation of volunteer efforts. Understand why prospective volunteers might be motivated to help. 5 USE A WIDE-ANGLE LENS Keep in mind that even the smallest, most limited volunteer effort can be part of the leadership activities of a community.What’s important is seeing how each contribution fits into the whole picture. 6 DEFINE THE TASK The simple technique of recruiting new leaders by asking for help becomes very effective when the task is defined by time commitment needed, the skills to be used and the contribution that the completed task will make. 7 USE CURRENT LEADERS TO RECRUIT NEW LEADERS Current leaders are in the best position to draw new leaders into community activities.Visibility, position/authority and example are powerful tools to use in persuading others to become involved and take on some responsibility. 8 CREATE A HISTORY OF EFFICIENT USE OF TIME Practice good time management by keeping meetings focused and organized.A reputation for efficiency always helps recruiting efforts. 9 OFFER MEMBERSHIP “PREMIUMS” What are the advantages and rewards of assuming a leadership role? A “premium” can be anything from a trip to a convention or a workshop to a certificate of appreciation. 10 MARKET YOUR WARES Build on the reputation of your group as effective and important to the community. Reports, newsletters and public awareness can do this formally, and word of mouth works informally. America’s Byways Resource Center provides information, connections and expertise that help build better byways. State coordinators, local groups, volunteers and organizations with ties to nationally designated scenic byways look to us for hands-on assistance in planning, preserving, promoting and managing scenic byways. 2002 Tele-Workshops Alternative Funding: Looking Beyond Traditional Sources Don Charpio, Bureau of Land Management Economics, Partnerships and Your Byway Community Ernesto Sirolli,The Sirolli Institute Traveling Gracefully: Interpreting Scenic Byways Ron Zimmerman and Michael Gross, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Sharing Your Heritage: If You Promote It,They Will Come Amy Jordan Webb, National Trust Heritage Tourism Program Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Sustaining Byway Organizations Web Site Technology Stephen Clyde, Utah State University, National Scenic Byways Online America’s Byways Resource Center 227 West First Street, Suite 610 Duluth, MN 55802 Tel: 218-625-3469 Fax: 218-625-3333 1-800-4BYWAYS (1-800-429-9297) Ext. 5 www.byways.org © 2002 America’s Byways Resource Center