1 Shipyard Legacy Fund: Designing a Quasi-Public Entity
Community Workshop Victor Rubin Director of Research PolicyLink
November 4, 2006 Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
Slide 2
2 What is a Quasi-Public Entity? The Enhanced Community
Benefits Program called for establishment of a Quasi-Public Entity
(QPE) to carry out the Investment Roadmap mission and programs
Quasi-public entities carry out certain functions on behalf of
government. The QPE will administer the Shipyard Legacy Fund for
the benefit of the community The QPE is to be representative of the
BVHP community and to conform to all laws and regulations governing
conflicts of interest and open public meetings Copyright 2006
PolicyLink
Slide 3
3 Goals for Creating a Quasi-Public Entity This entity must be
capable of implementing the activities contained in the initial
Investment Roadmap: Community Benefits Project Working Families
Center Environmental Justice Fund Signature Project for Economic
Development Community Parcel Use Project It needs to be flexible
and to respond to the changing needs and priorities of the
community And it needs to be Independent, Transparent, Accountable,
Inclusive, and Effective Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
Slide 4
4 1.What sort of governance? Structure of the governing board
Additional advisory board(s) 2.What type of entity? Legal and tax
status Compliance with conflict of interest and public meeting
requirements Four Major Decision Areas for QPE Structure 3.How will
things get done? Which programs will be internal versus external?
Core staff size and functions Use of consultants and/or
partnerships 4.How will funding work? At start-up Plans for
long-term sustainability Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
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5 Responsibilities of the QPE Board The board of the QPE will
have many responsibilities: Overseeing and monitoring all of the
programs and activities Providing leadership, setting broad policy,
and ensuring the mission is accomplished Hiring and supervising an
Executive Director Being responsible for using SLF funds for the
benefit of the BVHP communityexercising fiduciary responsibility
Other functions like fundraising and community relations Copyright
2006 PolicyLink
Slide 6
6 Many elements of a board of directors need to be determined:
1)What size will it be? 2)Who will serve as members? 3)How will
they be selected? 4)How will board officers be selected? 5)How
often will the board meet? 6)Will there be committees? 7)What
policies will govern it (e.g., conflict of interest)? 8)Will there
be advisory boards to provide input or expertise on certain issues
or activities? Question about the Board of Directors Copyright 2006
PolicyLink
Slide 7
7 Board Membership and Selection Key questions to decide about
the QPE board: Who should be the members? How will they be
selected? Some guidelines: The DDA and the RFP state that the board
of the QPE shall have meaningful community-based representation
with members recruited and selected through an open and fair public
process Board members should represent a range of different skills,
experiences, knowledge, expertise, and connections The best board
members are those who are passionate about furthering the mission
of the organizationwho care deeply about the future of the BVHP
community Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
Slide 8
8 Methods for Selecting Board Members Recreated from: Hurwit
& Associates, Nonprofit Law Resource Library,
http://www.hurwitassociates.com/l_charts_methods.html 1) Ex-Officio
Appointment Public officials and others who serve by virtue of
their position 4) External Nominating Committee Board of Directors
3) Election by membership, constituents, or community base 5)
Appointment by a political body, e.g., the Mayors Office Copyright
2006 PolicyLink 2) Self-generating through Nomination
Committee
Slide 9
9 Copyright 2006 PolicyLink Examples: Member Composition and
Selection Methods on Governing Bodies that have Relevance for the
QPE
Slide 10
10 Board Composition and Selection How many board members? 34
members Who is represented? 16 residents from each of the 4 major
ethnic groups (African-American, Latino, Cape Verdean, White) and 2
additional Board-appointed residents, 3 youth, 7 nonprofit
agencies, 2 churches, 2 businesses, and 2 CDCs How are they
selected? The membership of DSNI elects all but two of its board
members Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) Copyright 2006
PolicyLink Nonprofit community-based planning and organizing entity
serving the Roxbury/North Dorchester neighborhoods in Boston. DSNI
is structured as a membership organization, with 3,000 residents
and neighborhood organizations serving as dues-paying members.
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11 Dudley Neighbors Incorporated Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
Urban community land trust created to implement the revitalization
plans of Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) and preserve
housing affordability. The Boston Redevelopment Agency worked with
DSNI to create a new urban renewal area for the Dudley Triangle and
then gave DNI authority over vacant land in the area. Board
Composition and Selection How many board members? 11 members Who is
represented? Community Organizations and Officeholders How are they
selected? By appointment DSNI appoints 6 members Each of the
following appoint 1 member: Mayor of Boston, Roxbury Neighborhood
Council, City Councilperson, State Senator (non-voting), State
Representative (non-voting)
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12 Sawmill Community Land Trust Copyright 2006 PolicyLink
Community land trust founded in 1997 to bring affordable housing
and economic activities to the Sawmill neighborhood adjacent to
downtown Albuquerque, protect low-income residents from
gentrification, and enable them to make decisions and to benefit
from the redevelopment of the area. Governance is based on CLT
membership model. Board Composition and Selection How many board
members? 10 Who is represented? Resident-majority, Business,
Public/Nonprofit 3 Leaseholder Residents 3 Non-leaseholding
Residents 1 Commercial Leaseholder 3 Public/nonprofit
Representatives How are they selected? Nominated from and elected
by members
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13 Empower Baltimore Management Corporation (EBMC) Copyright
2006 PolicyLink Nonprofit organization created by the City of
Baltimore to manage the Baltimore Empowerment Zone effort aimed at
employment, economic development, and homeownership. EBMC
established 6 new community-based organizations (Village Centers)
to facilitate programs and contracted with other organizations.
Board Composition and Selection How many board members? 30 members
Who is represented? Residents (36%), Businesses, Churches,
Non-profit agencies, and City and State agencies How are they
selected? Mix of Elected and Appointed Members 19 Mayoral
appointments include Representatives from 6 Village Centers
established by EBMC 11 Members elected by the public
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14 Neighborhood Connections Fund Copyright 2006 PolicyLink An
affiliated fund of the Cleveland Foundation created in 2002 to
provide small grants ($500-$5,000) to community groups working to
improve Clevelands neighborhoods. All grant evaluation and funding
decisions are made by a Grant Making and Monitoring Committee
comprised of residents. The Fund was allocated $2.5 million in 2005
and supported 87 projects that year. Committee Composition and
Selection How many members? 18 members Who is represented?
Residents How are they selected? Nomination and approval by
Committee Original members nominated by neighborhood organizations
and designed to be broadly representative of Cleveland New members
are nominated by neighborhood groups, complete an application, and
then are interviewed by Committee members
Slide 15
15 Questions? Comments? Please contact us: Victor Rubin,
Director of Research, [email protected]@policylink.org
Sarah Treuhaft, Program Associate,
[email protected]@policylink.org Copyright 2006
PolicyLink