Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

The LEAGUE

Community Foundations and Procedure
Lesson 3:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
6th-8th Grade
Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
ELA: Group Discussions; Technology
PHIL: Foundations; Nonprofit; Youth Advisory Committee
SOC: Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Economic Sectors; Goods and Services

Purpose:

Having researched how the community foundation serves the community, the learners will form a Youth Advisory Committee and use parliamentary procedure to conduct business.

Duration:

Three Fifty-Minute Class Periods

Objectives:

The learners will:

  • describe how the four sectors of the economy function in the community.
  • give examples of how community foundations aid the community.
  • explain how Youth Advisory Committees use a form of advise and consent when making recommendations to Boards of Directors.
  • use parliamentary procedure to conduct a business meeting.

Materials:

Student copies of Running a Business Meeting (Attachment One)

Handout 1
Running a Business Meeting

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:
Put the term “community foundation” on the chalkboard and ask students whether or not their community has one. If they believe there is a community foundation for their community, ask them to describe anything it has done for the community.

  • Remind the learners that there are four sectors of the economy (family, government, for profit business and nonprofits). They exist because the government cannot and does not meet all needs. Review the four sectors by asking for examples of the needs they try to meet in the community. The last lesson stressed the importance of nonprofits, especially those that are foundations. Foundations are started by individuals, families, businesses and communities as a way to support causes and programs that benefit society (the common good). They do that by giving grants of money (which do not have to be repaid) to worthy causes. Today’s lesson will focus on the type of foundation known as a community foundation.

  • Community foundations pool the resources of many donors and focus their grantmaking on a particular city or region. Send students to the Internet to find out if their community has a community foundation. Go to http://fdncenter.org/funders/grantmaker and click on “community foundations.” Find your state and check the list for your community or the name of a nearby community which may include your area. Click on “Search Zone,” click on “Community Foundations” and type in the name of your community foundation. (NOTE: Some community foundations are relatively new and do not yet have functioning Web sites. It may be necessary to do a regular Web search using the name of your community foundation. Information may come from articles about the community foundation rather than from a specific Web site maintained by it.)
    Have the learners find out what projects received funding from the community foundation last year. Does there appear to be a focus for their funding (youth, senior citizens, environment, etc.)?

  • Explain that most community foundations try to obtain the input of all segments of the community when deciding how grants should be awarded. This includes students. In some cases there are one or two youth representatives from the community on the Foundation Board which makes decisions. In other cases there is a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) which makes recommendations to the Foundation Board for their selections. Like “advise and consent” which governs how the President and Congress work on some decisions, the Board is open to advice but, in this case, does not have to accept the recommendations of advisory committees. Most of the time, however, they will take the recommendations seriously.

  • When decisions have to be made, it is to the advantage of everyone to have a procedure that allows members to make decisions calmly with the input of everyone present. “Parliamentary procedure” (using Robert’s Rules of Order) is used to make sure that decisions are made in an orderly manner. Distribute copies of Running a Business Meeting (Attachment One) and go over the information provided. After the learners are clear on the information, arrange an exercise for students to practice using the procedure.
    They will serve as a Youth Advisory Committee to the school’s principal. Ask for volunteers to serve as chairman and secretary (students may also take turns).
    Announce the “problem” for the meeting. Students are being asked to design a new dress code for the school (or update an old one). Use the guidelines in Attachment One: Running a Business Meeting to run the meeting. (OPTION: Use a different “problem” that fits the current school climate.) Run the exercise until a completed dress code is designed.

  • Once the new dress code is designed, students should answer the following three questions in their journals:

    • “Advise and Consent” to the Principal: I recommend that the new dress code be adopted for the following reasons:

    • Our community foundation benefits the community in the following way(s):

    • The following strategies for running a business meeting allow business to be conducted in an orderly manner:

Assessment:

The practice exercise and the journal entries will allow the teacher to determine if students know how to use the skills of parliamentary procedure and understand the concept of advise and consent and community foundations.

Bibliographical References:

Lesson Developed and Piloted by:

Evelyn Nash
Curriculum Consultant
Learning to Give

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Running a Business Meeting

Typical Agenda

  1. Call to order and roll call of the members present

  2. Reading of the minutes
    (Followed by any corrections)

  3. Reports of officers, the Board and standing (regular) committees
    (They may make a motion for the group’s consideration.)

  4. Reports of special committees
    (They may make a motion for the group’s consideration to carry out any recommendations they make.)

  5. Unfinished Business
    (Include any issue that was not concluded, was postponed or was tabled during a prior meeting. The secretary’s minutes will help the chairman to include these items on the agenda.)

  6. New Business
    (These items can be introduced by the chairman or can come from any member present. Announcements, educational programs and speakers fit in this portion of the agenda.)

  7. Adjournment
    (A motion to adjourn may be made at any time of the meeting. If members are not ready to stop, they may vote against the motion and business can continue.)

Simplified Rules

  1. Only one subject may be before the group at a time.

  2. Each item presented for consideration is entitled to full and free debate.

  3. All members have equal rights to be heard.

  4. All remarks are addressed to the chairman which helps prevent opposing viewpoints from becoming personal battles.

  5. The rights of the minority must be preserved, but the will of the majority must be carried out.
  6. Once an action is passed, it should be supported by the whole group.

Handling Motions

  1. Obtaining the floor

    • Wait until the last speaker has finished.

    • Raise your hand.

    • Wait until the chairman recognizes you.

  2. Making a motion

    • Speak in a clear and concise (brief) manner

    • State the motion affirmatively. Say, “I move that…” rather than “I move that we do not…”

    • Avoid personalities and stay on your subject.

  3. Wait for someone to second your motion.

  4. Another member will second your motion by saying, “I second the motion,” or the chairman will ask for a second.

  5. If there is no second to your motion it is lost.

  6. The chairman states your motion.

    • The chairman will say, “It has been moved and seconded that…” thus placing your motion before the membership for consideration and action.

    • The membership then either debates your motion, or moves directly to a vote.

    • Once your motion is presented to the membership by the chairman, it becomes the property of the assembly and cannot be changed by you without the consent of the members.

  7. Expanding on your motion

    • The time for you to speak in favor of your motion is at this time rather than at the time you present it.

    • The mover is always allowed to speak first.

    • All comments and debate must be directed to the chair by saying, “Mr. Chairman…”

    • The mover may speak again only after other speakers have finished, unless called upon by the chairman.

  8. Putting the question to the membership

    • The chairman asks, “Are you ready to vote on the question?”

    • If there is no more discussion, a vote is taken.

    • A motion to “move the previous question” (stop the debate and vote) may be used if the discussion appears to have bogged down. The mover must be recognized by the chair and the motion must be seconded and receive a two-thirds vote in order to stop the discussion.

Voting on Motions

There are five different methods of voting.

  1. Voice Vote: The chairman asks those in favor to say “aye,” those opposed to say, “no.” Any member may move for an exact count.

  2. Roll Call: Each member answers “yes” or “no” as his/her name is called. This method is used when a record of each person’s vote is needed.

  3. By General Consent: When a motion is not likely to be opposed, the chairman says, “If there is no objection…” The members show agreement by their silence. If one member says, “I object,” the item must be put to a vote.

  4. Division: When the voice vote is questioned, the chairman may have members raise their hands or stand. Members are not actually counted.

  5. Ballot: Members write their vote on a slip of paper. This method is used when secrecy is desired.

Adapted from http://www.abateny.org

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Advise and Consent Summary

Lessons:

1.
Limits of Power
2.
Who Should Do It?
3.
Community Foundations and Procedure
4.
Youth Advisory Committee in Action

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