How to Write a Constitution for your Softball Association

Transcription

1 Hw t Write a Cnstitutin fr yur Sftball Assciatin As the leaders f a Sftball Assciatin, yu need t understand the imprtance f a cnstitutin. A cnstitutin is simply a set f written rules r an agreement gverning the aims f yur rganizatin, hw it will run and hw the members will wrk tgether. A cnstitutin is imprtant fr yur Sftball Assciatin t have because: withut a written understanding, peple may becme cnfused and things may nt get dne; it will act as a pint f reference and help reslve any prblems r cntrversy that may arise; it reassures the public and funding bdies that yur Assciatin is prperly run and that mney is effectively managed; it illustrates that yur Assciatin is demcratic and accuntable, with clear methds by which decisins are made. The fllwing utlines the list f things that shuld be addressed in yur Sftball Assciatin s Cnstitutin: Article 1: Assciatin Name State the fficial name f the rganizatin. The name f yur rganizatin shuld reflect what yur Assciatin is all abut and is a very imprtant factr. Yu need t bear in mind that every member f yur rganizatin shuld identify with the name f yur Assciatin. Als, d yu want the subject r the main interest f yur Assciatin t cme first, r the area in which yu are based? Hw might the name appear n any literature? Culd it be misleading r ffensive t peple? Mst imprtantly, is there already a Assciatin with the same name lcated lcally? Article 2: Purpse Clearly state the bjectives, purpse r missin f yur rganizatin. T put it anther way, why has yur Assciatin cme tgether? What is it hping t accmplish? Yur bjectives shuld cver nt nly what yu aim t achieve at this pint in time, but what yu may wish t d in the future. D nt simply list varius activities, but keep yur aims as wide as pssible t enable yu t change yur activity withut amending yur cnstitutin, giving yu flexibility as yu develp. D nt simply state that yu want t create a yuth club at a particular address, but talk abut integrating peple in a wider area. The bjectives sectin is the mst difficult t change and, therefre, requires a lt f thught and cnsideratin! Article 3: Membership Define wh are cnsidered members f yur rganizatin Sectin 1: Eligibility State wh is eligible fr membership in the rganizatin. All Assciatins are made up f members wh wish t be invlved in an rganizatin. Members essentially wn and cntrl the rganizatin, s it is imprtant t determine wh membership will be pen t. Eligibility requirements can include age restrictins, residency requirements, etc.

2 Sectin 2: Classes r Types f Membership If there are different types f membership, describe them here. Each class shuld be described in a separate paragraph. Organizatins are nt required t have different classes r types f membership, hwever sme chse t include separate categries fr players, caches and bard members. Sectin 3: Revking Membership If members can lse their status as members, describe such circumstances here. Fr example, a player may lse their membership status fr failure t adhere t the rganizatin s cde f cnduct. Typically a disciplinary hearing must be undertaken, with a Cmmittee determining the status f the player s membership accrding t the Assciatin s discipline plicy. Article 4: Offices It is cmmn fr cmmittees t have named individuals knwn as fficers, t carry ut varius tasks n behalf f yur Assciatin. These may include a president, chairpersn, secretary r treasurer. Yu als need t cme t an agreement n hw fficers will be chsen, whether they will be elected at yur annual general meeting r appinted by yur cmmittee, and hw lng they will be in place (fr a limited r unlimited perid). Hw will the fficers be remved where this is required? Hw will their vacancies be filled? Als, what will their pwers and respnsibilities be? Sectin 1: Officer Respnsibilities List the fficers included in the gvernance f the rganizatin and give descriptin f their duties and respnsibilities. Sectin 2: Term f Office State the length f term f the ffices. If ffices are filled fr different term lengths, be sure t differentiate. In additin, be specific as t the beginning and end f the term. Sectin 3: Nminatins and Electins If fficers are elected, include a sentence stating that they are elected. Paragraph 1: Eligibility Describe specific fficer eligibility here. Are nly players able t be an fficer? Can the parent r guardian f a player becme an fficer? Are Caches eligible t becme fficers? Paragraph 2: Nminatin Prcedures Describe hw candidates fr ffices are nminated. Fr example, candidates may be nminated by the executive cuncil, a nminating cmmittee, frm the flr by the general membership, r by sme cmbinatin f these. Paragraph 3: Electin Prcedures Describe hw electins will be cnducted and the margin f ballts cast in rder t be elected. Electins may be cnducted at a general meeting f the membership r by casting ballts during a pre-established time. Vtes may be cast by a shw f

3 hands r by secret ballt. Margins required fr electin can range frm a majrity f members present t 2/3 f the vtes cast during a regularly scheduled meeting r the rganizatin. Sectin 4: Vacancies Include a general statement regarding ffice vacancies. Paragraph 1: Resignatins Describe what is required f an fficer in rder t resign frm an ffice. Paragraph 2: Remval Describe what circumstances may result in the remval f an fficer frm ffice as well as the prcedure fr such remval. Paragraph 2: Filling Vacancies Describe the prcedure fr filling vacancies in ffices. When vacancies ccur, the president r the fficers may appint replacements r they may be elected by the fficers r the general membership. Article 5: Cmmittees If standing r ad hc cmmittees are t be included in the gvernance and peratin f the rganizatin, describe them here. If bth standing and ad hc cmmittees are part f the rganizatinal structure, describe each in a separate sectin. Describe hw cmmittee members and chairs will be chsen. If ad hc cmmittees are used, describe hw these cmmittees will be established. Fr example, ad hc cmmittees may be established at the will f the president r as prjects arise frm rganizatin business. Article 6: Finance If yur rganizatin requires funds t perate, their surce, versight, maintenance, and disbursement shuld be described here. Sectin 1: Oversight Typically, the treasurer is charged with the versight f rganizatinal funds. If s, be sure that such respnsibilities are described in Article 4: Offices Sectin 1: Officer Respnsibilities Sectin 2: Surce f Funding Indicate hw funds will be accumulated. Fr example, mst Sftball Assciatins charge a yearly registratin r membership fee. Others may rely upn fundraising effrts. Sme rely n bth. If membership r registratin fees are t be cllected, state the amunt and frequency here. Organizatins may als wish t make prvisins fr members wh jin at different time during the year - fr example, sme Assciatins ffer a discunted Early Bird registratin fee, encuraging players t sign up early. Sectin 3: Maintenance f Funds Indicate where mnies raised by the rganizatin will be maintained. Fr example: All mnies belnging t this rganizatin shall be depsited and disbursed thrugh a bank accunt established fr this rganizatin by the Bard f Directrs.

4 Sectin 4: Disbursement f Funds Indicate wh has signing authrity fr cheques frm the Assciatin s bank accunt. Fr example: The Officers f Sftball Ontari and the Executive Directr will have signing authrity fr all financial transactins cnducted in the name f Sftball Ontari. Transactins under $500 will require ne signature, while transactins $500 r ver will require tw signatures. Article 7: Rules f Prcedure Rules and regulatins peculiar t the cnductin f rganizatin business shuld be stated here. Sectin 1: Meetings Indicate frequency, and, if apprpriate, ccurrences f meeting here. Organizatins may meet mnthly, semi-mnthly [bi-mnthly is nce every 2 mnths], weekly, etc. Sme rganizatins state that meetings will ccur n specific days f the mnth, week, etc. Sectin 2: Attendance State specific attendance requirements/expectatins here. If specific attendance requirements exist, be sure that recrd maintenance assciated with attendance has been assigned in Article 4: Offices; Sectin 1: Officer Respnsibilities. Sectin 3: Qurum A qurum is the minimum number f members required t be present at a meeting in rder t cnduct the business f the rganizatin. It may be stated as a specific number [NOT RECOMMEDED] r a fractin r percentage f the active membership. Sectin 4: Minutes State any requirements fr maintaining meeting minutes. It is recmmended that all rganizatins make prvisins fr maintaining meeting minutes. If s stated, be sure that an assciated respnsibility/duty has been assigned in Article 4: Offices; Sectin 1: Officer Respnsibilities. Article 8: Amendments Describe hw this cnstitutin may be amended. Indicate wh may prpse amendments, hw such prpsed amendments are reviewed, and hw they are decided. Be sure t state the minimum vting requirements fr passing a cnstitutinal amendment. Article 9: Disslutin If fr any reasn yu need t wind up yur Assciatin, yu must adpt rules similar t thse yu have put in place t make changes t yur cnstitutin. This may ccur if yur Assciatin is simply lacking in supprt r resurces, r if yur activities have been transferred t anther rganizatin. Nt nly will yu need t include details n hw yu will call a special meeting and hw many members shuld be present befre yu can disslve yur rganizatin, but yu will need t include infrmatin regarding what will happen t any remaining assets r mney. Usually when an Assciatin ceases t exist, debts are repaid and the surplus assets r finances are then distributed r dnated t similar Assciatins r lcal charities. This is basically t reassure the public and any funding bdies that the mney is being utilized prperly and nt just being split between members.

5 Get started! If yu feel yu are able t answer the abve questins and have the necessary infrmatin, yu can begin writing yur cnstitutin! Get tgether with the rest f yur Assciatin t draw up yur cnstitutin and make sure everyne has a say in deciding the bjectives f yur rganizatin and hw it is ging t be run. Begin with a clear, simple draft that will allw yu t elabrate and expand as yu g alng and keep in mind that the language yu use desn t have t be cmplex. It shuld be written in a way s that everyne can understand the manner in which yur Assciatin is run and what yu are aiming t achieve. When writing yur cnstitutin, as well as cnsidering the day-t-day running f yur Assciatin, try t plan fr unexpected events r circumstances such as resignatins, disagreements between members, r even the winding up f yur Assciatin. T frmally adpt yur cnstitutin yu must call a special public meeting t finalize the rules and btain the agreement f the members. As yur cnstitutin is the gverning dcument fr yur Assciatin, yu need t ask all the cmmittee members t sign and date the cnstitutin (including the lcatin where the agreement was reached) and ensure that the decisin is recrded by the Secretary in the minutes f the meeting. All cmmittee members shuld be given a cpy f yur cnstitutin when they jin t ensure they fully understand the rules f yur Assciatin. Dn t frget that nce yu have written yur cnstitutin yu must abide by it, s dn t be afraid t keep writing draft versins until all yur members are ttally happy with it. References: Ten Steps t Writing a Cnstitutin. 14 June GRANTfinder Ltd. < Hw T Write a Cnstitutin. 14 June Natinal Federatin f Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Scieties. <