After the member survey in spring, we had sensemaking sessions in the wider SWG and from there, we described the success criteria for the new EDGE structure. Next we had intended to work with our 3 leading questions (more about this in the June update below). For capacity reasons, we didn’t manage to kick off this line of work. For the already planned September workshops, the SWG core group decided to switch from the ‘meta level of work’, to a more practical approach and focus on current and urgent construction sites that the Board and staff have been working on already. Over the course of two sessions, a diverse group of members brainstormed on questions around Board formation and role and about membership decision-making processes.
The outcomes of both workshops, together with the collective work so far, gave us enough building blocks to try and design an updated governance model. On the short term, we’re not looking at a radical restructuring. On the contrary: it’s adapting what we have currently to something that could work for us immediately. It entails the needed fixes within the current structure, and asks questions about directions for a future (more radical?) development. The structure needs to enable us all to work with the new strategy (to be adopted by the Board in December) and allow for members and non-members with different needs to participate in different ways.
The model was presented at the Europe retreat workshop in October and members based in the Americas in an online workshop in November. Based on the feedbacks from the members present there, we have updated the model (see below). In parallel the staff and the Board are working on adapting their mandates to the current self-steering team framework.
From there the SWG will synthesise the building blocks and bring the model to the Board as well as design a collective decision-making process around adopting it. In general the idea is to have a short term solution ready before the EDGE conference in Bogota and develop next steps for future development from there.
If you want to know more or would like access to the SWG working documents, please get in touch with SWG coordinator Jotham.
Updated DRAFT model (15 November 2024):
Board: part directly elected by the members (passive and active rights), part delegated by WGs (incl. RSGs)
Strategy, governance, policies, fundraising, HR (hiring/firing key staff), finances (signing off on annual budget & annual report), legal representation and make sure that the 501(c)(3) status is kept.
Staff: the self-steering team is in charge of all daily operations (coordination and activities) as well as all (preparatory) work for eg. strategy, policies, fundraising. Supervision by Board based on annual work plan. Major deviations from work plan or budget decided in ExComm.
ExComm: regular decision making meeting with representation of Board and staff on issues beyond annual work plan/staff mandate (incl. crisis management)
Regional Steering Groups (RSGs): directly elected by the members in the regions (passive and active rights)
Membership engagement and activities (onboarding new members, organising retreats), regional representation and fundraising. RSGs for Europe, Americas (split to North and South America?) and others regions. There are concerns about the functionality of the RSGs and a proposal to transform them into regional working groups
Working Groups (WGs): if RSGs are not deemed functional, working groups on the initiatives, pods, GEL, etc. could take over these roles. And if not working groups: what other bodies could work packages/power be distributed to? (WGs are open to activist/movement representation)
Agora: facilitated space to give voice to grievance, mediate (internal) conflicts, reflect on governance and generally hold EDGE accountable. Can happen in person (at conference/retreats) and online for accessibility. Agora can petition the Board for installing working groups. Open to activist/movement representation
Members: election (passive and active) of RSGs and Board
Consulted on strategy and other major issues through surveys, focus groups, workshops. Encouraged to participate in working groups. Informed via communications channels: newsletter and regular online meetings.
Movements: (for now) representation through smaller activist funds and working groups. (Pending also ongoing movement process).