Brooklyn Food Coalition By-laws

Mission Statement: The Brooklyn Food Coalition is a grassroots organization of individuals and groups working together on projects that promote food justice, food security and a sustainable food system in Brooklyn.

The Coalition is fundamentally committed to building an inclusive, multi-racial, multi-cultural alliance of residents and community-based groups from all parts of Brooklyn, reflecting the borough’s rich diversity.

1.0 Membership

Membership in the Brooklyn Food Coalition is open to any and all residents of the Borough of Brooklyn who are dedicated to the mission statement as adopted and fulfill the following conditions:

1.1 Membership in the Brooklyn Food Coalition will be on an individual basis determined by the fulfillment of the following two conditions:
      a. Payment to the Brooklyn Food Coalition of a yearly membership fee of $25.00US.
      b. Willingness to actively participate in and volunteer for Brooklyn Food Coalition event and projects.

1.2 Groups will be recognized as members of the Brooklyn Food Coalition at the discretion of the Steering Committee based on the following criteria:
      a. Three or more group members who are also active individual Coalition Members, including attendance at open member meetings.
           i. The steering committee has the option to waive this requirement for Affiliate Groups.
      b. A demonstrated interest in community-based food advocacy
      c. Active work towards improving food justice.
      d. Commitment to member diversity in race, religion, gender, sexual preference, age and ability.
      e. Group interest and commitment to participating as a recognized Brooklyn Food Coalition Group.
      f. Group membership will be reviewed at the discretion of the Steering Committee to ensure continued compliance with these criteria.

1.3 Groups can be any one of three types:
      a. Neighborhood Groups – volunteers organizing together on projects of their choosing, related to the Coalition's mission, in the Brooklyn neighborhoods where they reside.
      b. Working Groups - volunteers organizing around specific issues or projects related to the Coalition’s mission.
      c. Affiliate Groups – other like-minded groups in Brooklyn that support Brooklyn Food Coalition’s mission and collaborate with BFC projects whenever possible.

2.0 Steering Committee

The affairs and activities of the Brooklyn Food Coalition are facilitated and supported by the BFC Steering Committee.

2.1 The Steering Committee shall:
      a. Be accountable to Coalition Members and Member Groups.
      b. Seek guidance on decisions with substantial impact on the Coalition’s mission or structure by general consensus of active Members.
      c. Have the power to create working committees and delegate responsibilities to them.
      d. Name officers including, but not limited to, General Coordinator, Co- Coordinator, Treasurer, and Secretary.

2.2 Roles of the Steering Committee:
      a. Oversee the execution of Coalition affairs, within parameters endorsed by the Membership at Open and General Meetings, including but not limited to:
           i. Enrollment of Members and Member Groups
           ii. Fundraising and authorization of annual budgets
           iii. Staffing decisions and oversight
           iv. Community alliances
           v. Facilitation of policy and advocacy initiatives.
      b. Organize and conduct no less then six meetings a year. A minimum of three of those meetings shall be open to membership for relevant business, and one of those shall be an Annual General Membership Meeting
      c. Develop and allocate resources to support Member Group activities
      d. Support Member Groups’ initiatives that are relevant to the Coalition’s mission
      e. Present new initiatives of interest to Members and Member Groups and relevant to the Coalition’s mission for endorsement
      f. Present written status reports to the Members at each of the three open meetings per year and to funders upon request.
      g. The Steering Committee may appoint an Advisory Board consisting of 6-8 people offering professional skills or contacts contributing to the BFC's mission. The Advisory Board will meet twice a year, elect their own rotating Chair, report minutes of their meetings, and interface with the Steering Committee and staff.

2.3 Steering Committee Members and Decision Making The BFC Steering Committee consists of six voting members (“Voting Members”) and four alternate members (“Alternates”). The six voting members shall include the following officers:

• General Coordinator
• Co-Coordinator
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Two Steering Committee members at large Guest members may be present in a non-voting, advisory role at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

Decisions involving daily operations of the BFC shall be made by the Staff with the oversight of the Steering Committee.

Decisions involving policy endorsements, initiatives, membership, fundraising and amendments to these By-Laws shall be the responsibility of the Steering Committee and will be made by consensus at committee meetings when a quorum of five members is present. In the absence of consensus, the General Coordinator, or Co-Coordinator, in the General Coordinator’s stead, may call for a vote among Voting Members (or alternates, acting in their stead, as necessary, to achieve a Quorum), upon agreement of a question to be put forth.

2.4 Terms and General Responsibilities

The terms of Steering Committee Members are as follow:
      a. Six voting members, serving evenly staggered, two-year terms.
      b. Four alternate members, serving two-year terms staggered in the same way as the Steering Committee.
      c. Guest Members serve at the discretion of the Steering Committee in an advice and informational role.

A Steering Committee Member who has failed to meet the obligations of their elected position as defined by these By-Laws may be voted off the Steering Committee by a quorum and replaced with an alternate. The remaining Steering Committee members will choose the alternate by a majority vote from the existing alternates. The Steering Committee may invite qualified BFC Members in good standing to complete the unfinished term of an alternate.

The first Steering Committee and Alternates shall be elected in winter 2011, no later then December 31st, from members of the Coalition active at the time these By-Laws are adopted and meeting the criteria stated below for Steering Committee members. Three members of the first Steering Committee will serve for two years, three members will serve for one year.

2.4 Steering Committee Officers

Each year, after the annual election of three Voting Members and two Alternate Members by the BFC Membership, the Steering Committee will designate Officers serving one-year terms. The Officers responsibilities shall include but not be limited to the following:

General Coordinator shall chair Steering Committee meetings in accordance with these By-laws, set meeting agendas with the advice of elected members, conduct meetings in an orderly and effective manner, generally ensure that BFC Affairs and Activities are conducted in accordance with these By-Laws and generally represents BFC to other parties. The General Coordinator supervises any paid staff of the Coalition.

Co-Coordinator, who acts in the stead of the General Coordinator in the General Coordinator ‘s absence, shall assist the General Coordinator, as may be necessary, respond to correspondence directed to BFC Steering Committee, and prepare the Annual BFC Report.

Secretary shall maintain these By-laws, record the business conducted at Steering Committee meetings in Meeting Minutes for approval by the Steering Committee, and ensure that approved Steering Committee Meeting Minutes and these By-laws are available for reference at Steering Committee Meetings.

Treasurer shall prepare, maintain, and report on the BFC budget, manage BFC finances on a day-by-day basis, including authorizing or making payments, maintaining financial accounts and bank accounts in good order, and execute necessary federal, state, and local tax reporting, as may be necessary.

3.0 Committees

The Steering Committee relies generally on Staff, Neighborhood Groups and Working Groups to facilitate BFC affairs and activities. However, for certain specific Coalition related business Committees may be formed on a permanent or short term basis by the Steering Committee. Committees must have at least three BFC Members serving on them. A BFC Member will act as liaison between each Committee and the BFC Steering Committee. Committees will report on their activities and meetings at Steering Committee Meetings.

There is one mandatory, permanent Committee: the Election Committee. The Election Committee identifies and encourages qualified BFC Members in good standing to stand for election to the Steering Committee and conducts Steering Committee elections. The Election Committee consists of Members who are not on the Steering Committee and are members in good standing.
The Election Committee will be responsible for determining that each slate of Steering Committee candidates reasonably reflects the racial makeup of the Coalition Membership and of Brooklyn.

4.0 Steering Committee Elections

Any current BFC member, as determined by the Election Committee, may run for a position on the BFC Steering Committee. Candidates may be nominated by the Election Committee, may nominate themselves, be nominated by another BFC member. Any individual who wishes to be a candidate for the Steering Committee, and has been nominated through one of the described methods must enter their name for placement on the ballot no later then one month before the announced election date, Write-in candidate at the time of voting are allowed as long as they are active BFC members.

All BFC Members in good standing must be allowed to cast a vote in a manner to be devised by the Election Committee. In the event of a tie the Election Committee may submit the names to the membership for a tiebreaker.

BFC Members qualified to be Candidates will have been Brooklyn Food Coalition Members in good standing for at least three months prior to nomination. Other qualifications may include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrated support of the BFC
• Active support of, participation in, or leadership of BFC
• Activities Membership in the wider New York City food community, as a food producer or distributor, activist, scholar or writer, etc
• Ability and willingness to donate ample amounts of time to BFC and to meet Steering Committee Member performance expectations
• Experience, skills, and affiliations that will strengthen the Steering Committee and Brooklyn Food Coalition.

Annual BFC Steering Committee elections will occur during the late fall and early winter of each year but no later than December 1st. Newly elected Steering Committee Voting Member and Alternate Member terms will be deemed to commence as of January 1st.

5.0 Guest Members
To have benefit of their knowledge and experience and to ensure that the composition of the Steering Committee reflects that of the larger New York City community, the Steering Committee may invite individuals to join the Steering Committee as Guest Members. Guest Members may be New York City or regional food producers or distributors, community activists or advocates, scholars or writers, or former BFC Steering Committee Members whose knowledge, skills, professional credentials, or affiliations will benefit the BFC. Guest Members need not be BFC Members. Guest Member terms will be at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

Schedule A

Neighborhood Groups

What Neighborhood Groups Do

• Identify one or two Group priorities
• Organize and/or participate in at least two outreach activities per calendar year.
• Host at least one food-related event per calendar year with support from BFC staff.
• Initiate relationships with at least five community-based organizations in their

neighborhood

• Support BFC By-laws
• Report to Steering Committee and staff on meeting and event attendance, topics of discussion, and goals

How BFC Supports Neighborhood Groups

• Provide $200 stipend per Neighborhood Group per calendar year
• Help procure volunteers for outreach events
• Coordinate Park Slope Food Coop “Future Time Off Program” (FTOP) workshift credit for volunteer work on specific projects and events (FTOP credit also is available for Neighborhood Group leaders)
• Assist with publicity for at least two neighborhood outreach activities per calendar year and provide support for one neighborhood-hosted event including planning, advertising, outreach, and logistics
• Communicate opportunities for Neighborhood leaders to table, present or attend food-centric and food access events
• Support Neighborhood Group applications for mini-grants that fund outreach activities and priorities
• Provide two community organizing/food systems training events per calendar year

• Provide other opportunities for connecting with individuals, groups, organizations and elected officials for the sake of advancing the Group’s work

Schedule B

Working Groups

What Working Groups Do

• Work together on specific projects and/or issues on an ad hoc or ongoing basis (e.g. Brooklyn School Food Network, Conference Committee)
• Designate one point person to liaise with BFC, including attendance at open Steering Committee meetings
• Support the mission of the BFC
• Support BFC By-laws
• Report to Steering Committee and staff on meeting and event attendance, topics of discussion, and goals

How BFC Supports Working Groups

• Help procure volunteers for outreach events
• Assist with publicity for outreach activities as needed
• Communicate opportunities for Group leaders to table, present or attend food-centric and food access events
• Support Group applications for mini-grants that fund outreach activities and priorities
• Plan at least four events each calendar year that help cultivate leadership in Groups
• Provide other opportunities for connecting with individuals, groups, organizations and elected officials for the sake of advancing the Group’s work