Table of Contents

• What does it mean to be "incorporated?"
• Why is being incorporated important for councils?
• How do I have my council incorporated?
• How do we obtain 501(c)(3) designation (tax-exempt status)?
• What guidelines should I follow to be sure my council operates efficiently?
• What type of information should be included in my council's bylaws?
• Sample bylaws

• I have just been elected president -- now what?
• What can I do to become a more effective leader?
• What are common responsibilities and duties of council officers?
• What records should council maintain? Who keeps them? Where? For how long?
• How do I run a meeting?
• How can I reduce the possibility of conflict during my meetings?
• Can I be an effective leader? What are my strengths? Weaknesses? (A worksheet)

• How many and what types of businesses are located in my neighborhood?
• How many and what types of schools, religious institutions, and social services agencies are here?
• What types of services or charitable activities do they provide to area residents?
• What do the residents of my neighborhood look like?
• What do they want and need?
• Who among them are potential council members and/or volunteers?
• How do we organize groups in my neighborhood?
• What are some points we should know before going door-to-door?
• What are Block watch groups? How are they formed?

This section includes a community-produced directory of important neighborhood contacts and resources, as well as a brochure and booklet listing key information about county and state departments and county-wide elected representatives. Also included is a segment devoted to special programs sponsored by the City of Cincinnati.

• What is the Grants Resource Center?
• How do I get started writing a grant proposal?
• How do I determine who to ask for funds?
• What are some do's and don'ts of grant writing?
• What is an RFP? How do I use it to prepare my proposal?
• What are my responsibilities if I get funded?
• Who can apply for an Invest Merit Grant?

Leadership Manual

In early 1999, Invest in Neighborhoods produced a loose-leaf manual addressing most questions a community council faces. We've included a goodly portion of the book here. The manual includes information about the Neighborhood Support Program and the Merit Grant program, but we've located that material elsewhere on this site. Funding for the project was provided by the Seasongood Foundation. The complete loose-leaf book is available from the Invest office.

This manual addresses several long-standing needs for many council presidents, both new and seasoned. Its goal is to facilitate the role of council president, and it does so by providing straightforward information relating to the management, operation, and maintenance of a community council. It attempts to increase everyone's awareness of the ever-broadening scope of responsibilities for council presidents. And it provides some tips and how-to's for situations which you will undoubtedly encounter during your tenure as president. While it is not intended that this manual be your only source of information related to managing your council, it is provided as an initial resource for new presidents who are expected to know a lot very quickly.

Initial planning took place over several regular meetings of Invest In Neighborhood's Leadership Development Committee, followed by more directed planning sessions with various other organizations. To assure that we were addressing what really needed our attention, sitting council presidents and other council volunteers participated in a brainstorming activity to obtain additional input and direction. Following these sessions, the Leadership Development Committee met several more times to design and "flesh out" each of the finished sections in the manual.

The table of contents is designed to quickly familiarize you with each section, providing key phrases which indicate the type of information you should expect to find.

Included are several samples and numerous references to other books, documents, forms, etc., with contact numbers which were current at the time of printing. Sample documents are meant to be used as guidelines for preparing your own working documents. For example, use the sample bylaws to make sure you have included major features normally addressed in a bylaws document, but do not copy it verbatim without giving serious consideration to whether or not you want your council to operate under and be held to the same rules as those outlined in the sample.

Please think of this manual as an ever-evolving project. As such, your comments and suggestions are both welcomed and encouraged. Forward your written comments to the Leadership Development Committee at 315 West Court St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. All correspondence will be considered for future revisions.