Invest in Neighborhoods Inc. Invest in Neighborhoods Inc. 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.
Acknowledgements
In this chapter, you will find information on getting properly recognized by the City and state, qualifying for and obtaining tax-exempt status, filing a statement of continuing existence, and what your bylaws should include -- a sample document is provided.
You will also find answers to the following questions:
This chapter is especially for new council presidents, even those who have presided over other organizations. Pointers on assessing leadership effectiveness, managing your time and other people, handling unruly situations, etc., are included. Expect to find information, activities, and pointers to address the following questions:
This chapter includes a comprehensive set of inventories which you may duplicate and use to quickly gain helpful insights into your neighborhood's assets.
Once completed, they will help clarify the broader issues listed below.
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 and information from the Department of Community Development and Planning.
This section provides a comprehensive treatment of the grant writing process and information about local grant writing courses. It includes thorough explanations of the sections common to most funding proposals, a sample budget, a listing of local funding sources (foundations, trusts, corporations, and financial institutions), and a bibliography of sources and suggested references. Answers to the following questions can be found here:
Look here to find brief definitions of key terms used throughout the manual.
