Governance Structure
This document has been developed in the context of Fundraising Ireland (FI) currently being a network of professional fundraisers founded in 2007 which to date has no paying members.
Fundraising Ireland has succeeded in its application for registration as a company limited by guarantee without a share capital. Registered officially with the name 'The Fundraising Professionals Network Ireland Limited' it will continue to trade using the name 'Fundraising Ireland'. This company registration process is to be followed by an application for charitable status.
In order to ensure that Fundraising Ireland operates in a transparent and ethical manner, the Steering Committee (known as the Board of Directors from June 2009) developed the following governance structure, used in the June 2009 inaugural election process:
The Board will consist of a minimum of 8 members and a maximum of 11 members. In the case of a Board of 11, 8 are elected members and up to 3 could be additional co-opted members.
The Board should at all times comprise a minimum of 5 members who are currently employed by a not for profit organisation with a fundraising remit.
The existing interim Board (Steering Group) will continue to serve as constituted until June 2009, in order to enable it to organise and administer the first election of Board members at that point.
At the agreed time (June 2009) two of the members of the existing interim Board will resign, and will be replaced by 4 elected members only. The members to resign shall be selected by lottery, except in circumstances where existing members express a wish to resign.
Twelve months later (June 2010), a further two of the membership of the original interim Board will resign, and will be replaced by two elected members. The members to resign shall be selected by lottery from among the members of the Board other than those elected under the provisions of Clause 4 above. Resigning members shall be eligible for re-election.
Twelve months later, all remaining original members of the interim Board other than those elected under the provisions of Clauses (4 and 5) above shall resign and shall be replaced by elected members.
Each elected member of the Board will serve for a period of 3 years only, but will be entitled to stand for re-election by the membership for further terms of 3 years. After a second term on the Board, there must be a two years break minimum before a person can put their name forward for re-election to the Board once again.
Everyone who has attended a fee paying event of Fundraising Ireland between January 2008 and June 2009 shall be eligible for election to the Board in 2009 and also eligible to vote in the election of members to the Board. A 'Register of Voters' will be kept to this effect that will be kept updated and at a minimum updated annually prior to the nominations process.
Any such participant may nominate himself/herself for election to the Board. The nomination shall be on an official nomination form that allows such details as: a brief (maximum 200 word) curriculum vitae of the nominee
All received nominations forms are to be reviewed by the existing Board against the following criteria:
Whether the candidate is judged to have the potential to make a material contribution to Fundraising Ireland and its membership base including a demonstrated competence to lead in their particular area.
Whether the individual has experience of serving on management committees/Boards.
The balance of the Board of Directors membership in terms of geographic, gender, sectoral and organisation/individual representation
Particular specialist skills that are deemed to be needed on the Board e.g. legal, finance, fund-raising, marketing etc
Strategic development of relationships with particular sectors e.g. public sector, statutory, private sector, academic etc
The review will be conducted by the Nominations Committee of Fundraising Ireland Board, which will review all applications received and make recommendations to the full Board as to which should proceed to be put to register of voters of Fundraising Ireland.
If there are more eligible nominations than places on the Board, then an election will take place (see below). If there are the same number of eligible nominees as there are places to fill on the Board, then all nominees will be deemed to be elected at the AGM.
In the case of an election a Returning Officer(s) will be selected who will oversee the running of the election.
All relevant information on the eligible nominees and how to vote will be circulated electronically to all those listed on the Register of Voters at least 3 weeks prior to the AGM. The ballot sheet shall list in alphabetical order by surname the names of all candidates for election.
The 'Maltese system' shall be used as a system of voting: based on a sliding scale, voters shall be asked to assign points to the candidates of their choice, with the highest points going to the candidate of their first choice, second highest points going to the candidate of their second choice and so forth. Rhe number of Board members to be selected shall determine the starting point or the maximum number of points which may be allocated by any voter to any individual candidate.
For example, where there are five places to be filled, each voter will assign five points to his/her candidate of first choice, four points to his/her candidate of second choice, three to the third, two to the fourth and one to the fifth). The candidates who receive the highest overall number of points shall be deemed elected.
All filled in ballots must be returned electronically by the date provided and the results will be announced publicly at FI event.
In the case of equality of votes for the final position the selection shall be made by lottery.
The Board shall be entitled to co-opt up to 3 members each year for the purposes of ensuring gender, skills or geographic balance on the Board.
Co-opted members of the Board must be on the Register of Voters of Fundraising Ireland, and shall serve for up to 3 years. A co-opted member may be reselected for co-option for a second or subsequent term at the decision of the Board. Co-opted members may choose to put themselves forward for nominations for one of the elected positions on the Board if they wish.
The Board shall be entitled to set up one or more Sub-Committees to carry out specifically designated functions. Each Sub-Committee shall be chaired by a member of the Board, but may have membership drawn from both inside and outside the register of voters of FI. Membership of each Sub-Committee shall be chosen by the Board.
The Board shall have a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary, and such other officers as the Board may from time to time deem appropriate. Selection of the officers shall take place each year at the first meeting held after the election.