Governance includes the ways that communities and organizations choose their leadership and define the roles of elected officials in their communities and organizations. Here are tools that communities and organizations to structure their governance model.
Administration refers to the day-to-day operations of a community's administration or organization. Many tools are available to assist them to run their operations in an efficient and professional manner.
Here are administrative tools that may assist community administrations and organizations to manage their day-to-day operations include:
Staff in community administrations and organizations are often responsible for the direct delivery of programs and services to their members. Here are tools that can assist staff in community and organization administrations to enhance program and service delivery initiatives.
Four Winds & Associates provides tools and resources to assist communities and organizations to build effective processes for engaging with local and regional industries. Our Industry Engagement tools and resources include policies, strategies, structures, processes and a portal to build relationships and achieve community social and economic development goals.
Four Winds & Associates will customize our Industry Engagement tools and resources to meet the unique circumstances and needs of individual communities and organizations. Here are examples of these tools and resources.
Governance Tools
Governance includes the ways that communities choose their leadership and define the roles of elected officials in their communities and organizations. Some tools that may assist communities and organizations to structure their governance include:
Council Regulations / Codes of Conduct
These documents outline roles, responsibilities, and expectations of elected officials (Chiefs and Councillors). They include Conflict of Interest provisions and clarify the duties of leaders and administrations. Council Regulations may be approved through a membership vote, enabling members to play a role in setting expectations for their leadership.
Communication Strategies
A communication strategy describes how leadership will communicate with members and external parties. It can include meetings and written materials as well as websites and social media. A communication strategy can help to clarify roles by outlining who is responsible for communication on behalf of the community. It can also ensure consistent messaging from the community administration to members, staff and external parties.
Plans
A Strategic Plan is a high-level statement of goals and priorities that can be used to guide overall operations. It can help in designing an organizational structure or it can be used to guide an existing organizational structure to plan its activities to achieve the desired goals. Strategic Plans can also be used to communicate priorities and develop partnerships with external partners such as other governments and industry.
Organizational Structures
An organizational structure provides a framework for members, staff and external partners to interact with the community administration. An organizational structure should include all parts of the administration (including entities) and show how they are connected. An organizational chart outlines reporting relationships between different parts of the administration and can provide a foundation for building departmental mandates and staff job descriptions.