Difference between revisions of "Centennial Vision"
m (→The Agoura; an Online Store Web Site) |
(continued work) |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
The nature of a non-profit organization being what it is, and that nature being subject to wide swings of the pendulum from affluent to impoverished, from too many members to service to too few to govern, and from popularity of topic to social approbation, great effort must be expended in good times that the following bad times are not so bad as to terminate the organization. | The nature of a non-profit organization being what it is, and that nature being subject to wide swings of the pendulum from affluent to impoverished, from too many members to service to too few to govern, and from popularity of topic to social approbation, great effort must be expended in good times that the following bad times are not so bad as to terminate the organization. | ||
| − | It is also necessary that a clear view of where the organization wishes to be, what it wishes to become, is in hand and that such a vision is kept in mind, as it should drive all planning and programming, indeed the very structure of how the organization operates. | + | It is also necessary that a clear view of where the organization wishes to be, what it wishes to become, and what its priorities are, is in hand and that such a vision is kept in mind, as it should drive all planning and programming, indeed the very structure of how the organization operates. |
Neither of these is possible without articulating this vision. This document is a rough draft of such a vision; indeed it will always remain a rough draft, as change is the only constant. Care must be taken, however, that this change is organic, gradual, and serves the ends of the Society. Without such care, it will become "mission creep" and lead the organization to become something else. | Neither of these is possible without articulating this vision. This document is a rough draft of such a vision; indeed it will always remain a rough draft, as change is the only constant. Care must be taken, however, that this change is organic, gradual, and serves the ends of the Society. Without such care, it will become "mission creep" and lead the organization to become something else. | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
The Society has had a public [[Headquarters]] for about half of its existence, the other half being worked out of the private home of the [[Founder]] or [[Consuls]]. The advantages of a public Headquarters are many, including: | The Society has had a public [[Headquarters]] for about half of its existence, the other half being worked out of the private home of the [[Founder]] or [[Consuls]]. The advantages of a public Headquarters are many, including: | ||
| − | + | *Security from the termination of the or Consuls | |
| − | + | *The ability to collect all Society property to one location | |
| − | + | *The ability to bring volunteers in to assist with the work | |
| − | + | *The ability to hire paid staff | |
| − | + | *The ability to welcome guests, patrons, and members | |
| − | + | *The ability to impress such guests, patrons, and members with the size and stability of the Society | |
| − | + | *Improved ability to obtain grants | |
| − | + | *Avoidance of the need to relocate (as often) | |
| − | + | *Avoidance of the need to change our mailing address (with consequent loss of contact) | |
'''The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an [[Investment Fund]] sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of rent, utilities, and taxes (if any).''' | '''The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an [[Investment Fund]] sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of rent, utilities, and taxes (if any).''' | ||
| − | The location of a rented Headquarters is presently constrained by the location of the | + | The location of a rented Headquarters is presently constrained by the location of the Consuls, who would naturally be unwilling to commute extended distances. Should a move be coincident with replacing the present Consuls (something they would not object to), the location could be moved to any suitable place. |
Further advantages may be had from owning rather than renting, including: | Further advantages may be had from owning rather than renting, including: | ||
| − | + | *The ability to modify the facility to better meet operational needs | |
| − | + | *The ability to decorate the facility to better express our Society's personality | |
| − | + | *The ability to do the above without concern for losing the value when obliged to relocate | |
| − | + | *Avoidance of the need to relocate (except as the Society may feel the need) | |
'''The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters that is owned by the Society. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an [[Investment Fund]] sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of utilities, repairs, and taxes (if any).''' | '''The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters that is owned by the Society. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an [[Investment Fund]] sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of utilities, repairs, and taxes (if any).''' | ||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
The location of such a permanent Headquarters should not be constrained to the vicinity of the present Consuls. One would expect the use of the facility to long outlast their service, and Orlando may not be the best location in the long term. At some point, it will be appropriate to determine what considerations should be given to a permanent location, and a search for a nation, city, neighborhood, and parcel then be based on those considerations. | The location of such a permanent Headquarters should not be constrained to the vicinity of the present Consuls. One would expect the use of the facility to long outlast their service, and Orlando may not be the best location in the long term. At some point, it will be appropriate to determine what considerations should be given to a permanent location, and a search for a nation, city, neighborhood, and parcel then be based on those considerations. | ||
| − | These two goals above are not in conflict. The first is likely to be easier to obtain, and a portion of the investments dedicated to rent under the first may be diverted to | + | These two goals above are not in conflict. The first is likely to be easier to obtain, and a portion of the investments dedicated to rent under the first may be diverted to purchase the facility in the second. This is particularly true as $285,000 of the Investment Fund is the Balling bequest, which is restricted to capital purchases (by original intent, if not contract). |
| − | That said, a facility or funds to purchase one may appear as a gift or grant. In that case, it may be possible to leapfrog the first goal for the second. While this will of course be tempting, the Society should seriously consider if the location offered is in the long-term best interests of the Society. Worst case, we might accept the gift or grant in a sub-optimal location, then sell it and move at a later date (perhaps after the death of the patron or expiration of the grant). | + | That said, a facility, or funds to purchase one, may appear as a gift or grant. In that case, it may be possible to leapfrog the first goal for the second. While this will of course be tempting, the Society should seriously consider if the location offered is in the long-term best interests of the Society. Worst case, we might accept the gift or grant in a sub-optimal location, then sell it and move at a later date (perhaps after the death of the patron or expiration of the grant). |
---- | ---- | ||
=Staff= | =Staff= | ||
| + | |||
| + | At present, non-professional staff in the form of Consuls are obliged to perform all work that must or should be done at Headquarters (and entirely too much that doesn't depend on location). Non-HQ tasks should be transferred to volunteers to the extent possible. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There are two approaches to long-term staffing: An Executive Director with substantial skills (especially at fundraising and membership development), who would take over much of the responsibilities now assigned to the Board, or an Office Manager who would focus on the clerical and mechanical aspects of the work, leaving the Board and their appointees to carry the balance of the work. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The former appears to be well beyond Society finances at this time, and will probably remain so until our membership increases by several orders of magnitude. The latter will be less expensive, and we may well be able to employ two for the same price. In either event, they will be expected to oversee the work of volunteers, both on- and off-site. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| Line 56: | Line 62: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | =Chivalry | + | =Chivalry= |
The Chivalry Department would engage in the following activities: | The Chivalry Department would engage in the following activities: | ||
| Line 76: | Line 82: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | = | + | =Genalogy= |
The Genealogy Department would engage in the following activities: | The Genealogy Department would engage in the following activities: | ||
| Line 94: | Line 100: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | = | + | =Heraldry= |
| − | The | + | The Heraldry Department would engage in the following activities: |
==Heraldry Committee== | ==Heraldry Committee== | ||
| Line 132: | Line 138: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | = | + | =History= |
| − | The | + | The History Department would engage in the following activities: |
==History Committee== | ==History Committee== | ||
| Line 146: | Line 152: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | = | + | =Nobility= |
| − | The | + | The Nobility Department would engage in the following activities: |
==Royalty & Nobility Committee== | ==Royalty & Nobility Committee== | ||
| Line 160: | Line 166: | ||
==Recognition of gentility== | ==Recognition of gentility== | ||
| − | ==Maintaining a list of current reigning monarchs== | + | ==Maintaining a list of current ''fontes honorum'' (perhaps extending to reigning monarchs)== |
==Library Support== | ==Library Support== | ||
| Line 170: | Line 176: | ||
=Communications= | =Communications= | ||
| − | + | The Communications Department will produce print publications, online publications, reprints, back issues, web sites, and email services. | |
==''Augustæum''== | ==''Augustæum''== | ||
| Line 194: | Line 200: | ||
===''The Little Manual of Heraldry''=== | ===''The Little Manual of Heraldry''=== | ||
| − | ===''A Continuation of Paget's 'Ancestry of the Prince of Wales | + | ===''A Continuation of Paget's ''Ancestry of the Prince of Wales=== |
===''Vigil: A Knight's Training Program''=== | ===''Vigil: A Knight's Training Program''=== | ||
Revision as of 14:15, 6 January 2015
Some feel it is important that The Augustan Society, Inc., has a vision of what it wants to become. In a perfect world, this would come first, and all other planning would be in service of that goal. In this world, the Board has shown indifference to such long-range plans, leaving Consuls to develop the program outlined below. They would welcome additional input, or the Board resuming this responsibility. The term "Centennial Vision" is adopted to avoid confusion with the Long-Range Plan or the Vision Statement, and because it would not surprise this writer if it took until at least 2057 to achieve.
A Centennial Vision for The Augustan Society, Inc.
Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Physical Plant
- 3 Staff
- 4 Administrative Structure
- 5 Chivalry
- 6 Genalogy
- 7 Heraldry
- 7.1 Heraldry Committee
- 7.2 Arms Registration Committee
- 7.3 Online Armorial
- 7.4 Index to Arms Registered or Published by the Society
- 7.5 Ordinary of Arms Registered or Published by the Society
- 7.6 Index to Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries
- 7.7 Ordinary of Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries
- 7.8 Augustan Society Roll of Arms
- 7.9 Rose Role of Arms
- 7.10 Manual of Heraldry
- 8 History
- 9 Nobility
- 9.1 Royalty & Nobility Committee
- 9.2 Recognition of fons honorum in support of chivalric and nobiliary recognitions
- 9.3 Recognition of nobility, including titles and postnominals
- 9.4 Recognition of personal nobility, not including titles and postnominals
- 9.5 Recognition of gentility
- 9.6 Maintaining a list of current fontes honorum (perhaps extending to reigning monarchs)
- 9.7 Library Support
- 9.8 Article Solicitation
- 10 Communications
- 10.1 Augustæum
- 10.2 The Augustan Omnibus
- 10.3 The Augustan Society Roll of Arms
- 10.4 The Augustan Society Web Site
- 10.5 The Online Store Web Site
- 10.6 The Forum; an Online Forum
- 10.7 The Augustan Society Library Catalog
- 10.8 Back Issue Sales
- 10.9 Reprint Sales
- 10.10 Augustan Books
- 10.11 The Augustan Society Email System
- 11 Library
- 12 Museum
- 13 Sub-Groups
Introduction
The nature of a non-profit organization being what it is, and that nature being subject to wide swings of the pendulum from affluent to impoverished, from too many members to service to too few to govern, and from popularity of topic to social approbation, great effort must be expended in good times that the following bad times are not so bad as to terminate the organization.
It is also necessary that a clear view of where the organization wishes to be, what it wishes to become, and what its priorities are, is in hand and that such a vision is kept in mind, as it should drive all planning and programming, indeed the very structure of how the organization operates.
Neither of these is possible without articulating this vision. This document is a rough draft of such a vision; indeed it will always remain a rough draft, as change is the only constant. Care must be taken, however, that this change is organic, gradual, and serves the ends of the Society. Without such care, it will become "mission creep" and lead the organization to become something else.
Physical Plant
The Society has had a public Headquarters for about half of its existence, the other half being worked out of the private home of the Founder or Consuls. The advantages of a public Headquarters are many, including:
- Security from the termination of the or Consuls
- The ability to collect all Society property to one location
- The ability to bring volunteers in to assist with the work
- The ability to hire paid staff
- The ability to welcome guests, patrons, and members
- The ability to impress such guests, patrons, and members with the size and stability of the Society
- Improved ability to obtain grants
- Avoidance of the need to relocate (as often)
- Avoidance of the need to change our mailing address (with consequent loss of contact)
The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an Investment Fund sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of rent, utilities, and taxes (if any).
The location of a rented Headquarters is presently constrained by the location of the Consuls, who would naturally be unwilling to commute extended distances. Should a move be coincident with replacing the present Consuls (something they would not object to), the location could be moved to any suitable place.
Further advantages may be had from owning rather than renting, including:
- The ability to modify the facility to better meet operational needs
- The ability to decorate the facility to better express our Society's personality
- The ability to do the above without concern for losing the value when obliged to relocate
- Avoidance of the need to relocate (except as the Society may feel the need)
The Society must have a goal of obtaining (and retaining) a public Headquarters that is owned by the Society. To ensure that such a facility may be retained, we must create an Investment Fund sufficient that its revenue will cover the costs of utilities, repairs, and taxes (if any).
The location of such a permanent Headquarters should not be constrained to the vicinity of the present Consuls. One would expect the use of the facility to long outlast their service, and Orlando may not be the best location in the long term. At some point, it will be appropriate to determine what considerations should be given to a permanent location, and a search for a nation, city, neighborhood, and parcel then be based on those considerations.
These two goals above are not in conflict. The first is likely to be easier to obtain, and a portion of the investments dedicated to rent under the first may be diverted to purchase the facility in the second. This is particularly true as $285,000 of the Investment Fund is the Balling bequest, which is restricted to capital purchases (by original intent, if not contract).
That said, a facility, or funds to purchase one, may appear as a gift or grant. In that case, it may be possible to leapfrog the first goal for the second. While this will of course be tempting, the Society should seriously consider if the location offered is in the long-term best interests of the Society. Worst case, we might accept the gift or grant in a sub-optimal location, then sell it and move at a later date (perhaps after the death of the patron or expiration of the grant).
Staff
At present, non-professional staff in the form of Consuls are obliged to perform all work that must or should be done at Headquarters (and entirely too much that doesn't depend on location). Non-HQ tasks should be transferred to volunteers to the extent possible.
There are two approaches to long-term staffing: An Executive Director with substantial skills (especially at fundraising and membership development), who would take over much of the responsibilities now assigned to the Board, or an Office Manager who would focus on the clerical and mechanical aspects of the work, leaving the Board and their appointees to carry the balance of the work.
The former appears to be well beyond Society finances at this time, and will probably remain so until our membership increases by several orders of magnitude. The latter will be less expensive, and we may well be able to employ two for the same price. In either event, they will be expected to oversee the work of volunteers, both on- and off-site.
Administrative Structure
Chivalry
The Chivalry Department would engage in the following activities:
Chivlary Committee
Recognition of Orders of Chivalry
Recognition of Membership in Orders of Chivalry
Maintenance of a List of Postnominals
Maintenance of a List of Orders Qualifying for Crusader Membership in the SDKLJ
Library Support
Article Solicitation
Genalogy
The Genealogy Department would engage in the following activities:
Genealogy Committee
Lineage Certification Committee
Descents from Antiquity
Family of Augustans
Library Support
Article Solicitation
Heraldry
The Heraldry Department would engage in the following activities:
Heraldry Committee
Arms Design Consultation
Society Departmental Arms and Logo Design and Registration
Library Advising
Reviews of Books and other Publications on Heraldry
Solicitation of Articles for the Omnibus
Arms Registration Committee
Registration of Arms
Online Armorial
Index to Arms Registered or Published by the Society
Ordinary of Arms Registered or Published by the Society
Index to Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries
Ordinary of Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries
Augustan Society Roll of Arms
Rose Role of Arms
Manual of Heraldry
History
The History Department would engage in the following activities:
History Committee
First Peoples Committee
Library Support
Article Solicitation
Nobility
The Nobility Department would engage in the following activities:
Royalty & Nobility Committee
Recognition of fons honorum in support of chivalric and nobiliary recognitions
Recognition of nobility, including titles and postnominals
Recognition of personal nobility, not including titles and postnominals
Recognition of gentility
Maintaining a list of current fontes honorum (perhaps extending to reigning monarchs)
Library Support
Article Solicitation
Communications
The Communications Department will produce print publications, online publications, reprints, back issues, web sites, and email services.
