Bayside Strategic Action Plan
Bayside Grange
Strategic Action Plan
Draft: December 4, 2009
The Grange:
The Grange is the nation's oldest national agricultural organization, with grassroots units established in 3,600 local communities in 37 states. Its 300,000 members provide service to agriculture and rural areas on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, education, family endeavors, and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable Rural America.
The Bayside Grange:
Our Grange was chartered on October 17th 1932 and the first phase of the building was completed on December 7th, 1941. It has continued it’s tradition of serving agricultural and rural needs for Bayside and the surrounding communities.
The Grange offers its members:
- An opportunity to join with others to improve communities
- A chance to influence local, state and national laws
- A social gathering place for activities and recreation
- A place to develop skills for a lifetime
- A friendly, family-oriented organization that provides lifetime membership
Mission of the Bayside Grange:
To serve as a resource to our members and the community of Bayside and Humboldt County.
Our Goals:
1) Provide a variety of educational, leisure programs and workshops for Grange members and the community.
2) Partner with the community to build and sustain participation, financial and political support.
3) Expand our programs and services to more people.
4) Maintain and upgrade our historic building and grounds to better serve the members and the community.
5) Conduct our organization under sound and ethical best practices.
Goals:
1) Provide a variety of educational, leisure programs and workshops for Grange members and the community:
Our Objectives are to:
a) Continue our ongoing commitment to our co-sponsorship and hosting of agricultural educational programs that benefit the members and the community.
Tasks
i) Co-sponsor programs, workshops and activities on sustaining themes such as organic agriculture, Farm to School, home canning.
ii) Support the efforts small family farms to strengthen their economic contribution to our community.
b) Promote stewardship and sustainability
Tasks
i) Work with Redwood Coast Energy Authority, RCAA, and private contractors to provide information on alternative energy and Solar Hot Water.
ii) Environmental awareness, lectures, workshops, land use.
iii) Work with local farm and food local food and agriculture.
c) Expand our role in community self-sufficiency and sustainability.
Tasks
i) Partner with environmental, emergency, food, health and safety agencies such as fire departments, Department of Forestry, Fish and Game, Redwood Community Action to provide programs on fire safety, septic systems, salmonid restoration.
ii) Promote and develop Community Emergency Response Teams.
d) Foster civic engagement through forums and workshops.
Tasks
i) Develop outreach and programming partnerships to attract new audiences and potential volunteers.
ii) Engage Youth in hosting, facilitation, leadership and maintenance to strengthen their relationships to the Grange.
iii) Partner with the League of Women Voters to host candidate and issue forums.
e) Promote cultural awareness events for the entire family.
Tasks
i) Work with community cultural organizations such as: Ink People Center for the Arts, Humboldt Communidad, Bandemonium, Accion Zapatista, California Indian Storytelling Association, Humboldt Folk Dancers, Humboldt Folklife and a consortium of organizations and community members to offer Native American Storytelling, Dia de los Muertos, and the Grange Music Project.
ii) Foster programs to serve all ages such as community Talent shows and youth art programs.
iii) Work with other educational organizations such as schools and colleges to host discussions on Peace, Race, Sex and Class, Wireless technology, folk dancing, and Yoga.
iv) Promote awareness of grange and agricultural heritage.
2) Partner with the community to generate income through fundraising events for programs and building upgrades:
Objectives
i) Pursue cost sharing and cost avoidance strategies through partnerships that foster economic development and build sustainable relationships.
Tasks
ii) Sponsor a quarterly fundraiser, Breakfast in Bayside during January, April, July and October that includes free music and educational information.
iii) Pursue holding Grange sponsored annual events to maximize income potential.
iv) Support local farmers and growers and maintain our relationship with the Northcoast Growers Association.
Tasks
v) Sponsor an annual Spring Plant Salewith grower and educational boothsand a silent auction.
vi) Pursue planned giving and annual development strategies.
Tasks
vii) Pursue programmatic and building upgrade funding opportunities.
viii) Strengthen partnerships with musical, dance and theatrical groups that will facilitate improvements through shared costs.
3) Outreach to other audiences and communities to expand the accessibility and services to more people.
Objectives
i) Provide a welcoming atmosphere to all communities.
Tasks
(a) Meet accessibility needs for all audiences.
(b) Identify Grange members available to speak at various functions.
(c) Foster healthy minds and bodies through informational and exercise programs
(d) Comply…to education escecellse
ii) Make information about becoming a member available to all audiences and volunteers.
Tasks
(a) Work to increase the exposure of the Grange sponsored programs in the local media.
(b) Continue the Grange newsletter on a regular schedule.
iii) Ensure that the high speed Internet access is physically maintained.
Tasks
(a) Write up the description of how it works. Train more people to trouble shoot when it is down
(b) Maximize our website to include a current rental calendar, access to forms, opportunities for discussions, networking, and awareness of other community events and issues.
(c) Use audio and video conferencing to improve opportunities for participating in functions outside the local area.
(d) Support neighborhood wireless projects
(e) Provide access to Grange email.
(f) Work with NP renters putting on public events to post their fliers on the website.
(g) Provide a differentiated system for members, the community and renters to connect to the internet wirelessly while in the building to enhance education, gaming, communication and fundraising.
4) Operate under a fiscal plan and budget that sustains the organization, building and programs.
Objectives
(1) Maintain a budget that provides for regular programming, maintenance, planned upgrades, and emergencies.
Tasks
(i) Develop a timeline for project upgrades.
(ii) Control costs through an expense approval process.
(iii) Maintain regular reporting of Profit and Loss and Balance Sheets.
(iv) Maintain regular invoicing, credit memos, bill pay and bank deposits.
(2) Diversify income streams
Tasks
(i) Expand services and products for sale at Grange and other events.
(ii) Pursue sustained discounts with local vendors.
(3) Maintain regular Memorandums or Agreement with organizations to sustain income.
Tasks
(i) Maintain long term paying renters that will utilize the building during the weekdays.
(ii) Find a long term weekday renter.
(4) Engage in a systematic and continuous grant writing and development program.
- Develop programmatic and building upgrade projects that are fundable.
(6) Grant writers recently experience.
(7) Explore grange merchandise.
(8) Have an annual fundraiser and dinner
5) Maintain and upgrade the building and grounds to better serve the members and the community:
General
Objectives
(1) Delineate projects that can be accomplished through member/volunteer work days.
(2) Extend the life of the historic building through regular maintenance.
(3) For larger upgrades, the building committee shall solicit three comparative bids and bring them to membership for approval.
(4) Prioritize essential upgrades that by their very nature would put us out of business if we fail to act upon.
Tasks
(i) Sump pump
(ii) Roofing
(iii) Roof gutters
(iv) Foundation
(v) Electrical
(vi) Plumbing
(vii)Health and Safety
(5) Reduce energy consumption and expenditures
(6) Install systems that will make the Grange self sufficient during power outages and guarantee continuation of Grange and renter events. Expand our sustainability and independence.
Tasks
Implement a plan to address these improvements that have been ranked in priority order.
1. Serve as an Emergency Shelter during times of disaster
2. Install a Backup generator
3. Upgrade main electric panel
(7) Attract more Meeting and Conference Rentals by address user comfort, multimedia access & technology and assisting with food services.
Tasks
(i) Make improvements that will ease the setup and take down of events.
(ii) Procure padded conference still chairs and lightweight folding tables.
(iii) Make kitchen improvements in sanitation and appliances.
b) Kitchen
Objectives
(1) Develop a phased plan for kitchen upgrades and dedicated fund tied to availability, funding and volunteer support.
(2) Identify needs of event caterers that could better serve our renters.
(3) Within the context of historic integrity, make kitchen upgrades that improve sanitation, improve air quality reduce congestion and cross contamination.
Tasks
(i) Meet County Environmental Health commercial kitchen requirements.
(ii) Provide easy and organized access to Grange catering equipment.
(iii) For larger upgrades, the building committee shall solicit three comparative bids and bring them to membership for approval.
(4) Implement a plan to address these improvements that have been prioritized.
(a) Prep sink
(b) Commercial dishwasher
(c) Exhaust hood with fire suppression, return air and stainless backsplash
(d) Commercial ranges
(e) Convection Oven
(f) Commercial Mixer
(g) Stainless steel tables
(h) Mop sink
(i) Linoleum Floor
(j) Sub Panel
(k) Storage Cabinets
c) Main Hall:
Objectives
(1) Enhance rentability features to improve sound quality, lighting, danceabilty and theatricality.
Tasks
(i) Maintain the visual appeal of this rental venue through regular maintenance, exterior and interior painting, removing clutter, replacing worn and damaged furniture.
(2) Implement a plan to address these improvements that have been prioritized.
(a) Main floor
(b) Insulation in walls
(c) Refinished floors
(d) Conference tables and chairs
(e) Stage curtain
(f) Sound baffling
(g) Task lighting
(h) Bathroom floors and fans
d) Exterior:
Objectives
(1) Maintain the landscape to maximize the visual appeal, support native vegetation, assist in educational programming and enhance the use of the grounds for events. Incorporate these improvements into an over all site development plan.
(2) Attract other renters for different kinds of outdoor workshops, receptions, fundraisers and barbeques.
(3) Implement a plan to address improvements that have been prioritized.
(a) Recycling storage
(b) Overhang over stage door
(c) Deck off the kitchen
(d) Patio hardspace
(e) PV charging station
(f) Covered bicycle storage