[CSL board] Conversation

[Wooding, John]

Board:

I am afraid I will not be able to attend the meeting this evening.  My
apologies.

 

I did want on report on my phone conversation with Phil Hall at the
Parker Foundation (I asked him if I could communicate these essentials
to the board - but please remember this is my summary and interpretation
so I would prefer that this was not quoted back to anyone) - the gist:

 

I was impressed with how positive he seemed about CLS - he spoke with
enthusiasm about how deeply embedded CLS is with the community and how
well it serves that community.  He clearly believes that CLS and its
members are enthusiastic and passionate in what they do and that they
provide a very important function.  There is certainly no doubt that he
likes what you do.

 

On the other hand he does have some concerns - mostly that the
organization lacks a business plan and does not seem able to provide
consistent funding/salary for staff (I assume he meant primarily Dan).
I think getting that together in a formal and professional way would
impress Parker.  Second, I think the general concern is that we need to
be a bit more structured and professional (that does not necessarily
mean stodgy capitalist lackeys) but I do think Parker is concerned about
continued funding of operations that seem to move from year to year
(obviously this is a problem for nearly all non-profits doing this kind
of work and surviving on grants, volunteers and a hope and prayer, maybe
tofu), and that they want to see the building of a solid infrastructure
for the long term.  In short, I think a business plan and some sort of
long term vision for solid staff funding and project development would
go a long way in helping Parker to fund an organization they like but
are a little nervous about.

 

I hope this helps.  I am going to try to get coffee with Phil in the
next week or two.  Feel free to suggest to me ways in which I might
continue to advocate for CLS with him.

 

My best,

John

 

PS.  I did speak on the phone with Dan and he can fill in anything not
represented in the toneless and sterile email.

 

-----------------------------------

John Wooding, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Regional Economic and Social Development

University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Lowell, MA 01854

978 934 4257

John_Wooding at uml.edu