ChiHackNight and Code for America
Steve Ediger (ChiCommons)
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Code for America (CfA) has invited ChiHackNight to join Code for America as a Brigade. This discussion is regarding this invitation and our response.
Current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HDY9qa8L24lOxW0hbG1-Iuh6ZaQ_fKrtLNjQI8iOodY/edit#
Background
(Please pardon and correct me on mistakes or omissions.)
In the past and currently, CfA HQ has been building Brigades in different cities. Christopher Whitaker was hired by CfA and is the Brigade Program Manager. The requirements for joining used to be quite stringent and ChiHackNight has to this date refused to join, for fear of getting subsumed into a larger organization. We've done a lot to build our event and it works quite well. So we want to maintain that ability. We also want to get credit for what we do and not give that away to a larger organization (at least without serious recompense).
However, what's changed is that CfA, under Christopher's Brigade management, appears to be changing into more of a networking organization. They have reduced requirements for joining as a Brigade and are rethinking their (outgoing) funding to that of a project-based model for which projects would apply.
Discussion
The invitation is on the table. I started this discussion to talk about what we need and envision with such a relationship. Here are some starters.
- We would want to be clear that ChiHackNight is a separate organization that is allying itself with CfA
- We would push for CfA to become a alliance member, as opposed to the guiding organization.
- We would like to see a governance model that gives voice to all alliance members
Please add your thoughts.
Christopher Whitaker Tue 15 Aug 2017 2:38PM
I'm still waiting for clearance on my end, but here's the draft MOU I had written up based on what CfA used to have: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HDY9qa8L24lOxW0hbG1-Iuh6ZaQ_fKrtLNjQI8iOodY/edit#
There's a few things in there (like Meetup) that don't apply to us; but I'm leaving in there so that our offerings to CHN are consistent with what we offer everyone else even if there's no expectation that it would get used..
Kristi Leach Thu 17 Aug 2017 11:16AM
Does any of the distancing Hack Night is doing from CFA in the MOU affect the resources working groups can access? For example, the AWS credits?
Steve Ediger (ChiCommons) Fri 18 Aug 2017 11:10PM
I'm starting to try to integrate our points so far into the MOU that Christopher started. As I was studying the document, it occurred to me that we want to join the network, not CfA. This is a bit problematic, since CfA has the network. How do we reflect in this MOU that our interest is in the entire network, not specifically CfA (in my mind, a founding network member)?
Steve Ediger (ChiCommons) Fri 18 Aug 2017 11:38PM
I've finished integrating our points and restructured the MOU a bit to clarify the agreement. Feel free to disagree, edit, or applaud.
Christopher Whitaker Mon 21 Aug 2017 3:48PM
(Cross posting here from Slack)
OK, so I heard back from higher at HQ. Bad news is that we have to have a standard MOU that CfA drafts. The good news is that we can add an addendum page to it to include anything specific that we need. So, I’ll need to update the draft to include monetary things - but will put in a (__ is using our donation and expense platform / X is not) qualifier in there
In terms of joining the network VS CfA, I think it's pretty clear that CHN joining and would be participating in the Brigade Network (which is operated as a program of CfA that gets staffing & support.) To Kristi's question, participants in our network get the resources (including AWS credits.) f there's something in the draft that's making it sound like this is a merger point it out and I can adjust. If you could expand on the concern with HQ I can try to include additional language to show where the lines are. We already have the language about CHN operating independently and policies on how we cite member's work.
I also don't know if I'd describe the situation as CfA 'has' the network. CfA manages the Brigade Network. It's staffed, funded, and provided organizational support as one of CfA's programs. Without this support, there's no program.
Karl Fogel Tue 22 Aug 2017 5:25PM
I left some comments in the draft MOU, FWIW (they seemed more appropriate there than here).
Steve Ediger (ChiCommons) Tue 22 Aug 2017 8:49PM
@karlfogel Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
I had already moved the items in this document into Christoper's version of the MOU. However, as per his last post above, he's probably, going to separate this into an MOU document and and Addendum.
Karl Fogel Wed 23 Aug 2017 11:47PM
Sounds good, @steveediger . Thanks for moving them across; Christopher can take them into account however he thinks best.
Steven Vance · Wed 16 Aug 2017 4:41PM
+1 to this