Loomio
Thu 29 Aug 2019 1:00PM

Media Coordination Proposal *Revised*

B Ben Public Seen by 121

Revised October 2019
(Please see attachment for linked content and details)

SUMMARY
This is a project proposal to develop communications and collaborations across e-NABLE chapters and with the general public. It is organized into 7 activities, each with 3 components. These activities, once established, should coordinate and sustain communications from the community.

PROBLEM
Over the past 9 months, the e-NABLE community wrestled with several obstacles that limited communications, collaboration, and growth. The dissolution of the online home on Google+ as well as shifting priorities within the core team lead to stagnant media channels and community members expressing concerns of feeling disconnected. At the same time, the e-NABLE universe continued to expand with most of the activity outside of any cohesive or easy-to-follow network.

PROPOSAL
We have explored several community platforms, a newsletter revival, video webinars, large events, collaborative project mapping, and visual storytelling. All have promise, but the coordination of our communications will be key. Coordinated communications and collaborative storytelling could give community members and chapters access to a broad range of e-NABLE activities. Like bees with the flowers, regular media practices will cross-pollinate projects, support and highlight efforts and autonomy of local leaders, promote alignment, growth and efficacy, and provide resources for reporting, grants, fundraising, and continuing partnerships.

BUDGET
In the past, $1500/month was designated for Jen Owen to develop Enablingthefuture.org. It seems reasonable to use this precedent to set a monthly budget across 3 quarters with the goal of establishing sustainable communications practices that can be maintained by community members. After the first quarter, a progress report will allow the community to review achievements and decide whether or not to continue the funding.

SUSTAINABLE MODEL
Our proposed process involves regular measurement and adjustment. Each of the seven core activities include metrics that can be monitored and adjusted as needed. Whereas traditional organizations typically employ a designated Director of Communications, we will explore a communications recipe that can be followed successfully by current and future cooks in the e-NABLE kitchen. We hope to evolve from a demonstration of best practices by one chef into a smoothly running "cooperative kitchen".

7 ACTIVITIES

  1. Content Creation
    Online Articles, Visual Materials, and Reporting

  2. Coordinate Open Media
    Hub Partnerships, Theme Direction, Model Projects

  3. Community Facilitation
    Team Training, Co-Authorship, Targeted Distribution

  4. Moderate News Cycles
    Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly

  5. Tracking Activity
    Data Activity, Funding Activity, Dissemination

  6. Marketing Models
    Membership, Donor Relations, Campaigns

  7. Communications Strategy
    Platform, Educational, Accessibility

BR

Bob Rieger Thu 29 Aug 2019 2:24PM

Hi Ben
Thank you very much for taking the time to draft this proposal. I do have a couple of questions and comments, which are directly related to my own background and experience (or lack, thereof). First of all, I have been very impressed with your skills and capability in understanding and using social media and other contemporary forms of electronic communication. Your newsletter was great. But please understand I am a retired former chemical company manager and materials scientist by education. While I am computer literate, I have no real sensitivity as to the details of what you are proposing....and I barely appreciate the current language of marketing and media you use in your proposal. Accordingly, when I read your proposal, I revert to my experience base, and present the following questions:
1. As a community we need much better communication and engagement, but EXACTLY what do you intend to do over the next 3 quarters?
2. e-NABLE is largely a volunteer community, and we do pay for some things. $1500 per month is not an insignificant sum. How do I reconcile what we need, what you are proposing to provide, and the financial support you suggest?
3. Basically, you are suggesting we contract with you for $13,500 over a nine month period to obtain much better communication, marketing and engagement tools and capabilities. That is why I'm asking what specifically do we get for that expenditure. Am I viewing this correctly? If not, what am I missing?

I apologize if my questions are blunt...but all my corporate experience was based upon looking at an expenditure, and evaluating the proposed return on investment.
Regards, Bob

JS

Jeremy Simon Thu 29 Aug 2019 5:38PM

Hi, Ben. It does not appear that we have the access permissions needed to add comments to your draft proposal (the Google Doc). Please update that so we can add comments.

JS

Jon Schull Thu 29 Aug 2019 8:30PM

As a global (non)organization with challenging brand identity and diverse membership, it would be great to have someone responsible for stitching all of our communication and collaboration components together. @danielu, I think you'll see that hub.e-nable.org is the platform we wanted. Ben's role would be to create and get informatino flowing between hub.e-nable.org and our many "spokes" all over the world (see what I did there?).

Ben's proposal is not to create a website. It's to help create coherence within and between our various websites and social media. I know Ben and think he'd be great for in this role. I'm very supportive.

@bobrieger With regard to the amount requested, $1500/month was what used to support toward Jen Owen's work. This new project is not the same as blogging, maintaining ETF, creating marketing materials etc., but it is a project that addresses many of the same organizational needs, appropriate to our current configuration. The "job" requires considerable focus, commitment, responsibility and accountability, which is apparently and I think we've learned that it is to much to expect that job will be fulfilled by an unpaid uncontracted volunteer. So that's why I think the framework makes sense.

But because it is indeed real money, more clarity on specific activities and deliverables will be helpful.

BR

Bob Rieger Fri 30 Aug 2019 12:51AM

Thanks for the explanation, Jon......I agree that more clarity on specific activities and deliverables would be very helpful in order to better understand the investment.

JS

Jon Schull Fri 30 Aug 2019 2:50AM

It's good to have your input a Daniel!

B

Poll Created Thu 3 Oct 2019 10:39PM

Media Coordination Project Closed Sat 19 Oct 2019 3:02AM

Outcome
by Jon Schull Wed 29 Apr 2020 4:48PM

I just paid Ben Rubin for Q1 2020, and set up automatic monthly payments going forward. And then I discovered that the authorization for Ben's ongoing project was never formally announced. So I'm doing that here.

As ever, invoices and payments are documented at opencollective.com/enablefund.

Most recently, Ben has been doing wonderful and essential work helping to document and bring out the BuffaloEnable crisis mask, newly live at BEmask.org and mask.e-nable.org.

Please see attached thread
Project proposed for Q4 2019 - Q2 2020

Results

Results Option % of points Voters
Agree 83.3% 20 JS JS SM AA SS CC RV M LG NM BM BR AG EG ANS RH C WM RS GF
Abstain 8.3% 2 E MB
Disagree 8.3% 2 JO S
Block 0.0% 0  
Undecided 0% 128 EL AB DU J W ME RB JL AC PB JS AD JP AT LB TO JS DD T GD

24 of 152 people have participated (15%)

C

ChristianD
Agree
Thu 3 Oct 2019 11:01PM

Is there a particular place to suggest technologies that might be of help to achieve some of the aims of the proposal?

JS

Jon Schull
Agree
Mon 7 Oct 2019 4:29AM

I believe this is a really good investment that addresses some of our biggest challenges and opportunities. And Ben has a really interesting set of talents and experiences to bring to the table. I'm in!!

WM

Will McCaffrey
Agree
Mon 7 Oct 2019 6:11PM

Agree! e-NABLE has a story worth telling.

BR

Bob Rieger
Agree
Mon 7 Oct 2019 7:22PM

I agree Ben's proposal has merit, and I'm pleased to see there are certain deliverables provided, with a review after a quarter to assess progress.

Load More