Free Geek Intergalactic
This is a page concerning a policy or procedure in development.
Once fleshed out, we'll consider it for adoption as official policy at Free Geek.
This is related to the Free Geek Franchise process for Free Geek startup organzations that want to be recognized as an official Free Geek or an official Affiliate of Free Geek.
Proposal
Create an advisory committee (called "Free Geek Intergalactic") to oversee the both the Free Geek Startup Franchise Application process and the subseqent certification process for new Free Geek start-ups (official and affliate). Free Geek Intergalactice may spin-off in the future to form its own non-profit corporation.
Role of the Advisory Committee
- Maintain application forms and process.
- Review and approve franchise applications for new Free Geek operations.
- Maintain certification requirments, application forms and process.
- Physically determine qualifications for certification (site visit).
- Organize the annual Free Geek Intergalactic Congress.
- Raise funds for and maintain distibution process for start-up grants to new Free Geek groups.
- Report all committee activities to the portland Free Geek community council and the Free Geek, Inc. board of directors at their regularly scheduled meetings.
Advisory Committee Membership
The committee shall be made up of the larger Free Geek community. A representative from each official Free Geek shall be invited to sit on the committee. A member of the Free Geek board of directors shall also be present. Additional members from each official Free Geek are welcome to join. All members should be approved by their local Free Geek Community Councils. Councils should consider whether the candidate will bring good analysis and communication skills (note: need "job description" for committe members).
Legal Structure
- Free Geek, Inc. is the current 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Portland.
- Free Geek Intergalactic is a committee of Free Geek, Inc. tasked with overseeing the Free Geek certification process.
- New Free Geek Start-ups shall be seperate entity 501(c)(3) organizations that have permission to use the name "Free Geek" in their official name (i.e. Free Geek City or Region).
- Each State shall form a region when a single official Free Geek is activated in that State.
- Each official Free Geek shall have at least one representative on the Free Geek Intergalactic committee.
- When two (or more) official Free Geeks are activated, they can create a regional committee that can have a single represenative on the committee.
Notes
This is a proposal. The FGIG committee could initially be formed by the Franchise committee already sorting things out. The FGIG committee is intended to enact and give structure to the results of that process, not take it over now. This also gave me someplace to organize a legal structure proposal and how it all might relate. This section will be moved to "talk" after a few days.
The reasoning behind the seperate entity 501(1)(c)3 structure is to limit the liability of Free Geek, Inc. and its board of directors. Any criminal or negligant activitites will be the responsibility each individual organizations board of directors. This limitation of liability should work both ways and extend to each official Free Geek operation (no single Free Geek can get everyone else in trouble). This of course is my opinion and not that of an attorney, needs research.
Regional Committees are meant to be voluntary, so that a hypothetical Free Geek in northern CA and one in San Diego aren't "forced" to pretend they are a "region" for example.
Membership in the FGIG committee is not limited to one person per group.
Committee shall meet via email/teleconf./IRC on a regular basis to review applications.