Broadcast Thursday, November 9, 2023

Self-governance in organizations is an amazing and challenging journey. As the seasons change in my region toward fall, I have been reflecting on our journey in SoFA this year; and several year-end activities support this thinking as well. I am drafting our Annual Impact report (forthcoming); we are working on our budget proposals for January 1; working on fundraising for Giving Tuesday and our End of Year Campaign; and in General Circle we are looking at our Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) for 2024. 

There are a host of questions around setting OKRs for 2024: How can we keep things simple? Can we improve not just on our external impact, but our internal connection and community? What would it look like to not just grow in 2024, but increase our resilience as an organization as well? 

What indicators or measures would you like to see guide SoFA towards its mission and vision in the coming year?  Let me know!  

Rhonda Baird

Operational Leader

✏️ Circle reports

Mission Circle:

• The Annual Meeting has been successfully concluded, providing a platform for members to discuss essential matters.
• The preparation of the 990 form is almost complete, paving the way for the timely completion of our annual report.

International Circle:

• In our meetings, we have initiated a Connection Space inspired by sociocracy vision and values, fostering meaningful interactions among members.
• Joann has been unanimously consented as the International Seeding Circle delegate, ensuring effective representation.
• Members have consented to various proposals, including a dreaming together session and an international outreach brainstorm, enhancing our global outreach efforts.
• We have introduced a rotation of topics in our meetings, covering areas such as outreach, events, and infrastructure, promoting a well-rounded approach to our international endeavors.

Content Circle:

• The Outreach Circle is actively working on fundraising and developing innovative strategies for individual outreach, with a focus on re-strategizing around our free webinar initiatives.
• The Training Circle is undergoing restructuring, transforming the Academy into a more modular and adaptable platform for continuous education.
• The Website Circle has been addressing challenges related to the website, particularly regarding sign ups and notifications. Efforts are underway to resolve issues caused by the interaction of multiple plugins and outdated software. A plan to replace WordPress elements is in progress, supported by workshops and strategic discussions with external experts.

SoFA Support Services:

• The Financial Wellbeing team is actively engaged in planning the End of Year fundraising campaign, aiming to secure essential resources for our organization.

Ecosystem Circle:

• The Ecosystem Circle convened to discuss Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) for 2024. These discussions are guiding us toward better supporting sectors within our organization, fostering alignment and collaboration.

💙 New members

• Teel Short (USA) – IC circle

📰 Announcements

Learn from Cohousing, Coliving and Intentional Communities around the world at the Sociocracy in Intentional Communities Conference

The conference will explore how sociocracy supports ecovillages, cohousing projects and housing cooperatives to meet social needs through resilient, equitable and regenerative self-governance practices.