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1
ANWA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Revised: October 12, 2011
Approved: October 20, 2011
Amended: November 3, 2015
Revised: November 7, 2017
Revised March 5, 2019
Table of Contents
PREAMBLE
I. Organizational Overview
A. Purpose
B. Structure
II. Membership
A. Qualifications
B. Rights and Obligations
C. Application Procedures
D. Dues
III. Executive Committee
A. Purpose
B. Functions
C. Duties
1. Charge
2. Executive President
3. President-elect
4. Past President
5. Secretary
6. Treasurer
D. Elections
1. Policies
2. Procedures
3. Special Elections
IV. Board of Directors
A. Purpose
B. Functions
V. Standing Committees
A. Purpose
B. Formation and Dissolution
2
C. Committees
D. Chairs
E. Members of Committees
F. Communications Committee
1. Charge
2. Functions
3. Duties
G. Conference Committee
1. Charge
2. Functions
3. Duties
H. Records Committee
1. Charge
2. Duties
I. Events Committee
1. Charge
2. Functions
J. Membership Committee
1. Charge
2. Functions
3. Duties
K. IT/Website Committee
1. Charge
2. Functions
3. Duties
L. Other Functions
VI. Units of ANWA
A. Authority
B. Chapters
1. Purpose
2. Functions
3. Chapter Officers
4. Chapter Elections
5. Formation
6. Growth
7. Dissolution
C. Regions
1. Purpose
2. Functions
3
3. Regional Directors
4. Online Regional Director Duties
VII. Meetings
A. Association
B. Chapters
C. Special Meetings
VIII. Amendments
A. Method
IX. Exhibits
A. Conflict of Interest Policy
B. Funds Received Form
C. Funds Request Form
4
ANWA Policies and Procedures
Revised: October 12, 2011
Approved: October 20, 2011
Amended: November 3, 2015
Revised: March 5, 2019
PREAMBLE
This Policies and Procedure document offers explanation and instruction for the
implementation of the purpose of the American Night Writers Association. All Policies
and Procedures are governed by the Association’s approved Bylaws – Revised 9/2/11 –
Approved 9/23/11 - Amended: November 3, 2015.
I. Organizational Overview
A. Purpose:
1. The name of this organization shall be AMERICAN NIGHT WRITERS
ASSOCIATION, hereafter referred to as ANWA.
2. ANWA is a peer network for men and women who belong to The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are interested in writing.
3. The purpose of the organization is to encourage, assist, educate, and
motivate members to write, and if they desire, to publish their works.
4. ANWA provides Chapters for its members in order to carry out the
stated purposes of the organization and to support each member in their
writing goals.
5. The mission statement of the organization is to inspire, motivate, and
empower writers to better their craft and share it with others.
B. Structure:
IT/Website Chair is missing in this diagram
5
II. Membership
A. Qualifications:
1. Any man or woman who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and is interested in writing is eligible for
membership in this organization. Membership in ANWA shall be
made available without regard to race, color, or national origin under
such rules and regulations not in conflict with the provisions of
ANWA’s bylaws.
B. Rights and Obligations:
1. Members whose dues are paid may attend monthly meetings in a
chapter (either physical or online), hold office, and vote.
2. Each member is encouraged to enroll in a chapter in order to reap the
greatest benefits from ANWA membership. They should enroll in an
online chapter if one is not available in their locality.
3. Members will be listed upon the roll of and attend up to two
geographically located chapters to attend in person: one co-ed and one
in their respective gender group. Members may join an unlimited
number of genre based online chapters but must be actively involved
with each chapter at the monthly online meetings (ie: They may not
join an online genre based chapter as a placeholder for future use or
reference.)
4. If more than one chapter is available in a locality, a member should
enroll in the one within whose boundaries they reside. If they attend
another chapter without authorization, they cannot hold an office
there, nor can they vote in chapter elections.
5. A new, renewing, or rejoining member shall present proof of their
current dues payment to the chapter secretary before being placed on
the chapter's roll.
6. If a member cannot attend meetings of the chapter within which they
reside because of conflicts arising from family, church calling,
employment, schooling, illness, or other reasons, they may apply in
writing for an enrollment waiver to the Membership Chair for
consideration by the Executive Committee. If a waiver is granted, they
may enroll in another chapter. When the conflict ceases, they should
move their chapter enrollment to the chapter in which they reside as
6
soon as possible.
7. Members receive ANWA’s newsletter and may participate in the online
programs available to members, such as the ANWA Facebook group,
and other programs sponsored by ANWA.
8. Members will have access to ANWA’s Members section of the Web site.
9. Members are expected to support, encourage, and assist other Members
in their writing goals.
10. Members are expected to serve in their Chapters and in the
Association’s Committees and boards whenever possible.
11. Under no circumstances shall a Member commit plagiarism. Such acts
will be grounds for permanent membership expulsion from the
Association and such persons may also be subject to the consequences
outlined in Intellectual Property Rights laws.
12. All works discussed in ANWA Chapter meetings, online critique
groups, workshop arenas, and the like, are strictly confidential. Any
Member disclosing another author’s work outside these venues
without the author’s permission will be grounds for permanent
membership expulsion from the Association and such persons may
also be subject to the consequences outlined in Intellectual Property
Rights laws.
C. Application Procedures:
1. Prospective members of ANWA join the organization with two actions:
submitting a Membership Application and submitting the current dues
set by the Board of Directors. There are several ways by which this can
be accomplished.
a. A prospective member fills out the electronic Membership
Application at the ANWA website and submits it from there. They
then pay their dues through PayPal or mail a check or money order
to the ANWA Treasurer.
2. The ANWA Treasurer is tasked with sending Membership Applications
to the Membership Committee Chair in a timely manner so that the
prospective member may be processed into membership without
delay.
D. Dues:
7
1. Calendar Membership Year and Grace Period for Payment
a. The ANWA membership year runs from January 1st through
December 31st. Dues are paid annually and are due on January 1st
for the calendar year. Members have a grace period until January
31 of each year to pay Annual Dues.
2. Amount
a. Annual dues are set by the Executive Board. Current dues are
$30 per year. In cases where more than one LDS writer lives in a
family household, the first will pay the full annual dues rate, and
the second will pay a $15 annual membership and have all rights
and privileges of ANWA Membership.
3. Initial Dues
a. Initial dues from a new or rejoining member pay for membership
rights and benefits to the end of the current calendar year.
However, a first year member pays a prorated dues amount, based
on the month joined.
b. Dues may be paid for multiple years.
4. Renewal Dues
a. Renewal dues may be paid on the ANWA website through
PayPal or by mailing a check or money order for the current
amount to the Treasurer, along with any updates to the renewing
member's contact.
b. The Membership Committee will send Renewal Reminders to
members by early December of each year. Reminders may also be
made via the December Newsletter, official ANWA emails, and on
internal social media groups.
5. Unpaid Dues
a. A member whose dues are not paid by January 31 ceases to be a
member and can neither hold office, vote, receive a newsletter, nor
participate in meetings or other ANWA member programs, such as
the online groups or other social media groups, until dues are paid.
6. Benevolence Fund for Hardship Cases
8
a. In cases of hardship, current ANWA members may present
requests for full or partial membership assistance to the
Membership Chair for review and approval. Chapter presidents
may also present these requests on behalf of their chapter members.
b. The Benevolence Fund is available for this purpose. Members
may make donations to the Fund. Members may also pay other
members’ dues.
7. Waiver of Dues
a. The following members may have their dues waived during their
term of service: Executive Committee, Committee Chairs, Regional
Directors.
III. Executive Committee
A. Purpose:
1. Members of ANWA’s Executive Committee are to uphold the purposes
of ANWA and further its vision and growth while maintaining focus
on the individual Members’ needs.
2. The Executive Committee is made up of the following elected officials:
Executive President, President-elect, Past President, Secretary, and
Treasurer. The Executive Committee is charged with managing the
administrative affairs of the Association.
B. Functions:
1. The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings as determined by
the Executive President.
2. The Executive Committee will be the only signers on the ANWA
financial accounts and the only persons in possession of said account
checks and credit cards.
3. The Executive Committee holds direct oversight of the Standing
Committees and Regional Directors.
4. The Executive Committee encourages each unit to further the mission of
ANWA.
5. The Executive Committee facilitates implementation of the Standing
Committees' actions.
6. The Executive Committee evaluates the committee structure of the
9
Association and recommends improvements thereof to the Board of
Directors.
7. The Executive Committee encourages communication and coordination
among all the members of the Board of Directors.
8. The Executive Committee will be responsible for offering periodic in-
service training for Regional Directors.
9. Members of the Executive Committee may rotate between them the
duties of submitting Newsletter Presidency Messages and Writers
Challenges.
10. The Executive Committee performs other functions as agreed upon
with the Board of Directors.
11. Each member of the Executive Committee will sign a Conflict of
Interest agreement (Exhibit A).
C. Duties:
1. Charge
a. For the purpose of fulfilling their responsibilities, it is the duty of
each member of the Executive Committee to review and
understand ANWA’s Purposes, Policies and Procedures and
approved Bylaws.
2. Executive President
a. The Executive President is the Chief Executive Officer of ANWA
and shall conduct themselves in a manner that promotes
ANWA as a professional organization.
b. The Executive President is responsible for promoting the
organization and its members to the world.
c. The Executive President shall serve as Chair and preside at all
general meetings of this organization and meetings of the
Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors. They shall
facilitate proper order and decorum based on the Bylaws of this
organization.
d. The Executive President will serve as the President-elect during
their first year of office, as Executive President their second year
of office, and in an advisory capacity as Past President for a
third year.
e. The Executive President is a voting member of the Executive
Committee and the Board of Directors.
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f. In consultation with the Executive Committee, the Executive
President will set the agenda for the Board of Directors
meetings and the annual general meeting. Each agenda shall
include Standing Committee reports.
g. The Executive President shall be the deciding vote in the event of
a tie.
h. The Executive President may assign each Executive Officer
responsibility over a particular Standing Committee, or other
assignments as needed, during their term of office.
i. The Executive President will be the direct contact for the Regional
Directors unless this duty is assigned to another Executive
Officer.
j. The Executive President will direct pending business of the
Association to the appropriate committee(s) for action.
k. The Executive President shall perform such other duties as may
be prescribed by the Board of Directors in overseeing the
operations of the organization.
l. The Executive President is responsible for training the President-
Elect.
m. The Executive President presents the ANWA’s annual report to
its membership at the annual general meeting of the organization.
This state-of-the-organization report shall include information such
as Standing Committee reports and the financial status of the
organization. A summary of the report will be available on the
Members Only section of ANWA’s website. Additional reports
may be given throughout the year as needed or requested by
ANWA members. If the Executive President is unable to do so, they
may assign another member of the Executive Committee.
3. President-elect
a. The President-elect shall act as aide to the Executive President
and shall perform the duties of the Executive President in the
absence of said officer.
b. The President-elect is a voting member of the Executive
Committee and the Board of Directors.
c. The President-elect may have purview of a particular Standing
Committee as delegated to them by the Executive President.
d. The President-elect will serve in such capacity during their first
11
year of office, as Executive President their second year of office,
and in an advisory capacity as Past President for a third year.
e. The President-elect shall perform such other duties as may be
delegated by the Executive President or prescribed by the Board
of Directors.
4. Past President
a. The Executive Past President shall have a vote in ANWA
Executive Committee meetings and in ANWA Board of Directors
meetings. In the case that the Past President serves in more than
one capacity or board position, he/she will vote as Past President
only and not as a board member to avoid access to two votes. If
votes in the Executive Committee or Board of Directors are tied,
then the weight of the decision would go with the Executive
President.
b. The Past President will serve as the President-elect during their
first year of office, as Executive President their second year of
office, and in an advisory capacity as Past President for a third
year.
c. The Past President shall perform such other duties as may be
delegated by the Executive President or prescribed by the Board
of Directors.
5. Secretary
a. The Secretary is the custodian of all the general Association’s
property and permanent records.
b. The Secretary is a voting member of the Executive Committee
and the Board of Directors.
c. The Secretary will serve a two-year term beginning on January 1st
of the odd year and ending on December 31st of the following
even year.
d. The Secretary may have purview of a particular Standing
Committee as delegated to them by the Executive President.
e. The Secretary shall keep a correct record of all meetings of the
Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, and other general
organization meetings, including the annual meeting.
f. After consulting with the Executive President, the Secretary shall
12
prepare agendas for said meetings and distribute them to all
attendees one week prior to the scheduled meeting.
g. The Secretary shall record minutes of said meetings and
disseminate them to the respective members within one week
following the meeting.
h. The Secretary shall handle all written correspondence as
necessary and shall send out notices as prescribed by the
Bylaws.
i. The Secretary shall facilitate all Executive Elections and Voting of
the General Membership as outlined in the Bylaws: 3.4, 3.5, 8.3,
10.2 and in the Policies and Procedures: III. D.
j. The Secretary is responsible for training their successor.
k. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be
delegated by the Executive President or prescribed by the Board
of Directors.
6. Treasurer
a. The Treasurer is a voting member of the Executive Committee
and the Board of Directors.
b. The Treasurer shall oversee the generation, filing, and
preservation of all financial documents of the organization. They shall
oversee the creation of an accurate record of all receipts and expenditures,
pay all approved bills, and have the annual tax returns prepared and filed
with the appropriate tax authorities in a timely manner. The Board of
Directors may approve the hiring of a bookkeeper and/or tax preparer to
help the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall provide the necessary information
to the bookkeeper in order for the bookkeeper to compile monthly financial
statements. The Treasurer and bookkeeper shall provide the necessary
information to the tax preparer in order for the tax preparer to complete
the annual tax filings.
c. The Treasurer and President are responsible for arranging for the
removal of the outgoing Executive Committee and inclusion of the new
Executive Committee as signers on the bank accounts.
d. The Treasurer will have the annual report to the Arizona
Corporation Commission prepared and filed in a timely manner.
e. The Treasurer shall serve as ANWA’s Statutory Agent for the
Arizona Corporation Commission, so long as the Treasurer is an Arizona
resident. If the Treasurer is not an Arizona resident, then any member of
13
the Executive Committee, who is an Arizona resident, may serve as
Statutory Agent. If no members of the Executive Committee are residents
of Arizona, then the Treasurer will arrange for a lawyer, accountant, or
statutory agency to serve as Statutory Agent.
f. At the beginning of each year, the Treasurer and Executive
President will determine whether a change in the Executive Committee
warrants a change to ANWA’s statutory business address or statutory
agent. If so, the Treasurer will notify the Arizona Corporation Commission
(ACC) of said change in a timely manner.
g. The Treasurer shall verify there is a completed and signed Funds
Request Form for every expenditure.
h. The Treasurer will serve a two-year term beginning on January
1st of the even year and ending on December 31st of the following odd
year.
i. The Treasurer shall accept annual budget requests from ANWA
Standing Committees and Regions, oversee the preparation of a proposed
annual budget, and submit it to the Board of Directors for approval by
December 1st preceding the year of the budget requested.
j. The Treasurer shall give a monthly report of all transactions at the
ANWA Board of Directors meetings and oversee the preparation of a brief
financial report to be presented at the annual General Meeting.
k. The Treasurer shall oversee the collection of all monies of the
general organization although Chapter Officers and Regional Directors
may collect and disburse money for their own events.
l. The Treasurer shall oversee the collection of all membership dues
and notify the Membership committee of receipt of dues in a timely
manner.
m. The Treasurer shall keep cash and checks in a secure location
until a deposit is made and shall deposit all monies in a timely manner
(cash deposited within 72 hours; checks within a month).
n. The Treasurer may have purview of a particular Standing
Committee as delegated to them by the Executive President.
o. The Treasurer shall provide the financial records of the
organization to the Board of Directors or an external auditor at the request
of the Board of Directors.
p. The Treasurer is responsible for training their successor.
q. For approved budgets, and with Board of Directors approval, the
Treasurer may facilitate a nominal cash advance, when needed, to Units for
their upcoming events.
14
r. The Treasurer shall oversee the payment of receipts or invoices
for expenses and verify that every payment is approved with a completed
Funds Request Form. The Funds Request Form should be signed by two
members who have each verified such expenses, one of which is a Chapter
President, Regional Director, Committee Chair, or a member of the
Executive Committee. The Treasurer then verifies previous approval
through inclusion in an approved budget or submits the request to the
Board of Directors for approval. The Treasurer then writes and delivers the
check to the appropriate person.
s. The Treasurer oversees the collection of monies from Regional
Directors, Committee Members, or event organizers along with a Funds
Received Form signed by two members who have each separately counted
the funds in each other’s presence.
t. The Treasurer is responsible for verifying that members of the
Executive Committee are the only signers on the ANWA account and the
only persons in possession of said account checks, debit cards, and credit
cards.
u. The Treasurer confirms that only the Executive Committee, after
approval from the Board of Directors, exercises the borrowing powers of
the association. They also execute contracts, deeds, bills of exchange and
other instruments and documents on behalf of the entire organization with
approval of the Executive Committee.
v. Any member may request to inspect the books and records of the
organization. The Treasurer will arrange a time and place for the
inspection.
w. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be
delegated by the Executive President or prescribed by the Board of
Directors.
D. Elections:
1. Policies
a. Annual elections for open positions will occur in the fall, and
those officers will begin their terms on January 1st following.
b. An election for President-elect will be held every year.
c. The Treasurer and the Secretary will serve two-year staggered
15
terms with the Treasurer being elected in odd-numbered years
and the Secretary being elected in even-numbered years.
d. No person shall be elected to hold more than one executive office
at the same time. An executive officer is allowed to run for
office more than once.
e. Nominees for Executive Officers must have served as a Chapter
Officer or as a member of a Standing Committee.
f. Elections shall take place electronically; however, the Secretary
will ensure that all members have an avenue to vote if electronic
means are not available to them.
g. When a vote is called for, the General Membership will have
three weeks to respond with their vote. A quorum shall be those
responding by the deadline given.
h. The Nominee who obtains the greatest number of votes for a
given office shall be elected.
2. Procedures
a. Each year by September 1, the Executive Secretary shall
communicate with all Chapter Secretaries and make plans for
the election of members of the Executive Committee whose
terms will begin January 1.
b. The Executive Secretary accepts nominations for Executive
Officers from the Chapter Secretaries as nominated from the
general membership during Chapter meetings. A member who
is not affiliated with a chapter may nominate themselves or
another member directly to the Secretary.
c. The Chapter Secretaries solicit nominations of qualified members
and communicate those nominations to the Secretary before
October 1. All nominations, including those made directly to the
Secretary by members not affiliated with a Chapter, must be
submitted by October 1.
d. The Executive Secretary verifies that the nominee is willing to
serve and has the qualifications specified in the Bylaws before
placing the nominee’s name on the official ballot.
e. The nominees should review the requirements and duties of the
offices as stated in the Bylaws and agree to serve in such
positions before being placed on the ballot. Members who
desire to stand for election have until October 10 to write and
submit to the Secretary a Biography and a Vision Statement
16
(B&VS) telling how they will work to further the mission of
ANWA.
f. The Executive Secretary shall prepare and distribute ballots and
B&VSs to the Membership via electronic means or by other
means, if needed, no later than October 15. The Membership
shall cast their votes so as to be received by the Secretary no
later than November 5. Votes received after the deadline shall
not be counted.
g. The Executive Secretary shall count the votes, and post the
results electronically to the Executive Committee, the members,
and the Newsletter Editor by November 10. The upcoming
officers shall be announced again in the following Newsletter.
h. Disputes with the election results shall be communicated to the
Executive President before November 30. If the results of the
election are contested, the Executive President and the Secretary
or other member of the Executive Committee will recount the
ballots and verify, within seven days, the voting results.
3. Special Elections
a. If a special election is needed due to a vacancy, the Board of
Directors will recruit, call for nominations and implement a vote
within one month of the date the vacancy occurs.
b. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-elect, the
general membership shall, by majority vote in a special election,
elect a replacement to complete the term of office. Members will
be notified of the vacancy immediately. For the next two weeks,
the Board of Directors will recruit and accept nominations. A
ballot will then be made available to the General Membership
who will have two weeks to place their vote.
c. In the event of a vacancy in the offices of either the Secretary or
Treasurer, the Board of Directors shall, by majority vote, elect a
replacement to complete the term of office. Members shall be
notified of the vacancy immediately. For the next two weeks,
the Board of Directors will recruit and accept nominations. The
Board of Directors will then vote and notify the General
Membership within two weeks of their decision.
IV. Board of Directors
17
A. Purpose:
1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee and the
Chairs of the Standing Committees and shall work together to further
the Purposes of ANWA.
2. The Board of Directors will encourage open communication among
ANWA Committees, Chapters, Units and the General Membership.
B. Functions:
1. The Board of Directors shall meet monthly, and each member of the
Board will report on their respective areas and the activities of ANWA
under their purview.
2. A quorum to conduct business at a Board of Directors meeting shall be
two-thirds of the Board of Directors.
3. The Board of Directors approves an annual budget presented by the
Treasurer and governs the activities of ANWA.
4. The Committee Chairs of the Board shall submit an annual report to the
Executive President to be included in the presentation of ANWA’s
annual report to its membership at the annual general meeting of the
organization. This state-of-the-organization report shall include
information such as Standing Committee reports and the financial
status of the organization. A summary of the report will be available in
the Members Only section of ANWA’s website. Additional reports
may be given throughout the year as needed or requested by ANWA
members.
5. Board of Directors meetings shall be open to the general membership;
however, the Board reserves the right to hold a closed-door session at
any given time when the need for confidentiality arises.
6. The Board of Directors will execute all mandates as prescribed to them
in the approved Bylaws and will perform other functions as the
Executive Committee may request.
7. Each member of the Board of Directors will sign a Conflict of Interest
agreement (Exhibit A).
V. Standing Committees
A. Purpose:
18
1. Standing Committees may be created by the Executive Committee as
required to provide services, process information, and implement
events so that ANWA may carry out its stated purposes. The Executive
Committee, through its President or other officers as assigned by them,
shall, at its option, maintain representation on all Standing Committees
through ex officio representation. Work may be undertaken by any
Standing Committee within the approved budget.
B. Formation and Dissolution:
1. The Executive Committee has the authority, considering
recommendations from the Board of Directors, to appoint new
Standing Committees, including a Chair. The Chair in turn selects
Members for their committee as needed to further the Mission of
ANWA.
2. Standing Committees shall be dissolved as deemed necessary by the
Executive Committee.
C. Committees:
1. The following Standing Committees, and any others deemed necessary,
may be formed by Executive Committee: Communications Committee,
Conference Committee, Records Committee, Events Committee,
Membership Committee, IT/Website Committee.
D. Chairs:
1. A Committee Chair will be appointed by the Executive Committee from
a slate of volunteers submitted to them from the Chapter Secretaries,
or members of the Board of Directors. The Committee Chair must have
previously served on the Committee unless no member is available
who has previously served on the Committee.
2. Committee Chairs shall serve for two years with the option of renewing
for additional terms if sanctioned by the current Committee Members
and the Executive Committee.
3. The Committee Chair is a member of the Board of Directors and has the
responsibility of reporting the work of the Committee to the Board.
4. The Committee Chair will find, appoint, and train a committee Co-chair
with the assistance and approval of the Executive Committee. Co-
19
chairs serve for a period of two years with the option of renewing for
additional time as needed.
5. The Committee Chair will keep a record of the terms of Committee
Members and facilitate the appropriate rotation of Committee
Members.
6. The Committee Chair’s annual dues shall be waived during their term
of service.
7. If requested by the Executive President, the Committee Chair must
submit an annual report to the Executive President to be included in
the presentation of ANWA’s annual report to its membership at the
annual general meeting of the organization. This state-of-the-
organization report shall include information such as Standing
Committee reports and the financial status of the organization. A
summary of the report will be available in the Members Only section
of the ANWA website. Additional reports may be given throughout
the year as needed or requested by ANWA members.
8. The Committee Chair must attend the monthly ANWA Board of
Directors Meeting and submit a monthly report including
accomplishments, and questions SEVEN days prior to the next
month’s meeting. When needed, the Co-chair or assistant may attend
the Board of Directors meeting.
E. Members of Committees:
1. Committee Members function on the committee in the role(s) assigned
by the Committee Chair.
2. The Executive President, or another member of the Executive
Committee assigned by them, will serve as an ex officio, non-voting
member but will be called upon to vote in the case of a tie.
3. All members of the Committee shall serve for two years with the option
of renewing for additional terms as sanctioned by the current
Committee Members and the Executive Committee.
4. Membership on an ANWA Committee terminates upon expiration of
ANWA membership.
F. Communications Committee:
1. Charge
a. To foster increased communication between members, chapters,
20
regions, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee
and between the organization and the public.
2. Functions
a. To increase the visibility, name-recognition, and membership
recruitment efforts of the organization.
b. To oversee and implement communication within the
organization through such means as a monthly newsletter with
the newsletter editor being a member of the committee, a
members-only section of the organization’s website, the
organization’s Facebook Group, and other online groups.
c. To direct questions or problems to the appropriate Chair or
Executive Committee. The Communications Chair does not
make policy nor answer questions on policy.
d. To disseminate information at the request of the Executive
Committee and the Board of Directors. The Executive
Committee and the Board of Directors write their own copy, or
give the bullet points of their communication with a request to
the Communications Chair to create the message.
c. To oversee and implement communication about the
organization to the public through such means as publicity and
advertisements in newspaper and other media, access to the
organization’s website, Facebook Page, Twitter updates, and
other online groups.
3. Duties
a. Social Media
1) Such Social Media Specialists as are necessary will keep
ANWA in the public eye through ANWA's Facebook
Page and Twitter account, and any other present and
future social media sites, as the Executive Committee
shall direct.
b. Groups & Forums
1) Members of the Committee will act as moderators of the
21
various ANWA Groups and invite new members to join
the groups. A member of the Committee will serve as the
administrator of the organization’s Facebook group and
invite members to join. Other socializing technologies,
present and future, may also be employed for
communications within the organization as the Executive
Committee shall direct. ANWA-wide announcements
must be approved by the Executive Committee.
Questions and problems must be referred to the
appropriate Chair or the Executive Committee.
c. Publicity and Advertising
1) One or more Members of the Committee are responsible
to prepare, implement or assist in publicity and
advertising campaigns as the Executive Committee shall
direct.
G. Conference Committee:
*Also see addendum
1. Charge
a. To prepare and present an annual writing conference for
members of the organization and the public.
2. Functions
a. To determine a date for the conference
b. To establish committee member assignments and a timeline for
task fulfillment
c. To establish a budget and follow it
d. All expenditures must be approved by the Committee Chairs
and the Executive Presidency.
e. To determine attendees' costs for the conference, with early
registration deadline date
f. To determine the classes and the tracks that will be offered
g. To establish a schedule and provide a program
h. To provide a time for the annual membership meeting during
the conference as provided in the Bylaws
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i. To fulfill assigned duties as needed or specified by the Board of
Directors.
j. A member of the Executive Committee, usually the Past
President, will be a member of the Conference Committee.
3. Duties
a. Book a facility with enough room for general and breakout
sessions, meals, agent and editor appointments, book sales and
other rooms as needed for the conference
b. Procure one or more keynote or special speakers and a faculty to
teach the appropriate classes
c. Procure editors and/or agents to meet with conference attendees
d. Provide a space for attendees’ book sales as needed
e. Arrange time for attendees to sign books purchased at the
conference or brought in for signatures
f. Arrange time and space for a Meet & Greet event and invite
bookstore personnel, editors, agents, authors, etc. to attend
g. Provide for Registration and payment method, recordkeeping,
and Conference Day registration table personnel
h. Advertise the availability and schedule appointments for
attendees to meet with editors and agents and provide
personnel to handle smooth transitions for those with
appointments on Conference day.
i. If an authors’ reading time is offered, advertise the availability
and schedule readers according to the following priority: 1.
newly published ANWA authors, 2. faculty authors, 3. other
published ANWA authors.
j. Provide for Marketing and Publicity within ANWA and to the
general public.
k. Correlate updating the Conference section of the web site for
information and Registration with the IT/Website Chair
l. Provide for and produce attendee materials, such as nametags,
conference schedule, class handouts, program, evaluation
survey, etc.
m. Coordinate meals
n. Arrange to book airline flights for out-of-town speakers, editors,
and agents
o. Arrange for photography at conference for use on the website
and future marketing.
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p. Correlate procuring class and speaker reporters for newsletter
articles with the Communications Committee.
q. If a writing contest is offered, arrange for writing contest
categories, judges, and prizes, a slide show/video awards and
an emcee.
r. Arrange for sponsors/door prizes, if offered.
s. Arrange with the Executive Committee for service awards,
faculty thank-you gifts, etc.
t. Provide other approved materials or services commonly found at
writing conferences.
H. Records Committee:
1. Charge:
a. To oversee historical records of ANWA
b. To maintain an historical record of executive committee and board member
leadership (names, dates, and key accomplishments).
c. To coordinate information with the Web Chair to maintain a webpage of
ANWA history.
Duties:
Newsletter
1) The Member of the Committee assigned as the Newsletter Editor oversees the
production of a newsletter entitled “Of Good Report.”
2) The Newsletter Editor acquires, from members and other sources, interesting,
uplifting, and inspiring articles and information on writing, marketing, and
contests along with editing other sections of the newsletter such as articles and
announcements from the Executive Board, minutes of Chapter meetings, profiles
of members, etc.
3) The Editor is responsible for editing, formatting, compiling, and typesetting
the articles and getting the newsletter ready for production and distribution to
members via email and posting on the organization’s website and/or by any
other electronic means.
4) The Newsletter Editor will assure that ANWA-wide events receive priority
placement and coverage in the newsletter. Regional and chapter events must be
previously approved by the Executive Committee and will receive no more than
a half page of coverage.
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I. Events Committee:
1. Charge
a. To be the liaison between the Regional Directors/Chapter
Presidents and the Board of Directors in order to facilitate timely
and efficient relay of event plans and approval of forms, which said
approval must be granted by the Board prior to execution. Such
events can consist of regional retreats, workshops, webinars, write-
ins, etc. (Annual Conference excluded.)
b. To assist in the coordination of event support including, but not
limited to, advertising, website listings, financial assistance, etc.
c. To support in the planning of logistical and budgetary needs of
additional events, outside of Conference and Regional events, to
further support the purposes of the organization.
2. Functions
a. Coordinate with Regional Directors and Chapter Presidents on
all events held under their purview.
b. Support Regional Directors by answering questions and offering
encouragement through verbal expressions of appreciation.
Support and educate Regional Directors and Chapter Presidencies
on use of the ANWA Events Request Form/information needed for
approval.
c. Collect Event Request Forms; if incomplete, request the
remaining required information; if complete, submit at next Board
Meeting for approval. Be the liaison between the Regional
Directors/Chapter Presidents and the Board of Director in getting
Events approved or in conveying modification requests back to
those submitting for approval.
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d. Notify all parties (including President, Treasurer,
Communications Chair and Submitting party) of approval and
forward a copy of signed Events Form.
e. Optional and as requested and approved by the Board: to plan
and produce other programs, events and services that further the
work of the Association and the development of its members such
as author’s signings, readings, contests, weekly challenges, etc.
(Such events may be open to the general public, and a fee may be
charged to cover the expenses or to fundraise.)
f. Request upcoming dates for the Board’s annual planning
meeting. (Typically during the Fall prior to the events.)
J. Membership Committee:
1. Charge
a. To recruit, organize, and nurture the Membership of ANWA.
2. Functions
a. To brainstorm ideas for recruiting new members such as
membership drives and contests and to communicate with the
appropriate committee for implementation.
b. To inform members about how to identify and recruit LDS men
and women writers.
c. To work to retain members who have an abiding interest in
writing
d. To fulfill necessary duties using present and future technologies.
3. Duties
a. Organize
1) Receive Membership Applications from the Treasurer
electronically.
2) Verify with the Treasurer that dues have been paid.
3) Assign new members to an appropriate chapter, local or
online.
4) Communicate with the Chapter President, so they can
invite the new member to the chapter's social media
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group.
5) Facilitate the addition of the new member to online
groups.
6) Communicate with the Newsletter Editor for the addition
of new members to the Newsletter list.
7) Keep the official Roster of Membership updated,
including new members’ names and information.
8) Send Membership Renewal Reminders to members by
early December.
b. Welcome
1) Produce and provide new members with welcome
material and information, which may include:
a) Official Welcome to ANWA
b) ANWA Website, Members-Only access
information
c) Online groups Information and benefits
d) Other materials of use to new members
c. Facilitate Chapter Formation & Development
1) Identify geographical areas with five or more ANWA
members, determine the needs and wishes of the
members to be organized into a chapter, and forward the
information to the Board of Directors for chapter
formation, if necessary.
2) Receive, act on, and store petitions for chapter formation
from members.
3) Notify Board of Directors of pending chapter formation.
4) Appoint Chapter Leader to spearhead organization of a
pending chapter within 6 months.
5) Provide organization material to Chapter Leaders.
6) Track Chapter Leader appointments, pending chapter
formation, and chapter strength.
7) Approve members' choice of a chapter name, if not a
duplicate.
8) Forward to the Board of Directors for approval and
acceptance, a pending Chapter’s intent to organize.
9) Approve reward of one year membership extension to
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successful Chapter Leaders and notify Chair.
10) Release unsuccessful Chapter Leaders from
appointment.
11) Monitor number of members enrolled in chapters and
monthly participation numbers.
12) At such time as a chapter's membership reaches 12, with
at least ten members participating for the past three
months, notify Board of Directors of the possible need to
split the chapter.
13) When notified by a chapter that there are only two
members remaining in the chapter, or the members can
no longer meet together, notify the Board of Directors of
possible need to dissolve the chapter.
14) If a previously dissolved chapter regains enough
members to start meeting again, help the chapter choose
a presidency and meeting location, then notify the Board
of Directors of their reinstatement.
d) Train Chapter Officers
1) Enroll Chapter Officers and current Chapter Leaders in
the Chapter Officers email list.
2) Delete outgoing Chapter Officers and Chapter Leaders
from the Chapter Officers email list.
3) Educate Chapter Officers in their duties and support and
nurture them.
4 Provide appropriate leadership materials.
5) Answer questions about duties and procedures.
6) Encourage presidencies to plan chapter meetings in
advance.
7) Set up alert messages on the Chapter Officers email list
about time-sensitive duties of chapter officers.
8) Encourage dialogue between presidencies and encourage
them to aid each other in administering their chapters
effectively.
9) Address chapter issues brought to their attention.
10) Communicate unresolved issues to the Executive
President.
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K. IT/Website Chair:
1. Charge: To oversee the ANWA website, keeping it current and
functioning for both public and membership use. The ANWA Website is to
become the Hub of ANWA communications, education, networking and all
things writerly.
2. Function: To coordinate with the ANWA Executive Committee and
Board of Directors as often as necessary to keep the ANWA website up to date.
3. Duties:
a. Coordinate and assist the outside Website Designer for all
problems and updates.
b. Notify Executive President for approval if there is a need for a
financial expenditure. If over $100 there needs to be approval by Executive
Committee. If under $100 and it is within budget constraints, the
Executive President may approve.
c. Keep the ANWA website updated, including banners, events etc.
d. Coordinate with the Communications Chair with their updates
they input.
e. Coordinate with the Membership Chair with updates they input.
f. Input info and system for on-line voting for general elections
g. Input info for conferences, retreats and other ANWA wide
events
h. Input info and system for all on-line registrations and money
collection through Pay-Pal.
i. Keep current Website “How to” Pamphlets for all areas of the
website.
L. Development Committee:
1. Charge
a. To oversee the financial growth and the enlargement of the scope
of the organization.
2. Functions
a. To generate ideas aimed at promoting the purposes of the
organization and increasing donations, benefactors, sponsors
and fundraising efforts.
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b. To communicate ideas generated by the Committee to the Board
of Directors.
c. To coordinate with the Executive Committee, the Board of
Directors, and other Standing Committees to bring envisioned
activities and programs to fulfillment. Such activities may
include book signings, writing contests, awards programs,
fundraising drives, or event sponsorships, etc.
. Other Functions:
1. ANWA Standing Committee Chairs may, by majority vote, request that
the Board of Directors nominate members of the General Membership
to ad hoc committees for specific tasks.
2. Recommendations of an ANWA committee concerning revision of
policy or the establishment of new policy shall be made to the
Executive Committee. Approved recommendations shall then be sent
to the Board of Directors for their consideration.
VI. UNITS OF ANWA
A. Authority:
1. The Board of Directors has authority to divide the membership of
ANWA into Units, including Chapters and Regions.
B. Chapters:
1. Purpose
a. The Board of Directors shall organize Units of ANWA, called
Chapters, in a geographic area or organize online chapters in
order to provide the benefits of ANWA to each member.
2. Functions
a. Chapters usually meet on a monthly basis and may meet more
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often if the members wish. Chapter meetings may include:
chapter business, inspirational or writing-related thought, brief
instruction on the craft of writing, guest speakers, opportunities
for sharing and critique of individual members’ writing, goal
setting, announcements of upcoming ANWA events, and other
activities that help further the mission of ANWA.
b. Co-ed chapters must have at least three members present in
order to hold a meeting.
3. Chapter Officers
a. The elected officers of each Chapter shall be current Members of
the Association and shall consist of a President, Vice President,
and Secretary unless a Chapter has fewer than five members. In
that case, the chapter may have only a President and a
Secretary. These Officers serve a term of one year from January
1 to December 31. They shall be the Chapter Presidency.
b. If a vacancy shall occur in a chapter office, such as when an
officer resigns, when they are incapacitated by health or
circumstances such that they cannot continue to function in the
office, or when they move out of the chapter boundaries, the
remaining members of the Chapter Presidency shall constitute a
Nominating Committee and shall hold an election to fill the
vacancy as soon as possible, but no later than at the next
Chapter Meeting. If the office of President is vacated, the Vice
President may be nominated to complete the unfilled term, or
they may remain in their office as Vice President.
c. The President shall preside at and conduct Chapter meetings
where they shall present for consideration the business of the
Chapter and further the interests and policies of the Association.
They may call special meetings when necessary. They may
appoint all Chapter Committees. They are an ex-officio member
of all Chapter Committees except the nominating committee.
After consultation with the Presiding Board, the President may
appoint a Chair and Committee Members to such committees as
may be necessary to carry out the mission of the Chapter and
the Association.
d. If a member cannot attend meetings of the chapter within which
they reside because of conflict arising from family, church
calling, employment, schooling, illness, or other reasons, they
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may request a boundary exception. It is the responsibility of the
member to find a chapter with a meeting time that does work
and to contact that chapter’s president with their boundary
exception request. Chapter presidents may consult with their
presidencies when considering these requests. It is then the
responsibility of the chapter president to contact the member
with an acceptance or denial of the boundary exception request.
If the request is granted, the chapter president should also
notify the Membership committee chair of the boundary
exception. When the conflict ceases, the member should move
their chapter enrollment to the chapter in which they reside as
soon as possible.
e. The Vice President shall act as assistant to the President,
performing such functions as may be delegated to them by the
President and counseling with them on all important questions
affecting the Chapter. In case of the temporary absence or
incapacitation of the President, the Vice President shall act in
their stead during such incapacitation, being vested with all the
powers of the Office and charged with all its duties and
responsibilities until the President can function again.
f. Chapter officers are also responsible for soliciting members to
submit articles for the newsletter. The Chapter President may
assign this responsibility to their Vice President.
g. The Chapter Secretary shall keep and update a roll of all
Members of the Chapter, keep a record of all Chapter meetings,
send minutes to the Newsletter Editor, report monthly
attendance via the Official ANWA Roll and perform such other
duties as assigned by the Chapter President.
h. When a visitor attends a Chapter meeting, the Chapter Secretary
obtains their name, address, email address, and phone number
in order to invite them to future meetings. They instruct them
how to apply online or to contact the Membership Chair for
assistance. A visitor may attend two Chapter meetings to
determine if they wish to join ANWA but must join if they want
to continue to attend the Chapter meetings.
i. The Chapter Secretary, with direction from the Membership
Chair, verifies that all members on the roll have paid dues for
the current year.
j. The Chapter Secretary solicits nominations of qualified members
for Executive Officers from Chapter members and
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communicates those nominations to the Secretary before
October 1.
k. The Chapter Secretary may request ANWA-related postage
reimbursements once a year from the Executive Committee with
a Funds Request Form.
4. Chapter Elections
a. The Chapter President shall appoint the Secretary as an
individual or with another appointed member as a committee to
carry out the nomination and election process for Chapter
Officers in a timely manner, so the results can be reported to the
Membership Committee by December 10.
b. Only Chapter members whose dues are paid may vote. The vote
may be conducted by ballot, raise of the hand, or voice vote. The
person receiving a majority of votes cast shall be elected.
5. Formation
a. A minimum of five paid ANWA Members is required to create a
chapter, and exceptions can be made by member petition to the
Board for discussion and approval. Any ANWA Member who
desires to have a Chapter in their area may petition the
Membership Committee Chair for organizational materials. The
Membership Committee will appoint the petitioning Member as
the Chapter Leader to act as organizational officer, whose goal
is to organize an ANWA Chapter within six months. They will
solicit new ANWA members or enlist existing Members in the
area in order to have the required five Members for chapter
creation. The Chapter Leader serves until the Chapter is
organized, a name is chosen and approved by the Membership
Committee, officers are elected, and a regular time for monthly
meetings is set. After the Chapter has been approved and
accepted by the Board of Directors and has been functioning for
six months, at the following January, the successful Chapter
Leader will receive a one year waiver of their dues as a thank
you for organizing an ANWA chapter.
b. Also, whenever five or more LDS writers residing in a
geographical district desire to be formed into a Chapter of
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ANWA, they may petition the Membership Committee to be so
organized.
c. The name of a Chapter will be selected by its Members with final
approval by the Board of Directors to prevent duplication.
d. Genre Specific Chapters
i) If an ANWA member wishes to start a genre specific
chapter, he or she may do so.
ii) All genre specific chapters must be online chapters.
iii) The formation and rules regarding genre specific
chapters will be the same as other chapters.
e. Youth Chapters
i) Young Men and Young Women age 14 and older may join
ANWA and participate in a Youth Chapter.
ii) Two ANWA Adult Members will act as mentors and
attend each meeting.
iii) Youth chapters must have two adults present in order to
meet. Adults should be of the same gender, unless
married.
iv) If a mentor cannot attend the meeting, he or she must
find a substitute to take his or her place. A parent can act
as substitute, but at least one adult must be an official
mentor. If neither mentor can attend, the meeting is
cancelled.
v) The youth will act as other ANWA chapters by electing
their own presidency and following ANWA chapter
meeting guidelines.
vi) Co-ed youth chapters will follow the same co-ed rules as
adult chapters.
vii) Co-ed youth chapters must have both mentors plus two
chapter members present in order to hold the meeting.
6. Growth
a. When the membership of a chapter reaches twelve members,
the Membership Committee shall determine if ten or more
members are attending meetings consistently and if so, notify
the Board of Directors. If so, the Board of Directors, after
consulting with the Chapter Presidency reserves the right to
divide the chapter geographically into two or more chapters.
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b. If necessary, the Board of Directors may appoint a Chapter
Leader for each chapter, to act as the presiding authority until
the Chapter shall elect new officers at their first chapter meeting
after the division. If the division takes place during January
through June, the new officers will serve until the end of the
year. If the division takes place during July through December,
the new officers will serve until the end of the following year.
c. If a chapter feels that their membership is too large to
accommodate the needs of their members, they may petition the
Board of Directors for a chapter split. Any chapter member may
bring this up for discussion with their chapter members. In
order to petition the Board of Directors, a vote must take place
within the chapter membership, with more than half of the
current members voting in favor of the split. Votes will take
place during the chapter meeting, but chapter secretaries must
email ALL chapter members not in attendance and give them
one week to email in their votes.
Once the vote has taken place, Chapter Split Request Forms
must be filled out and submitted to the Membership Chair at
[email protected]. The Board of Directors will then
vote on the split at their next meeting. If they vote in favor of
the split, the membership chair will create new chapter
boundaries and help the second chapter form. If the Board of
Directors vote against the split, the chapter must wait three
months to petition again (unless they receive two or more new
chapter members during that time).
7. Dissolution
a. If membership in a Chapter falls below three, or if members can
no longer meet together, they should notify the Membership
Committee of that circumstance. Upon notification by the
Membership Committee, the Board of Directors may dissolve
the chapter and revise chapter boundaries, if needed. Any
remaining ANWA members who were members of the former
chapter shall be invited to join one of the online chapters or the
chapter whose boundaries have been revised to include the
area. All chapter materials shall be returned to the ANWA
Executive Secretary. No writing or critique meetings held in the
future within that chapter’s boundaries can be said to be
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ANWA meetings unless contiguous chapter boundaries have
been revised to include that area or a newly constituted chapter
shall be created by the Board of Directors.
8. Chapter Events
a. Events that further the purpose of ANWA may be organized by
individual chapters. These events may include, but are not limited
to, retreats, book signing events, workshops, etc. These events must
be approved by the Executive Committee, after consultation with
the Board of Directors, before being carried out.
i. Submit the form online titled “ANWA Event Permission
Form” including date(s), time, location, who will handle
responsibilities and a detailed explanation and budget (both
costs and expected income from attendance). Also include
when deposits are due and any further details about the
event that would assist the Board in approving the event.
This information will be reviewed at the next Board Meeting.
Notification will be relayed promptly as to approval or any
concerns.
ii. If dates are of concern, address the concerns and submit
modified information or discuss further with the Events
Coordinator.
b. Expenses incurred by implementing Chapter events should be
offset by income from attendance at the event. List any foreseeable
problems on Permission Form and it will be reviewed by the Board.
Events should break even or end with a small positive balance,
which will be used to further ANWA’s general, overall goals.
Because of the structure of the organization, these funds will not be
held over or accumulated year to year for any specific Chapter.
c. Any overnight events are to be planned in accordance with the
standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to
empower and encourage those attending, and will be specific to
one gender only.
C. Regions:
1. Purpose
a. One or more Chapters of ANWA, along with members not
36
affiliated with a Chapter and members of Online Chapters in
the same geographical area, may be organized by the Board of
Directors into a Region in order to provide the full benefits of
the ANWA organization to Members in various geographical
areas.
2. Function
a. Regions of ANWA shall function to carry out the mission of the
organization and to better serve Members.
3. Regional Directors
a. The Executive Committee shall select one or more willing
Members from each Region to serve as Regional Director(s). A
Regional Director must reside within the Region over which
they preside and have served as a Chapter Officer for at least
one year.
b. The Regional Director shall carry out assignments given them by
the Executive Committee.
c. Their primary function shall be to organize events that serve the
existing chapters in their Region, such as Regional Retreats, One
Day Workshops (may be open to the public), fundraising, book-
signing events, or other assignments from the Executive
Committee. All events must be monetarily self-sustaining,
money spent must equal the money collected. An event form,
available on the ANWA website, must be submitted to the
Events Chair for approval. The Events Chair will submit
completed forms to the ANWA Executive Committee for
approval at the monthly ANWA Executive Meeting. Approval
must be granted before moving forward on any part of an
event. Events must not be planned around ANWA Conference
and give a four-week leeway.
They may form a committee from among the Members of their
Region to implement Regional assignments. They may also
consult with the Chapter Officers in their Region about the
needs of the local Members and carry out events within their
Region to further the purposes of ANWA.
i) When organizing regional retreats, Regional directors shall
request approval ahead of time with the ANWA Board of
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Directors and the Conference Chair for special guests. In the
event that the Board of Directors discovers that the same
special guest is being considered in the same year for both a
regional retreat and as ANWA conference faculty, the
conference’s claim on the special guest shall take priority
over the claim of the regional retreat.
d. The Regional Director reports to the Executive Committee. Their
contact person on the Executive Committee is the Executive
President, unless otherwise assigned by the Executive President.
e. The term of office for a Regional Director shall be two years with
an option of renewal.
4.Online Regional Director Duties
a) Mentor online chapter officers regarding the unique aspects of
online chapter meetings.
i) Educate online chapter officers in the management of the
features of their Online Chapter Officer’s Facebook Group.
ii) Encourage communication among officers and between
officers and members.
iii) Determine if new online chapters need to be formed to
meet the needs of members of large online chapters or
unaffiliated members, and notify the Membership Chair.
iv) Address chapter issues brought to their attention.
v) Communicate unresolved issues to the Executive
President.
b) Welcome new online members with instructions about online
meetings according to the online meeting venue.
c) Instruct chapter secretaries how to collect a transcript of online
meetings.
d) Determine if new online chapters need to be formed to meet the
needs of members of large online chapters or unaffiliated
members, and notify the Membership Chair. All new online
chapters will use Zoom as the meeting venue. The venue may
be changed by the Board of Directors as needed.
e) Manage the Online Chapter Officers Facebook group.
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f) Address chapter issues regarding the online aspect of meetings
that are brought to their attention.
g) Communicate issues they can't resolve to Executive President.
5. Regional Events
Events that further the purpose of ANWA may be organized on a
Regional level. These events may include, but are not limited to,
retreats, fundraisers, book signing events, workshops, mini-
conferences, etc. These events must be approved by the Executive
Committee, after consultation with the Board of Directors, before
being carried out.
a) Regional Directors are to submit the date and proposed event to
the Events Coordinator through email or text. This information will
be reviewed at the next Board Meeting. Notification will be relayed
promptly as to approval or any concerns.
b) If dates, special guest, or location are problematic, discuss
further with the Events Chair, address the concerns, and submit
proposed modifications to Events Chair.
Once approved, fill out the form online titled “ANWA Event
Permission Form” including date(s), time, location, who will
handle responsibilities and a detailed explanation and budget (both
costs and expected income from attendance). Also include when
deposits are due and any further details about the event that would
assist the Board in approving the event.
c) Expenses incurred by implementing Regional events should be
offset by income from attendance at the event. List any foreseeable
problems on Event Permission Form to be reviewed by the Board.
Events should break even or end with a small positive balance,
which will be used to further ANWA’s general, overall goals.
Because of the structure of the organization, these funds will not be
held over or accumulated year to year for any specific region.
d) Regional Events and their dates and budgets should be outlined
and submitted to the Events Coordinator for Board review prior to
the December Board Meeting. Events that come up after that date
should be submitted at least six months in advance.
e) Any overnight events at which ANWA provides overnight
sleeping accommodation are to be planned in accordance with the
standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to
39
empower and encourage those attending, and attendance is specific
to one gender only.
Meetings
A. Association:
1. Business may be conducted at regular or special meetings of the
organization and at Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors
meetings.
2. The annual meeting of the organization shall be held to coincide with
the annual conference of the Association. The Executive President shall
give the state-of the organization report at the meeting or assign
another member of the Executive Committee. The annual report shall
include; a financial status report, Standing Committee reports and a
report on the general activities and position of the organization.
3. Adequate notice must be given of meeting dates and times. Notice must
be given in the same method that notices for meetings are normally
given.
B. Chapters:
1. To fulfill its Purposes, ANWA provides local and online Chapters. In
their meetings, members build networks and fellowship and workshop
their writing projects.
2. Any events held outside regularly scheduled Chapter meetings under
the auspices of ANWA need to be approved by the Executive
Committee.
3. Chapters are expected to hold at least one meeting a month. The time
and place is determined by each Chapter.
4. It is requested that each Chapter agenda start and finish with a word of
prayer, include a thought related to writing, a 10-20 minute lesson
pertaining to the craft of writing, time for each member to
read/critique/workshop their material, and time to conduct any
40
Chapter business necessary to cater to the writing goals of each
individual. Other suggested agenda items may be individual goal
setting, writing challenges, guest speakers, etc.
5. Youth Chapters
a. YW age 14 and older may join ANWA and participate in a Youth
Chapter.
b. Two ANWA Adult Members will act as mentors, and attend each
meeting.
c. The youth will act as other ANWA chapters electing their own
Presidency and following ANWA Chapter meeting Guidelines.
C. Special Meetings:
1. When Special Meetings are needed, notification of the meeting shall be
given to all members involved at least two (2) days prior to the special
meeting date. Said notice shall state the specific purpose of the special
meeting. The meeting’s agenda shall be limited to the special purpose
for which the meeting has been called.
2. Special Meetings may be held either in person, electronically, or by
whatever means is most efficient.
3. The Executive President may call for a special meeting of the Executive
Committee as needed. The Executive Secretary shall send the
notifications.
4. The Board of Directors may call for a Special Meeting of the Board of
Directors or the General Membership. The Executive Secretary shall
send the notifications.
5. Special Chapter meetings may be requested by any Chapter Member
and may occur if approved by a majority vote of the entire Chapter
membership. The Chapter Secretary shall send the notifications.
VIII. Amendments
A. Method:
1. These Policies and Procedures may be amended, revised, repealed, or
added to by a majority vote of all members of the Board of Directors.
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Units and Committees of ANWA may petition the Executive
Committee for revisions of the Policies and Procedures. If approved by
the Executive Committee the requested change shall then be sent to the
Board of Directors for approval.
IX. Exhibits
A. Conflict of Interest Policy
B. Funds Received Form
C. Funds Request Form
D. Events Request Form
*ANWA Writers Conference
Official Policies & Procedures Addendum Compiled by the ANWA Executive Presidency
PURPOSE: “To create and provide an event that encourages, assists, motivates, and educates conference attendees with their writing, and, if they desire, opportunities to pursue publishing their works.”
ADMINISTRATION OF LEADERSHIP ANWA is a non-profit organization that is incorporated. As such, the ANWA Executive
Presidency has all fiduciary and legal responsibility. There is only one annual ANWA Writers Conference, and it is sponsored by the ANWA Executive Presidency.
Each Chair on the Board of Directors, including the Conference chair and Co-chair is chosen by the ANWA Executive Presidency and serves under the direction of the ANWA Executive Presidency.
The Board of Directors Chair members may assist the ANWA Conference Committee and work together as a team within their various assigned areas of responsibility if and as needed.
The Conference Chair and Assistant Conference Chair are to plan, organize, and execute the annual ANWA Writers Conference, excluding any listed items that fall under the ANWA Executive Presidency
ANY budget/financial changes made by the Conference Chair(s) after initial budget approval must be submitted to and approved by the ANWA Executive Presidency.
The ANWA Current President acts as the host and official liaison of the ANWA Conference.
The ANWA Current President is also a member of the Conference Committee, and as such is invited to attend any and all ANWA Conference Committee meetings.
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The Executive Presidency may choose to assign a different member of the Executive Presidency to serve as the Conference Liaison.
ANWA Regions and Chapters may not host a Writers Conference. However, chapters and regions may host day-workshops, day-seminars, and non-coed overnight retreats upon approval of the ANWA Executive Presidency. A form must be submitted on the ANWA website to the Event's Chair, who approves it and forwards it to the ANWA Executive Presidency for final approval.
GENERAL POLICIES The ANWA Writers Conference falls under the purview of the ANWA Executive
Presidency.
Conference Cap as of 2019 is 200. This may be changed in the future if the conference can support it financially while still maintaining ANWA's high standard of education.
ANWA founder, Marsha Ward, shall be awarded free conference for life.
ANWA Conference Logo will be maintained from year-to-year for continuity and recognition in marketing efforts. Any changes to the logo must match the ANWA Style Guide and be approved by the Executive Presidency. All marketing will also follow the Style Guide. The Style Guide may be modified each year to include new colors and fonts specific to the conference.
DIVISION OF AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
ANWA EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Annual Report: This report must be verbally relayed to the organization’s membership as is required by law as a non-profit organization. This report is given by the Current President during a general session of conference, (traditionally Saturday morning) and is a vital part of the annual conference.
Bookstore: Oversees the bookstore and all monies that are collected.
Scholarships: Awards two half and one full scholarships, depending on need. Does not include hotel.
Charitable Event/Fundraiser: The Executive Presidency has the option to sponsor/offer a charitable event or fundraiser opportunity that the attendees can contribute to during conference. This can be through financial donations for future use or services offered or items donated. This opportunity must be approved by the Executive Presidency and registered for tax purposes. The Executive Presidency oversees this. Personal fundraisers or causes that bring attention to one or more authors or attendees, despite being a worthy cause, are not allowed.
Service award: This award is offered to a member that has contributed greatly to the organization and the ANWA members. This award should be presented at the same time
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as the Annual Report and is presented by a member of the Executive Presidency. Is traditionally presented on Saturday following the annual report.
Gift/Honorarium: A thank you gift is obtained by a member of the Executive Committee previous to conference to present to the Chair and Co-chair at the general session closing ceremonies on Saturday. The Honorariums for the Chair and Co-chair will be determined on a yearly basis by the Executive Committee and paid prior to the end of the year, as deemed best by the Executive Committee.
Treasurer station: The Treasurer will be on hand to collect any funds that will be paid during the conference, excluding the bookstore sales. A specific “station” can be pre-determined by the Conference Chair or Co-Chair if a projected need arises, i.e. late/walk-in registrations, newly released pitch times.
ANWA EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCY DUTIES:
ANWA Current Executive President: The Current President opens Conference, welcoming attendees, introducing the BOD and the Conference Chair and Co-Chair, and turns the conference over to them or, if appropriate, a hired emcee. The Current President also presents the Annual Report and the Service Award during a general session, arranged and agreed upon by the Executive Presidency and Conference Chair. The Current President also presents gifts at the closing ceremonies.
ANWA President Elect: The President Elect has the option to Welcome and open the Thursday portion of conference and may emcee if or as needed. Oversees bookstore and all monies with the assistance of the treasurer.
ANWA Past President: Assists with Conference where and when needed as directed by the Executive Committee.
Executive Secretary: Keeps inventory of all conference equipment and is responsible for the delivery and return of said equipment to and from the conference center.
ANWA Executive Committee Assistant: The Executive Committee Assistant is in charge of planning and executing any fundraising or charitable causes/events during the Conference. This fundraiser or cause must be approved by the entire Executive Committee and be registered for tax purposes.
ANWA Treasurer: Sets up and staffs Treasurer Station which is located at registration to collect monies from late registrants and others needing to pay last minute fees, if needed. Counts monies collected from Bookstore with assistance from President Elect. Issues payment to authors from Bookstore sales. Coordinates needed funds during conference with the Conference Chair or Co-Chair, based on the appropriate and approved budget line-items. Pays Agent, Editor, Keynote Honorarium, as well as Special Guest and Emcee Honorarium if needed.
ANWA Executive Assistant: Acts as Bookstore Committee Chairperson. Works with President Elect and Conference Chair on set-up of bookstore. Creates bookstore systems and communicates with authors before, during and after conference.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Membership Chair: Is available to assist with any membership issues or questions and is available prior and after conference to assist with set up and clean up.
Communication Chair: Assist Conference PR coordinator/ conference marketing person. And is available prior and after conference to assist with set up and clean up.
Events Chair: Assist Conference Chairs as needed. And is available prior and after conference to assist with set up and clean up.
Web IT Chair: Post all conference information as received from Conference Chairs, registration set-up and monitoring on the website, updates as requested by the Executive Presidency and/or Conference Chairs.
Conference Chair: Charged with planning and carrying out the ANWA Writers Conference under the direction of the ANWA Executive Presidency.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE:
Conference Chair: Member of the ANWA Board of Directors and charged with planning and carrying out the ANWA Writers Conference under the direction of the ANWA Executive Presidency. Appoints conference committee members to oversee specific assignments with approval of ANWA Executive Presidency.
Conference Co-Chair: Assists Conference Chair with planning and carrying out ANWA Writers Conference.
Special Guest Liaison: Liaison for Keynote Speakers, Emcees, Agents, Editors, and other special guests. Consults with and plans for registration, travel needs, and attendance at conference. Main communicator with all conference special guests.
Faculty Specialist: Oversees class submissions and helps develop conference program/schedule. Communicates with faculty from the time class submission forms are received and throughout the conference.
Thursday Workshop Specialist: Plans all Thursday groups, breakouts, late night readings, sprints, etc.
PR Coordinator: Creates all marketing material for conference based on the Style Guide approved for the current year. Focuses on generating excitement, interest in and awareness of the upcoming Conference. If needed, also helps generate increased registration. Marketing can be done through Social Media with things such as ads, teasers, memes, contests, and giveaways. Also monitors and manages the Conference FB page under the Chair/Co-chair’s direction. Assists committee members in adhering to Style Guidelines and not bogging down members with too much information.
Registration Specialist: Oversees registration details for website PRE-registration. Organizes handouts to be given at registration (ie: nametags, bags, lanyards, etc.) Handles the All-Star Lunch including communication with winners, preparations beforehand, and execution during conference.
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Gala Planner: Plans Conference Gala. Consults with Chair/Co-chair on design for décor and produce decorations for conference tables etc.
BOB Contest Coordinator: Select judges with Conference Chair approval. Organize BOB Contest from start to finish, including the collection of submissions, dispersion to judges, results, awards, and emailing feedback to participants.
AV/Tech Specialist: Is aware of current inventory of equipment and thoroughly checks all equipment before conference. Submits to Chair any needed items with necessary time allowance to purchase new equipment if budget allows. Plans for and coordinates with venue through Chair/Co-chair to ensure AV/Tech equipment needs are filled. Makes sure faculty and staff have all AV/Tech equipment necessary for presentations. Sets up all equipment prior to conference and deals with AV/Tech issues throughout conference.
Development Director: Solicits sponsors for the ANWA Conference. Organize sponsors and sponsor displays during conference.
SDN Consultant: Helps with special dietary needs lunch suggestions and decisions.