Bisexual Leaders Roundtable ( BLR)

1. Bisexual Leaders Roundtable (BLR) Organizational Documentation & Flow Charts

2. Increased coordination and networking among bi leaders and organizations • The BLR’s structure intentionally builds the cohesiveness and expands the capacity and resources of our movement. • Thought Leadership: The BLR sponsors discussions that drive forward strategic problem solving to benefit the bi movement • Sharing thoughts and experiences about tough problems facing the bisexual movement will enhance speed and success rates of movement problem solving.

3. BLR VISION • For problems best solved by national solutions – BLR takes ownership of these, so bi movement can benefit from power of collective, collaborative solutions • For problems with solutions that are national in scope, BLR committees will brainstorm solutions and then collaboratively put solutions into action. The BLR as a whole and each organization and/or individual represented will take credit for these successes. • Bisexual Leadership development • BLR’s leadership and professional development model will ensure better recruitment and retention of leaders within the bi movement.

4. For some time, bisexual leaders involved in national, regional and local levels realized that we needed a space for us to collaborate. Ellyn Ruthstrom, of the Bisexual Resource Center started having conversations with other leaders across the country about creating a space for bi leaders around 2008. She was the first to start engaging us together with a mind for collaboration. • We had more conversations in Minneapolis, MN and started assessing the interest from leaders to work on such a project. • In Jan 2013, we had the first official meeting at Creating Change 2013and during 2013 refined the mission statement with BLR Co-coordinators Denise Penn, Ellyn Ruthstrom, Heidi Green, and Lauren Beach.

5. WHO IS IN THE BLR?

6. Current BLR members include: • More are in the process of registering: • http://tinyurl.com/Register-BLR

7. Summary of expectations • Expect that: • You will be made more aware of opportunities involving the bisexual community. • You’ll be placed into a mailing list and be provided access to a shared task list. • You’ll add to the task list one or more projects you’re currently working on. • You’ll be provided opportunities to hear from other BLR members about their projects and provide them feedback. • You’ll be provided opportunities to share your project/current work to hear feedback. • You’ll use the mailing list to develop collaborators for your projects. • In the future we hope to allow folks to flag items on the task list that they want to collaborate with others. • The following flowcharts map out the roles and responsibilities for BLR Members.

8. Honorary: Donation based membership, can be monetary or service based. Could have different levels here – pink, purple, blue, lifetime, etc. Advisory: Former Chairs and Coordinators; Bi Elders

9. Coordinator: • You are eligible to be a BLR coordinator* if you have chaired 3+ projects or you have been President or Board Chair of a bi 501(c)(3) organization (pending approval of existing BLR coordinators). • Coordinator Responsibilities • Process BLR Registrations, maintain master calendar, task list task form • Provide support and PR assistance • Assist in re-tasking of goals and/or action items when duplicates appear on Task Form. Remind users with new ideas, projects or opportunities to use the form. • Make regular contact with other Coordinators to handle workflow, provide support and receive support. • Can assist with leading BLR calls/hangouts for newer members, including listening sessions and conference calls on label conversations, starting your own support group, digital advocacy, etc.

10. Chair: • You are eligible to be a BLR Chair if you are currently chairing a project, committee or convention. • You are also eligible to be a BLR Chair if you are a current BLR coordinator. • Chair Responsibilities • Create BLR calendar events, goals and action items • Decide yearly BLR Priorities based on work flow, funding, content and volunteers available • Organize BLR Chair/Coordinator only conference calls or hangouts for chair level members to connect in a confidential, supportive space and discuss strategic and organizational problems and solutions. • Can assist with leading BLR calls/hangouts for newer members, including listening sessions and conference calls on label conversations, starting your own support group, digital advocacy, etc.

11. BLR Chair status is based on participation and leadership in qualifying projects/events. • Some of these projects/events include: • BECAUSE conference • Creating Change Bi Institute • BLR Committees • Out & Equal Workplace Advocates • White House Roundtable • Transcending Boundaries Conference

12. Advocate: • People who have experience organizing, researching or writing about bi community, but who have not chaired a BLR event, project, or committee. • Can also include current or former board members of bi organizations. • Advocate Responsibilities: • Create BLR calendar events, goals and action items • Assist with Events, Conventions, Committees and Projects that need help. • Current committees include: • Governance • Fundraising • Research • Outreach

13. Committee/Project Members: • People interested in working on BLR committees who do not have experience organizing, researching or writing about bi community. • Committee/Project Members Responsibilities • Serve on one or more BLR committee/project, current committees include: • Governance • Fundraising • Research • Outreach

14. Consultant: • People with expertise that can be utilized for specific short-term BLR purposes, such as lawyers, accountants, etc. • Consultant Responsibilities: • These people don’t transition to advisory status after the completion of their work.

15. Advisory: • Elders and other extremely experienced others • Must have previously been a chair or coordinator, or the equivalent. • Advisory Responsibilities: • Advise • Read and answer emails • Attend committee phone calls • Generally commit to being an active participant in an advisory role.

16. Summary of expectations*because it’s important to say it more than once* • Expect that: • You will be made more aware of opportunities involving the bisexual community. • You’ll be placed into a mailing list and be provided access to a shared task list. • You’ll add to the task list one or more projects you’re currently working on. • You’ll be provided opportunities to hear from other BLR members about their projects and provide them feedback. • You’ll be provided opportunities to share your project/current work to hear feedback. • You’ll use the mailing list to develop collaborators for your projects. • In the future we hope to allow folks to flag items on the task list that they want to collaborate with others.

17. To join the BLR, you must register. Here’s the registration process…. Start Here

18. BLR WORKFLOW

19. After registration, BLR Members can use form to submit tasks: http://tinyurl.com/BLRTask • BLR Members should only submit tasks they’re working on or are interested working on with others. • The BLR Task List is meant to be keep a record of the goals and tasks of BLR members. • Add tasks manually or using the form to the task list spreadsheet. • Add a full-day event to the calendar for each event you’d like to notify other BLR members about, this will populate the task list daily (updated via nightly script).

20. A note on “ownership” • The task list, calendar, and task form should be considered services of the BLR provided to coordinate leaders across the US. These tools are there to help us be aware of the work, where folks need help and what opportunities are out there. • When categorizing work INSIDE the spreadsheet, note the Organization or person working on the item. If there is no person already doing the work the task can then be discussed and offered up as an opportunity for a volunteer or volunteer organization to take on. • The BLR is not a program of any one organization. At this time BiNet USA is donating tech services and assistance.

21. Important Links • BLR Website with links: • https://sites.google.com/site/blroundtable/ • BLR Task List • http://tinyurl.com/BLRTask • BLR Form to submit Tasks • http://tinyurl.com/BLRTaskForm • BLR Calendar which auto-adds to calendar • http://tinyurl.com/BLRCalendar • BLR Registration Form • http://tinyurl.com/Register-BLR • BLR Mailing List: • http://binetusa.org/mailman/listinfo/bi-leadership-roundtable_binetusa.org