Last Updated August 1, 2023

NBkMA Handbook

This document is a collection of definitions and processes written out to reflect the organizational structure and operating procedures of the North Brooklyn Mutual Aid network and admin team. We chose the word “handbook” to reflect the accessible and practical nature of it: that any volunteer or organizer should be able to pick it up and better understand their role in the network and how the group conducts its work.

What this is: Each section seeks to explicitly and clearly define one piece of the ‘domain’ of our work: including membership, initiatives, and process.

What this isn’t: This is not a rigid, prescriptive, or punitive document. We are a community of humans. This document is here to help, not to rule.

The goal: Establish consensus on a set of rules and definitions (a constitution, if you will), that will set the network up for success. We consider a successful mutual aid network one that conducts business with transparency, longevity, and efficacy.

We ask that all neighbors in the NBkMA network read and follow our Code of Conduct. Abuse in any form is not tolerated. If you do not follow the Code of Conduct, NBkMA admin may suspend your participation on a temporary or definite basis.

Table of Contents

Roles

This section describes current categories of affiliation with NBkMA. We envision a future structure that is less hierarchical and more broadly participatory, and we endeavor to experiment with future iterations.

Admin
An admin is involved with the operation of the network as a whole. The expectation of an admin is to check up on the #admin-chat channel at least once a week, vote on any proposals, and attend meetings at least once a month, among other things.

Responsibilities

Keep up to date with the #admin-chat and have your notifications on
Vote on any proposals
Attend admin calls at least once a month
Commit to a holistic perspective on NBkMA, beyond any one initiative
Transparent communication around duties/responsibilities (see Rotation)
Keep an up-to-date roster of active admin membership, including any admins in hibernation, what that means for proposal quorums, and with respect to possible rotation.

Privileges

Voting Power

Coordinator
A coordinator is an organizer of a specific initiative. They may also be an admin, but there should be room for a coordinator to limit their responsibilities to their initiative.

Responsibilities

Provide monthly updates on their initiative

Coordinators who are also admins can post in the #admin-chat channel, and will naturally be able to give updates in the semi-weekly admin call.
In the case of coordinators who are not also admins (due to capacity or for other reasons), an admin should be responsible for checking in with that coordinator. This is also the person the coordinator should feel like they can always reach out to first about initiative news or organizing assistance.

Attend admin calls if they have a proposal under discussion
Coordinate initiative volunteer calls as needed
Handle rotation for any leadership positions within their initiative

Volunteer
Any neighbor working with NBkMA on a one-off or ongoing basis.

Responsibilities

Follow through on self-assigned commitments
Communicate clearly with project leads and initiative coordinators
Attend admin calls if they have a proposal under discussion (not expected to attend for the full call)
A volunteer should feel empowered to take lead on projects on behalf of the network (and might be asked to make a proposal to that effect)

Network/Coalition Partner
A partner group is any organization that NBkMA or its initiatives collaborates with on projects with shared aims. With Network/Coalition Partners we share resources and information, provide complementary efforts, and/or highlight and amplify each other’s work in North Brooklyn. Coalition/Network Partners can advance requests for funding or other support through admin.

Ombudsperson
The ombudsperson is a rotating position within the network to uphold the policies laid out in our Handbook and Code of Conduct. The ombudsperson is expected to facilitate accountability within NBkMA, and to make themselves available to handle internal disputes within the network. Specifically, the ombudsperson:

Strives to be an informed guide on the Handbook and Code of Conduct, and consults the Handbook when ambiguous situations arise
Advises admin, coordinators, and volunteers on internal disputes when asked
Mediates conflict between admin, coordinators, and volunteers if necessary
Escalates conflicts or violations of the Code of Conduct to the admin team if necessary
Maintains a private log of internal disputes that is passed on from ombudsperson to ombudsperson
Nominates a successor from the admin team when it comes time for rotation

Rotation of the Ombudsperson
Unlike other admin and coordinator positions, an ombudsperson’s tenure is designed to be definite: with 12-month terms. Keeping in mind the sensitivity and potentially taxing nature of the role, its rotation is an important component in preventing both abuse and burnout.

The ombudsperson agrees to an additional 3-month period of hand-off during which they will proactively forward requests to the new ombudsperson and onboard their successor.

Deputy Ombudsperson
The Ombudsperson is encouraged to name a deputy for the duration (or any part) of their term, who can assist with the ombudsperson’s duties.

A deputy ombudsperson is expected to:

Join the admin group if they are not already an admin
Meet with the ombudsperson regularly to discuss their cases and responsibilities
Stand in for the ombudsperson when they are unavailable
Assist the ombudsperson in their work, according to capacity and need

Membership

Rotation
Rotation refers to rules for the lifecycle of leadership roles and replacing admins and coordinators.

Nomination of a Successor

The current holder of the role begins this process by notifying the group that they would like to nominate a successor. As part of this step, they can either:

Nominate a specific neighbor to fill their role, ideally having already discussed it with the neighbor in question
Ask for the group’s support in developing a transition plan, identifying a successor, etc.

If the current holder of the role is in extended hibernation, this process should be picked up by the admin group on the next semi-weekly call.
Once a nominee is found, a time should be found to connect the neighbor with the admin group; existing opportunities might be

The semi-weekly call
The social/open meeting
A separately scheduled meeting

Hibernation
If an admin needs a break, wants to step back, or is unable to perform their responsibilities, they may go into hibernation.

If an admin has a job transition coming up, for example, and communicates to the network that they need to step back for some months, then they may hibernate until they’re ready to resume.

If an admin is not performing their duties, they are considered by default to be in hibernation. For example, if an admin misses two admin calls in a row without communicating about it, they may automatically be considered in hibernation. Another way of thinking about this is: if we don’t hear from you; we assume you need a break.

If a period of hibernation exceeds 2 months (three or more missed admin calls), the group should discuss Rotation for that role, ideally with the hibernating admin, if they are available and have capacity.

Admin in hibernation are not counted towards the admin total for the purpose of quorums.
If the hibernation period is less than a month, the admin may resume their role without further impact.

Returning from Extended Hibernation
These situations will likely be unique, and should be discussed on a per-case basis. It should be added to the next Admin Call as a discussion item. Some options for returning are:

Split responsibilities with the new coordinator
Relieve the new coordinator (if they would prefer)

Orientation
When a new admin or initiative is approved, we want to ensure a successful introduction to the network. The processes outlined below are intended to ensure newcomers have the resources they need to participate and succeed in their work, while also conveying the values of mutual aid and non-hierarchical organizing.

Goals of Orientation

Communicate the responsibilities of the neighbor’s position
Add the neighbor to relevant communication channels (Slack, sharing their phone number, etc.)
Share relevant passwords for network accounts and resources

Share specific information for the role or initiative that is being assumed
Identify overlapping or symbiotic domains between initiatives/volunteers
Review the guiding principles of mutual aid and NBkMA’s mission statement with the orientee

A leader in the network should understand the mission and be invested in its success

Welcome Meeting

For New Admins or Coordinators
Introduce network to the new role/initiative/what will be done
Introduce new member to the admin group
New member should prepare a short intro and be ready to talk about what’s coming down the pipeline for their project

Transition Meeting

During Rotation
Either scheduled independently or part of admin call
An admin call where both the incumbent and incoming position-holder are present

Decision Making

Proposals
Proposals are formal requests of the network for organizational or financial purposes. New, ongoing, and/or large requests for money, resources, or member bandwidth should be proposals. Also anything related to roles and membership, or partnerships with outside organizations/elected officials.

Activities Requiring Proposal and Consensus

Money: Any new recurring expense or any single expense over $250
Resources: Any significant or newly-recurring use of limited, shared assets
Member Bandwidth: Any significant new increase in volunteer and admin engagement affecting more than one initiative or the group overall
Campaigns, etc: Any significant new campaign or other initiative activity affecting more than one initiative or the group overall

For reference: current NBkMA budget; recurring expenses include weekly fridge allowance ($450 total per week—$150 per fridge, and storage locker ($300 per month).

Example Proposals

Add an admin to the network
Add a new project or initiative

This should always involve a discussion on the next admin-call
The expectation is that there should be a greater level of depth for proposals of this kind

Spend $900 on a new fridge
Reimburse buying supplies for a new weekly event
An event with a local councilmember

Contents of a Proposal

A message with context
The “ask”

Money or bandwidth, how much, and for what
Who’s involved, especially if it associates the network with an outside org
Whether it’s a one-off or an ongoing action
Urgency

How the proposal aligns with our mission/values
The proposer, and (if relevant) the initiative associated with it
The urgency

(typically we’ve defaulted to ‘immediate’, i.e. as soon as a quorum is reached, but we may want to specify greater or lower urgency)

Criteria for Evaluating Proposals

Local Focus & Local Impact
Builds Solidarity
Builds Community
Democratic and Accountable
Responsible and Sustainable

Lifecycle of a Proposal

Proposals are passed up to a relevant admin
Admins post the proposal in the #admin-chat
By default, proposals are passed or rejected as soon as they reach quorum
Admins vote on the proposal; once it has achieved a quorum it is considered finalized (as either passed or rejected).
It can also be paused for discussion (see Voting Power, below).
Certain proposals published should be published on the website (i.e., Changelog!)

Adding or removing team members
Adding or removing initiatives
Major modifications to the Handbook

Voting Power
All admins are asked to review and vote on proposals, with grace for the occasional absence. In general though, we look for a healthy quorum of at least half the admin group to consider a proposal properly reviewed. If an admin is concerned about low participation, that may indicate a lack of understanding or buy-in—it’s recommended that a call for discussion be made to address this.

Voting is typically handled informally, in the Slack channel, with a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down emoji (though in practice, concern warranting a no-vote will likely call for at least some discussion).

A proposal can either be passed, rejected, or paused for discussion. The proposer (or proposers) is responsible for advocating for their plan, clarifying points of confusion, and allaying community concerns. This means responding to calls for additional details or discussion with diligence and empathy.

Goals

Everyone should have a voice
We should drive towards consensus through conversation

Types of Votes

Yes
No
Abstain (counts towards quorum, but neither yes nor no)
Call for Discussion (replaces any notion of a veto) pauses voting, and adds proposal to docket for the next Admin call or an ad-hoc call with the proposer and a quorum of admins

Initiatives

An initiative is a dedicated arm of operation within the Mutual Aid Network.

Initiatives intentionally have independent structures and organization, supported by the network at large.

An initiative is expected to align with the mission and values of the organization. Initiatives are at minimum constituted by one or more initiative coordinators, and are often supported by volunteers.

An initiative that does not sustain its own volunteer group might be better grouped under an existing initiative.

Processes

The network’s admin team has regularly scheduled opportunities to share knowledge, discuss various initiatives, and socialize and build community with our neighbors. The two primary recurring events are the semi-weekly Admin Call and a seasonal Social/Open Meeting.

The Admin Call
The admin call is a semi-weekly meeting currently held on Monday evenings. Currently the format is broken up into major discussion items, beginning with those most urgent or timely, followed by ongoing discussion items such as reviewing the Constitution. All current admins are invited, and prior to each meeting, admins are asked to drop their updates into the week’s agenda, and add any major discussion items they wish to see addressed. Guests, i.e. initiative coordinators with items up for discussion, are also included.

Trickle-in/Intros
Assignment of Note-Taker
Immediate Discussion Items
Ongoing Discussion Items
Wrap-up

Socials/Open Meetings
About once a season, the network organizes an in-person social event or open meeting in public where network leaders, volunteers, and other neighbors can meet, get to know each other, and strengthen our community bonds.

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