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There has been mention of forming a non-profit entity that promotes permaculture. This is just an exercise in what some of the staff mentioned in a fictitious non-profit that would support permaculture in the State of Montana. We're using Wheaton labs and Montana as just a name holder since it is an already established educational permaculture entity. Wheaton labs has ideas that a non-profit could build on, so these ideas are specific to supporting Permies but not limited to Permies. This non-profit could support other entities. This is just a what-if game, but I'd like to run through the process of how a non -profit is formed in this discussion. The first step is developing the language that is concise and specific to the non-profits purpose. There is no current plan nor intent to create this vision at this time. This exercise might end up being a road map to a non-profit in the future. Some staff have been or are involved in non-profits that promote or benefit other entities. We're starting with "what we are" and then a discussion on incorporation and By-law creation to support a non-profit request/creation.
For this particular conversation let's establish some givens:
I) Established and incorporated in Montana.
2) Wheaton Labs being a benefactor but not exclusive to Wheaton Labs.
3) Initially operated by volunteers but with the hope that expansion would lead to compensated personnel.
Some of the things that we came up with follow. We being the non-profit.
We want to promote permaculture education.
We want to be able to underwrite educator's travel. This would include Wheaton staff off campus travel and travel of other educator's either on campus or to a permaculture event elsewhere.
We want to underwrite events at Wheaton labs or other locations that promote Permaculture.
We want to be able to help finance improvements/experiments at Wheaton Labs or other locations. Tooling as well as material
We want to be a vehicle that applies for grants to further Permaculture.
We want to create a vehicle that can accept property donations and with direction from the donor ensure that the property is taken care of according to the donor direction. The main goal not being to hold the properties but to pass the properties on to good stewards. This would not preclude the non-profit accepting property as an asset to further the effort. Those properties held by the non-profit could be used as teaching properties, essentially Wheaton led labs or sub campuses. Always keeping in mind, the donors wish.
I think that covers most of what has been shared so far. I do think we would need to look at some local (meaning Montana initially) entities whose ideas parallel Wheaton Labs values. The non-profit supporting, even in a small way, an outside venue would be an attention generator. It could be as simple as organizing a "Farm to Fork" event. Farmer's Market support? The first ripple of the pebble in the water, spreading out from there as successes accrue.
Do you have any additions?
For this particular conversation let's establish some givens:
I) Established and incorporated in Montana.
2) Wheaton Labs being a benefactor but not exclusive to Wheaton Labs.
3) Initially operated by volunteers but with the hope that expansion would lead to compensated personnel.
Some of the things that we came up with follow. We being the non-profit.
We want to promote permaculture education.
We want to be able to underwrite educator's travel. This would include Wheaton staff off campus travel and travel of other educator's either on campus or to a permaculture event elsewhere.
We want to underwrite events at Wheaton labs or other locations that promote Permaculture.
We want to be able to help finance improvements/experiments at Wheaton Labs or other locations. Tooling as well as material
We want to be a vehicle that applies for grants to further Permaculture.
We want to create a vehicle that can accept property donations and with direction from the donor ensure that the property is taken care of according to the donor direction. The main goal not being to hold the properties but to pass the properties on to good stewards. This would not preclude the non-profit accepting property as an asset to further the effort. Those properties held by the non-profit could be used as teaching properties, essentially Wheaton led labs or sub campuses. Always keeping in mind, the donors wish.
I think that covers most of what has been shared so far. I do think we would need to look at some local (meaning Montana initially) entities whose ideas parallel Wheaton Labs values. The non-profit supporting, even in a small way, an outside venue would be an attention generator. It could be as simple as organizing a "Farm to Fork" event. Farmer's Market support? The first ripple of the pebble in the water, spreading out from there as successes accrue.
Do you have any additions?
