Neighborhood Association Board Member Resources
Welcome new and long-standing Neighborhood Association board members! SE Uplift provides technical assistance and support to our Neighborhood Association Boards. We hope you will find the resources below helpful in understanding your role(s) as a board member, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for the diverse community members in your neighborhood, and some tools and strategies for building your own leadership skills and abilities in this role. Volunteers power the SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition, so thank you for being part of our work and for your commitment to community building!
Board Governance & Responsibilities
For all board members:
For specific board positions:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access
Diversity, Access, Inclusion and Access (DEIA) is critical to the work of all systems and institutions, including our Neighborhood Systems – which you are part of! Please attend any and all trainings you can to continue on your journey of understanding this work, the importance, and how to move it forward in your role as a Neighborhood Association Board Member.
Been looking for a way to make a difference in your community? Most Neighborhood Association elections happen in May or June and with that comes volunteer opportunities!
If you live in Portland District 3, you live in one our city’s officially recognized neighborhoods–each equipped with its own association. A neighborhood association serves its residents by holding a welcoming and encouraging space for community action and input. These groups typically meet monthly to learn about, and weigh in on changes in the community like new development or proposed city policy; create opportunities for neighbors to come together at events like picnics, concerts in the park, and block parties; and get their hands dirty – both literally and figuratively, by planting trees, hosting litter pick-ups, taking action against hate crimes, and more!
No matter your interest or skill set, the neighborhood associations need people like you to make the place we call home healthier and happier for all! Becoming a board member is a great learning and leadership development opportunity. Find which neighborhood you live in.
If you are already on your association’s board of directors, review SE Uplift’s Elections Handbook for Neighborhood Associations and contact your neighborhood staff liaison for support.
- Neighborhood associations must abide by state law (ORS 65), the Association’s Bylaws and adopted policies, and the City’s ONI Standards Standards. Each neighborhood association’s bylaws and policies outline requirements for annual elections differently, making it important to review and familiarize yourself with your association’s bylaws and policies specifically.
- Click here to download the Bylaws Template (legal size)
- Click here to download the Bylaws Template (LTR size)
- Notice of elections must be provided to the general membership seven (7) days in advance with the date, time, location and a description of topics to be covered provided. The full agenda and details can be added later if needed.
- Your bylaws state who can be a member of the association.
- All neighborhood associations allow membership to everyone that resides in the neighborhood including renters, owners of property, and business license holders without membership dues or fees. Very often representatives of nonprofits or government agencies are eligible for membership.
- Board eligibility is covered in your association’s bylaws.
- Members must be individuals and consent to membership.
- Make a call to action to get people interested and excited!
- Read our Elections Handbook for Neighborhood Associations to prepare.
- Rather than focusing on process or definitions you should focus on your outcomes.
- Share successes, projects and work from the past year to help people understand the impact of your association.
- This will add clarity and build enthusiasm.
- Make sure to spread information about your candidates ahead of your election!
- PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE your meeting before the actual meeting.
- General meetings can be a time to update members on elections process, allow nominations from the floor, invite candidate speeches, share successes of the association, give committee or project reports, etc.
- Associations should send out this information in newsletters or social media as well.
- As always, send your written meeting minutes to SE Uplift and the contact information for your new and returning board officers.
- Communication Funds can be used to cover the costs of virtual meeting platforms.
- Meeting should have 2 facilitators/co-hosts. Your neighborhood staff liaison can assist with advance notice.
- Provide your members with the meeting information and details on the election process.
- You can turn on the registration feature on Zoom virtual calls so anyone joining has to enter their name and email before they join the call. This information can act as a virtual sign-in sheet and build your membership list.
- Ask virtual participants to verbally confirm they meet the criteria for membership ahead of voting. Ask those who do not meet the criteria to not participate in voting.
- Zoom also allows virtual hand raises and polls so elections can also be conducted through those means as well.
- Connect with your neighborhood staff liaison for more options!
- A ballot can be created online for free (e.g. Google Forms) and ballot results can be made secret. Ask your neighborhood staff liaison if you require assistance.
- This process should be as accessible as possible. We encourage a physical ballot drop off site in the neighborhood if voting is allowed in your bylaws outside of the meeting.
FAQs
SE Uplift offers New Board Member Orientations up to two times per year. The first is typically early summer after the Spring elections. We may also host a second after Fall elections depending on demand.
New Board members are highly encouraged to attend. You will learn skills and best practices to improve the effectiveness of your neighborhood association, your responsibilities as a non-profit board member, and how to make the most of your experience.
Topics typically include an overview of Portland’s community involvement system, SE Uplift’s information sharing and advocacy models, board roles, responsibilities, and regulations, and solutions to common neighborhood association challenges.
Check your bylaws. Your Neighborhood Association has bylaws that outline who members are, number of board members, quorum, election process, grievance process, and more. Quorum is the minimum number of people that must be present in order for a meeting to be valid.
We hear often that neighborhood associations would like to increase the diversity of participants. Acquiring diversity is challenging, and retaining that diversity is even harder. There is a lot your association can do to prepare for diversity at the table and get their house in order to retain new folks. It can be as small as using inclusive, universal language or more robust as going out and building connections with people at outside events.
You can find more information about your neighborhood via our funder, the Office of Community & Civic Life at portlandoregon.gov/civic/
