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Developing a mission statement

  • 10 Jul 2013 2:54 PM
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    Message # 1337539
    Scott Reed
    Some of us have expressed a desire to have a statement of our mission, at least a working statement for the present, to help keep us on track. I propose we use this forum topic to discuss our mission and minimize time spent on it at our face to face meetings.
    Last modified: 10 Jul 2013 3:12 PM | Scott Reed
  • 10 Jul 2013 3:04 PM
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    Reply # 1337545 on 1337539
    Scott Reed
    Since we are just getting started and most of us (and probably the majority of the nascent local investing community) are still learning about local investing in general and about the needs for investment in our area, I propose we adopt a very general mission that addresses these current needs, something along the lines of:
    "Our initial mission is to educate ourselves about local investing and the investment needs of our communities and to help develop the local investor movement in our area as well as everywhere else."
    I look forward to seeing your counter proposals and amendments.
      - Scott
    Last modified: 10 Jul 2013 3:13 PM | Scott Reed
  • 15 Jul 2013 1:46 PM
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    Reply # 1340761 on 1337539
    Christopher Smith

    Current Home Page “Who We Are.”

     Valley Investors is a loosely organized group of people working together to build the local investing movement and invest securely but creatively in locally owned businesses located primarily in the Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts.

    We also support investment diversification with neighboring regions.

    Proposed language for Charter:

    Valley Investors is a group of people working together to build an investing organization to invest securely but creatively in locally owned businesses located in the Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts.

    The purpose of Valley Investors is to provide education and investment opportunity not offered by traditional brokers and social investment companies such as Fidelity, Calvert or Pax World. Member investments may be joint efforts with local funding organizations such as “Common Capital” or they may be direct purchase of shares and/or loans to vetted local businesses that meet our requirements of social benefit and credit worthiness.

    Valley Investors will not act as a bank or broker for member investments, have paid employees, or be formerly incorporated.

    Basic Membership to the group is free of charge, there is no limit to number of members, and no member is required to invest in any proposed investment. There may at some future date be member dues to cover organization expenses.

    A Chairperson shall be elected by nomination and consensus vote annually beginning June 2013. A Clerk and Treasurer will added should the need be determined.
  • 28 Jul 2013 5:49 PM
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    Reply # 1353320 on 1337539
    Peter Schlessinger

    Scott’s suggested mission statement seems a little unspecific to me. And Christopher’s seems like it’s ahead of where we are: “Building an investment organization” seems a little too ambitious sounding at this point -- even with the caveat that we “will not have paid employees, or be formally incorporated”. Also, the election of a chair by “nomination and consensus vote” requires that we define consensus – something that I don’t believe we have done. (In some organizations, consensus means you cannot reach a decision unless everyone agrees; in others, consensus meant that everyone is full heard, but if there is still no agreement, then a vote is taken.) So I suggest the following:

     

    Valley Investors is a group of Pioneer Valley citizens working together to educate themselves about opportunities to use their assets in direct support of local and regional entrepreneurs and business initiatives, particularly ones that will provide them with their chosen combination of social and financial return-on-investment, while also responding to specific local needs for capital.

     

    I think we can add in more specifics as we gather a little more mass.
  • 29 Jul 2013 2:57 PM
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    Reply # 1353871 on 1337539
    Bill Ravanesi
    I like Peter's crisp, direct language that covers our shared inputs at this point in time.
    We certainly can modify it later in the year.
  • 30 Sep 2013 11:51 PM
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    Reply # 1402090 on 1337539
    Scott Reed
    Here I am building on Peter and Chris' proposals, adding program details to flesh out the bones (and I've edited it to reflect our name change - 12/12/2013):

    Invest Here Now is a group of Pioneer Valley citizens working together to educate themselves and the wider community about opportunities to use their assets in direct support of local and regional entrepreneurs and business initiatives, particularly ones that will provide them with their desired combination of social and financial return-on-investment, while also responding to specific local needs for capital.

    We offer three main programs 1) outreach and education for the investing community, 2) organizing and operational support for local investment groups and 3) resource and networking services for the business and investment community. We

    • Promote local investing through media campaigns
    • Organize information sessions for prospective local investors, covering investment and business basics and advanced topics such as business vetting and complex investment arrangements
    • Support local investment groups to increase investment impact and diversification
    • Provide networking tools and events to connect local investors, businesses, economic development organizations, investment advisors and lawyers

    Invest Here Now does not engage in any form of business finance and does not offer investment advice.


    Last modified: 12 Dec 2013 10:35 PM | Scott Reed
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