Policies and Procedures – FiberArts Guild of Pittsburgh

updates in progress

Approved May 21, 2017

The following definitions and procedures are a guide to the functioning of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc. (Guild) at the time they are written. The Board of Directors (Board) can review these procedures at any time and make whatever changes it so desires. It is recommended they be reviewed at least annually and updated with Board approval as often as changes occur. They are meant to serve only as guidelines except in areas specifically set forth in the Bylaws, in which case what is stated therein shall rule.

Board of Directors

As a volunteer organization members give their time in order to further the mission of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh. Members will not be paid for their time without prior approval from the Board of Directors. (Approved by the Board of Directors 4/4/2022)

The Guild Board of Directors is a working board. Whether serving as an officer, committee chair, committee member, consultant, researcher or in other capacity, each Board member is encouraged to shoulder business and operational tasks as well as share in the artistic life of the Guild.

Directors

Read the Bylaws and Definitions and Procedures annually or more often as needed and propose updates when appropriate.
Mentor newly elected Board members and newly appointed committee chairs.
Call special meetings or ask the President to call special meetings to address urgent matters that cannot be adequately covered in monthly Board meetings.
Participate in sustainability and strategic planning consistent with the Guild’s purpose and mission.
Perform such other duties as are included in the Bylaws and the Definitions and Procedures.

Officers

There will be four officers of the Guild, elected by the Board of Directors: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Officers shall fulfill the responsibilities and duties as outlined in the Bylaws of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc., and in the Definitions and Procedures of the Guild, and fulfill such duties as shall, from time to time, be determined by the Board of Directors.

President

Presides at and issues call for all meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors.
Serves as Ex-officio member of every committee.
Represents the Guild in all its relations with other like groups and educational institutions.
With the approval of the Board, appoints and compensates all employees and agents of the Guild.
Prepares Board meeting agendas and notifies the Directors and others attending Board meetings prior to each Board meeting.

Vice President

Assists the President as requested.
Acts in the absence of the President or with such powers as delegated by the Board of Directors.

Secretary

Keeps and attests the records of all meetings of the members and the Board of Directors.
Has charge of the Corporate Seal and authority to attest any and all instruments or writings to which the seal may be affixed.
Maintains a file of past and present minutes of all. meetings.
Performs all other duties usually appertaining to the secretary of a corporation.

Treasurer

Prepares a budget in consultation with the Finance Committee and committee chairs to be presented at the first Board meeting of each fiscal year and subsequently presents it to the membership.
Deposits income and pays bills, invoices and reimbursement in a timely manner and retains appropriate supporting documentation.
Monitors actual income and expense and works with the Board and committee chairs when budget adjustments are required.
Renders financial statements at the Annual Meeting in April, at monthly Board meetings and on such other occasions as may be required.
Arranges for the annual audit or other level of CPA review as may be required by applicable regulations.
Files or arranges for filings of annual regulatory reports.

Membership Requirements

Membership in the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh is open to anyone at any time. Membership privileges include voting at membership meetings, election to the Board of Directors, free admission to Guild lectures, and reduced fees for Guild workshops and tours. Members are asked to support Guild activities and exhibitions by serving on at least one committee.

Honorary Members: Are selected by the Board of Directors at their discretion and hold the same rights and privileges as Full members and do not pay annual membership dues. Honorary membership is conferred as an award honorarium on those who have given outstanding service to the Guild.

Membership Dues

Annual dues for Active Members are $45.

Annual dues for Student Members (of all ages) are $20.

Honorary Membership is conferred by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and does not require an annual dues payment.

Membership dues are payable annually on July 1st. The membership of new members joining after March 31 extends through June 30 of the following year.

To be a member in good standing, annual dues must be paid before October 1. Lapsed membership can be reinstated by sending a membership form with dues payment to the Membership Chair or through the website.

COMMITTEES

Policies for Mentoring Groups and Committees – for the Chairmen

Whenever you are engaging in any type of activity using the Guild name, such as, but not limited to, an exhibition, field trip or workshop, it is imperative that you seek the approval of the Board of Directors in advance. Notify the President that you’d like to either present directly to the board or submit a written proposal.
When you are in need of funding it is important that you submit to the finance committee, in writing, what you are requesting for the following fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). The finance committee generally plans the budget in March. That being said, if you find that you’re in need of funding but have not submitted a budget request in advance, please contact the president to request funding from the board.
Contact our PR chairman by the 23rd of each month if you’d like to announce meeting dates and places in the monthly eblast. The email address is: pr@fiberartspgh.org
Feel free to let everyone know what you are doing on the guild’s group Facebook page.
Periodically the President may ask you to submit a summary of the group’s activities to the board. Feel free, however, to attend a board meeting whenever you have information you’d like to convey or if you are requesting guidance or funding.

Program Committee

Shall consist of a Chair and committee members selected at the Chair’s discretion.
Shall arrange lectures and workshops and contract with lecturers and instructors with the approval of the Treasurer and Board of Directors.
Shall coordinate workshop and program registration, attendance, income and expense with the Treasurer.
Shall arrange for workshop and program facilities, including access, terms of use, insurance, if needed, and rental fees, if applicable.
Shall provide the membership with a program of activities and dates.
Shall arrange online reminders and coordinate publicity to members as the calendar year progresses.
Shall keep attendance records for all programs and give data to appropriate people for ending and record keeping.
Shall make hospitality arrangements for workshops, programs and guest speakers.
Program Chair may attend any program workshop without charge.
The Programs Committee establishes workshop fees with Board approval.
Guild organized workshop cancellation refund policy: If a workshop cancellation can be filled by a replacement, a full refund will be given. If there is no replacement, the following policy applies:
- one week or more notice -full refund;
- 48 hours to one week notice – 50% refund;
- less than 48 hours notice -no refund.
- Guild sponsored workshop cancellation policy is determined by the organization offering the workshop.

Membership / Resource Guild & Directory Committee

Shall answer inquiries about membership in the Fiberarts Guild, send a welcome letter to new members and supply them with copies of the Membership Directory.
Shall send dues notice reminders to the President for regular inclusion in the eBlast, collect dues checks, forward checks to the Treasurer and send late dues reminders as needed.
Shall compile member names, addresses and contact information to be included in the annual Membership Directory and inform the Board, eBlast editor and Membership Directory editor and website membership directory editor of corrections and additions.
Shall maintain a list of volunteer interests and skills.
Shall maintain member name tags and take attendance at membership meetings.
Shall collect guest fees at meetings and forward to the Treasurer.
Shall maintain a phone tree for members who do not have access to the internet or email.

Communication & Social Media Committee

Is responsible for maintenance, security, access and postings on Guild websites.
Compiles and distributes information important to Guild members in a timely fashion using email, phone, US mail, and social media.
Shall have a chair that maintains knowledge of all Guild social media account passwords and security information.
May enlist appropriately skilled member volunteer assistance or independent contractor services as needed.
Shall keep the focus of social media to promote the creation, appreciation, and celebration of fiber art, especially that of Guild members.
Will not present the Guild on social media as representing or attacking any political parties or politicians, while avoiding censorship of the diverse political views of individual artists.

Membership Exhibition Committee

Establishes high level exhibition policies for Membership Exhibitions.
Mentors new exhibition chairs and co-chairs.
Promotes long term planning and sustainability of exhibition management resources.
All shows outside of the International Exhibition are to originate in the Membership Show committee.
Each of the exhibitions shall have a committee consisting of a chair (or co-chairs) and other members they designate.

All Membership Shows shall adhere to the following policies:

Open only to current members of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh.
All work must be either fiber in content or executed in a fiber technique.
Criteria for each Membership Exhibition is determined by the Exhibition Committee or the Chair(s) in each case.
Selection will be based on the overall quality of the artwork and its compliance with the entry requirements.
Accepted artwork will be subject to final approval by the juror’s representative.
Work which differs significantly from the image representing it will be dismissed and returned to the artist.
The Chair (or co-chairs) of any Guild exhibition shall submit a budget to the finance committee with a proposal before any public information is released.
The Chair (or co-chairs) shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board during the year of the Membership Exhibition and shall make a report in the month after the close of the Exhibition.
The Chair (or co-chairs) shall arrange for jury activities, preview refreshments and other events in connection with the exhibit.
The Chair (or co-chairs) shall conduct all business for the Membership Exhibition.
If a member serves as a juror for a Fiberarts Guild member show, their work should not be displayed in that exhibition.

International Exhibition Committee (Approved by the Board of Directors 12/2/2016)

The International Exhibition Committee (IEC) will consist of up to 6 members plus the Chair and International Director. The Chair shall serve as ex-officio member of the Board from the time of appointment until two months after the close of the exhibition. In addition to regular reports to the Board throughout the duration of the exhibition planning and implementation process, the IEC shall make a final report to the Board.
The roles of International Exhibition Committee Chair and International Director may not be held concurrently by the same person.
The members of the International Exhibition Committee agree to actively assist the Director in the execution of his or her duties as outlined in the agreement between the Board and the Director. Members of the IEC may serve as team leaders or volunteers for other International functions concurrently with their committee roles but will not be required to do so.
The members of the International Exhibition Committee agree to serve, to the best of their ability, for the duration of the exhibition planning and implementation process.
The members of the International Exhibition Committee shall meet regularly as deemed necessary by the Chair and the Director to conduct all business in connection with the International Exhibition.
The budget and financial record keeping for the International Exhibition shall be separate and distinct from that of the Fiberarts Guild. However, the International Exhibition is a project of the Guild. The Guild is responsible for all expenses and debts of the International Exhibition.

Finance Committee

Develops the annual budget and presents to the Board for approval no later than the September Board of Directors Meeting.
Provides advice on the International Exhibition budget if requested by the Board or International Exhibition Committee Chair (Co-chairs).
Supports the Treasurer in all financial management matters.
Consults with the Board, Treasurer and Committee Chairs when needed due to evolving business needs that impact the financial stability of the Guild.

Nominating Committee

Shall consist of four (4) members elected by members at the Annual Meeting for a term of one year with no member serving two successive terms.
Shall nominate candidates for all open Board positions annually and present nominees to fill vacancies on the Board.
Shall nominate candidates for the succeeding Nominating Committee, including at least two from the members at large and designate, the nominee to serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.
Shall instruct nominees in their duties and responsibilities if elected.
Shall publish its nominees on the Guild website before the Annual Meeting Publicity Committee

The committee shall arrange for local and/or national publicity with regard to Fiberarts Guild activities.

Hospitality committee

The Hospitality Committee, in cooperation with the Program & Exhibition Committee will be responsible for providing refreshments and paper goods for the potluck, annual member show, and occasional special events.

Outreach Committee

Chair shall be appointed by the President, serve one year and may be appointed for only one succeeding year.
Shall consist of Chair and such members as are needed to carry out the activities of the committee.
Shall be responsible for design and implementation of community outreach programs.

Grant Committee

Archivist

The archivist will collect and assess historical materials and current public data pertaining to the Fiberarts Guild and its members and annually submit those documents to the Senator John Heinz History Center (Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives). The Senator John Heinz History Center has been the repository for all of the Fiberarts Guild historical documents since 2010. The archivist should include administrative records, Guild Board meeting minutes, financial records, advertising, exhibition programs and catalogs, past newsletters, yearbooks (resource guides and directories), media, docent records and anything else deemed pertinent.

Special Events

May be arranged at times and places deemed appropriate for the showing of members’ fiber art.

Restrictions

To maintain our non-profit status, the Fiberarts Guild does not sell or rent it’s membership list, nor make it available for individual use.

The Fiberarts Guild logo may be used only in conjunction with guild sponsored events. Artists may, of course, state their membership in the guild but cannot use the logo graphic as part of their marketing for individual events. Exception: If an artist is participating in a guild sponsored show, the logo may be used in a self promotional piece for that exhibit only.