The Intervale Community Farm is dedicated to producing fresh, affordable, organic food in a sustainable and participatory manner. We are a not-for-profit, membership based organization that is part of the global Community Supported Agriculture movement.
Structure:
The Intervale Community Farm is guided by the Steering Committee, a group of seven thoughtful people who serve two year terms. This group meets once a month with the farmers to monitor the farm policies. The Steering Committee uses a system called Policy Governance to help shape their ideas about the farm. This system is a model of governance designed to empower the Steering Committee to fulfill their obligation of accountability to the farm, to help the farm manager make decisions without meddling, and to rigorously evaluate the accomplishment of the organization.
Policy Governance separates issues of organizational purpose (ENDS) from all other organizational issues (MEANS), placing primary importance on those Ends. Therefore, ICFŐs Steering Committee demands accomplishment of purpose, and only limits the staff's available means to those which do not violate the board's pre-stated standards of prudence and ethics.
For more specifics about the farmŐs Ends and Means policies, feel free to contact any of the farmers or steering committee members.
For more information on Policy Governance, visit http://www.carvergovernance.com/model.htm, or check out the publication: Boards That Make A Difference: A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations, by John Carver
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