TABLE OF CONTENTS
| # | TOPIC | PAGES |
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | 1 | |
| ARTICLES | ||
| 1 | Name | 2 |
| 2 | Purposes | 2 |
| 3 | Collaboration with External Organizations | 2 |
| BYLAWS | ||
| I. | Definitions | 2 |
| II. | Statutory Basis | 3 |
| III. | Interpretation | 3 |
| IV. | Conflict with the Act or Regulations | 3 |
| V. | Membership | 3 |
| VI. | Dues | 4 |
| VII. | Meetings | 4 |
| VIII. | Administrative | 4-5 |
| IX. | Financial | 6 |
| X. | Dissolution | 6 |
| XI. | Amendments | 6 |
CFUW Brantford Articles and Bylaws 2024
This document “CFUW Brantford Articles and Bylaws 2024” are the principles by which CFUW Brantford governs itself and replaces any previous constitutions, including but not limited to CFUW Brantford Articles and Bylaws 2013. This document complies with the existing Canada Not-for Profit Act and CFUW National Articles and Bylaws and may give precedence to these documents as they are updated.
Adopted by Special Motion at the CFUW Brantford General Meeting 2024_04_24
ARTICLES
- NAME: CFUW Brantford
- PURPOSE
CFUW Brantford is open to all women who support the goals of CFUW Brantford, specifically:
- to promote opportunities for collaboration, intellectual stimulation, and friendship among its members,
- to promote education of women and girls, advanced study and research by women, and the pursuit of life-long learning,
- to provide scholarship awards in accordance with the CFUW Brantford Scholarship Fund Constitution,
- to advocate for the advancement of the status of women, human rights, and the common good, locally, nationally, and internationally, working with CFUW National, Ontario Council, and international organizations, as appropriate,
- to promote cooperation, networking, support, and understanding among women,
- to encourage women in political, social, cultural, educational, health and scientific fields, as well as the trades, and in service to the community.
- COLLABORATION WITH EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
CFUW Brantford supports and/or works with other like-minded organizations for advancing the purposes listed in 2 above.
BYLAWS
- DEFINITIONS
Articles: statements/primary rules governing the management of CFUW Brantford.
Leadership Team: the Executive of CFUW Brantford, consisting of the President, Treasurer, Secretary and the Chairs of the Standing Committees.
Committees:
- Ad hoc: a committee established for a specific purpose.
- Standing: a committee with continued existence to perform a specific function.
Eligible voters: members who have paid their dues in full and are in compliance with these Articles and Bylaws may vote on Motions at General Meetings, AGM and Special Meetings.
Motions: CFUW Brantford manages its decision-making process through the presentation of a solution or action in the form of a Motion. Motions are recorded in the Minutes of the respective Executive, General Meeting or AGM where the Motion is made. Motions are presented, seconded, discussed and voted upon.
- Ordinary: a Motion passed by a majority of not less than 50% plus 1 of the votes cast on that Motion. Decisions regarding the general business of the club are made through Ordinary Motions.
- Special: a Motion passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast on that Motion. Any decisions to change existing Articles and Bylaws or dues require a Special Motion.
- STATUTORY BASIS
CFUW Brantford is a Not For Profit organization that complies with the Not for Profit Act and regulations and aligns with CFUW National Articles and Bylaws. CFUW Brantford is not incorporated.
III. INTERPRETATION
In the interpretation of these Bylaws, unless context otherwise requires, words in the singular include the plural and vice-versa.
- CONFLICT WITH THE ACT OR REGULATIONS
These Bylaws are not intended to conflict with CFUW National Articles and Bylaws or the Federal Not for Profit Act and Regulations thereunder.
- MEMBERSHIP:
1. Any woman who supports the purpose and mission of CFUW Brantford is welcome to join. CFUW Brantford members are entitled to:
1.1. meet as a group, form an executive, designate a voting delegate to CFUW Annual & Special General Meetings, National Policy sessions, Ontario Council, and Ontario South,
1.2. receive notice, attend and vote at CFUW Brantford meetings, CFUW National and Ontario Council meetings, having the same voting privileges at CFUW National as other CFUW Clubs as determined by CFUW National Articles and Bylaws,
1.3. participate in national, provincial and regional CFUW webinars and meetings,
1.4. hold office in CFUW nationally and in the region in which they reside,
1.5. be liaison coordinators for their club with CFUW and their regional councils and/or attend Regional Council meetings in the region in which they reside, and CFUW General Meetings,
1.6. participate in CFUW/Regional advocacy initiatives, study groups and committees,
1.7. participate in CFUW Brantford Interest Groups, General Meetings/AGM, and approved initiatives.
- Honorary Membership (non-voting/one-year limit) may be offered to:
2.1 recipients of CFUW Brantford Scholarship Awards,
2.2 others (e.g. guest speakers) upon approval of the Leadership Team.
- DUES
- All current and joining members shall be required to pay full annual membership dues payable to CFUW Brantford in May for the May-April fiscal year in order to be in good standing and vote at the AGM.
- Included in the annual membership dues is a fee designated for CFUW Brantford Scholarship.
- Any proposed increase will be communicated to the membership by newsletter/email, presented at the November General Meeting, discussed at the January General Meeting and ratified at the March General Meeting by way of a Special Motion.
- Members who join during the year shall pay membership dues that are pro-rated as follows:
– members joining in January after the membership numbers have been submitted to CFUW National and Ontario: 60% of the annual membership fee rounded to the higher dollar plus 60% of the annual fee to the Scholarship Fund rounded to the higher dollar
– members joining after the February General Meeting: 40% of the annual membership fee rounded to the higher dollar with 60% of the annual fee to the Scholarship Fund rounded to the higher dollar
– members joining after the March General Meeting: 30% of annual membership fee rounded to the higher dollar with 60% of the annual fee to the Scholarship Fund rounded to the higher dollar - Student memberships are 50% of annual membership fee and do not include a portion to go to the Scholarship Fund.
VII. GENERAL AND EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
- General and Executive Meetings are called by the Leadership Team. It is the current practice to hold meetings in September, October, November, January, February, March and April, with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in May.
- Key decisions/motions are recorded in the official Minutes of General Meetings. Minutes and financial records and processes and procedures are maintained in a central online storage system, currently Dropbox.
- Special Meeting: Special Meetings may be called at any time by the President or upon written request by ten percent of CUFW Brantford membership. If the President does not call a meeting within thirty (30) days of receiving the request, any member who signed the request may call the meeting.
- Quorum: 20% of the membership must be present for decisions to be made at General Meetings and AGM. For decisions to be ratified at Executive Meetings, 50% of the Leadership Team must be present.
VIII. ADMINISTRATIVE
The Leadership Team is the Executive of CFUW Brantford, elected at the AGM to conduct the business of CFUW Brantford.
The members elect a Chair/President, Secretary and Treasurer at the AGM along with any Committee Chairs that are identified during the Nominations process as key positions/responsibilities required to fulfill the needs of the Club for the coming year. Each year, the Nominations Committee will work with the incumbent Leadership Team to identify how best to structure the next year’s Leadership Team. This process will include reviewing the key duties of the Leadership Team, and determining which duties should be done by which position, and if any of the Leadership Team positions could be merged or shared among two or more people. The Leadership Team will:
– establish a Nominations Committee to fill the identified positions,
– communicate with the membership regarding the proposed structure for the coming year, invite their input and participation.
Key duties:
The document entitled, “Executive Tasks by Month” or the equivalent leadership document developed by future leadership teams will be kept up to date by the Leadership Team, and referenced monthly to ensure that key activities and decisions are effectively managed. Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Call and conduct meetings of the Leadership Team/Executive, General Membership (identifying program, social, and logistical components), AGM (Annual General Meeting), and Special Meetings as required,
- Liaise with CFUW National and Ontario Council, and where possible, attend meetings/participate on committees,
- Maintain Minutes of meetings and summarize the activities/accomplishments of the year in an AGM Booklet for the AGM,
- Maintain records of payments of membership dues,
- Maintain membership list, record of each member’s years of membership, and acknowledge key anniversaries,
- Manage approval process for international allocation,
- Ensure three members of the Leadership Team act as Trustees for the CFUW Brantford Scholarship Trust,
- Engage CFUW Brantford in the annual CFUW National Resolutions process,
- Implement the nominations process in February/March leading up to the CFUW Brantford AGM, assisting the Nominations Chair who is a volunteer from the general membership,
- Manage the membership renewal process for the two months prior to the AGM,
- Maintain the records for CFUW Brantford. The current process for storage is Dropbox, an electronic shared filing system. Any change to the storage of documents should be approved by Ordinary Motion at a General Meeting;
- Liaise with membership to identify any issues or concerns and strike ad hoc committees as appropriate, that will present findings for discussion and ratification,
- Respond to emerging/evolving needs of CFUW Brantford by providing engaged, collaborative and cooperative leadership,
- Manage communications within CFUW Brantford and externally, through newsletters, email and social media including but not limited to website and facebook,
- Manage Interest Groups, and other opportunities for learning, collaboration, advocacy, community building, and friendship,
- Work with the Nominations Committee in the annual process for filling positions on the Leadership Team, and determine how to fill positions/fulfill duties throughout the year in the event of vacancy.
- FINANCIAL
- Fiscal Year: May 1st to April 30th of the following year,
- Manage CFUW Brantford banking/financial services as approved by the membership,
- Ensure financial transactions requiring two signatures are signed by two of the three designated signing officers. Signing officers are the President, Treasurer and a third member of the Leadership Team. The signing officers are updated annually after the new Leadership Team is elected at the AGM and the signing officers are approved by the membership,
- Maintain accounting records, ensure an annual review of Financial statements is completed by an independent third party after the AGM and before the September meeting,
- Provide charitable receipts for donations to CFUW Brantford Scholarship Trust,
- Manage the budget, actual versus plan, and account reconciliation, providing monthly summary at Executive and General Meetings,
- Manage dues per VI above,
- Manage expenses as approved in the Budget:
1 Remit annual dues to CFUW National and Ontario Council,
8.2 The Executive has authority to approve expenditures up to $200 by Ordinary Motion at Executive Meetings. Disbursements exceeding $200 not provided for in the budget may be approved by Ordinary Motions at a CFUW General Meeting. - Members, Executive/Leadership Team and others are not liable for contracts, debts or other obligations incurred by CFUW Brantford,
- CFUW Brantford may make donations of time or money to charitable organizations or support community or fund-raising activities if these initiatives are raised through the Leadership Team by way of an Initiatives Proposal. If approved at the Executive Meeting, the initiative is then ratified at the General Meeting by way of Ordinary Motion,
- The Scholarship Fund is managed separately from CFUW Brantford financials in accordance with the CFUW Brantford Scholarship Fund Constitution 2024.
- DISSOLUTION:
- To dissolve CFUW Brantford for any reason, a Special Motion shall be passed at an Annual or Special General Meeting.
- In the event of the dissolution of CFUW Brantford, CFUW Brantford shall:
2.1 notify CFUW National per National’s current bylaws;
2.2 distribute all remaining assets, after payment of any liabilities, to CFUW National Charitable Trust, currently registered charity BN 13802 4013 RR0001, or as determined by Special Motion during the dissolution process. - The Executive of CFUW Brantford, at its discretion, shall make such distribution.
- It is recommended that CFUW Brantford maintain the equivalent of one year of expenses (currently about $11,000) to cover costs in the event of dissolution.
- AMENDMENTS:
This Constitution, now titled CFUW Brantford Articles and Bylaws, 2024, may be amended at a
General Meeting or the AGM by Special Motion. Proposed amendments and explanations for the changes shall be clearly outlined in writing and provided to the membership sixty days before being submitted for approval and discussed at the General Meeting preceding the General Meeting/AGM where the Special Motion for Amendments will be made.
