ALA Department of Michigan - American Legion...

In the Spirit of Service Not Self for Veterans, God and Country

ALA Department

of Michigan

1

2016 District Presidents Orientation


District Presidents Roles

As a newly elected District President you will be asked to

fulfill several roles for the Department

1. Member of the Department Executive Committee (DEC)

2. Finance

3. President of your District

4. Delegate to the National Convention

5. ALA Brand Ambassador

6. Communication

7. Strategic Planning

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What is the DEC?

• The role of the Department Executive Committee is

to act on behalf of the membership during the year

between Conventions meetings

• Responsibilities include:

– Approving appointments

– Approving an annual budget

– Approving changes to existing Department policies or new

policies

– Reviewing the Treasurers report (Balance Sheet)

– Reviewing budget variance report

– Anything that is needed for the Department to operate

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Member of DEC Responsibilities

• Be Prepared

• Know the Department’s governing documents

• Understand basic Robert’s Rules of Order

• Sit on left side of room (facing podium)

• Be willing to voice opinions when asked for discussion

• Respond appropriately to roll call and any voting

• Know if any Units in your District are surrendering

their charters, and if so, have the proper procedures

for doing so been completed

• Take notes

• Report to your District

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What is a Budget?

• Budgeting is the process of creating a plan to spend

the Departments money

• This plan allows us to determine in advance whether

we will have enough money to do the things we need

to do for the upcoming year

• A budget consist of:

– Income (the amount of money the Department expects to receive

for the coming year)

– Expense (the amount of money needed for Programs and

Department Administration)

– Net Profit / Loss (income minus expense)

• Remember a budget is an estimate based on

historical information and may need to be adjusted

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What is a Budget Variance Report?

• The differences between actual and budgeted

amounts are recorded as variances

• Variances can be favorable or unfavorable

– A favorable variance would be if we received more income than

we budgeted or if actual expenses fall short of budgeted

expenses

– A unfavorable variance would be if we received less income than

we budgeted or if actual expenses surpass budgeted expenses

• When reviewing a budget variance report it is

important to understand the cause of significant

budget variances

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What is a Balance Sheet?

(Treasurer’s Report)

• The balance sheet is a snapshot of a Department's

financial health on any given day

• It is a detailed document of what the Department

owns, what it owes, and who that money belongs to

• Though there is some tricky terminology, balance

sheets come down to balancing three numbers: – Assets (things of value)

– Liabilities (debt)

– Equity (Assets minus Liabilities)

• Just like at home you don’t want to be so far in debt

that even if you sold everything you own you could

not pay off your debts

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President of District

Responsibilities

• Choose your “Team” carefully

• Run all District meetings

• Understand basic Roberts Rules of Order

• Know your District’s governing documents

• Work with your District Commanders

• Communicate with each Unit President in your

District

• Keep your First-Vice informed

• Turn in all paperwork in a timely manor

• Be a good representative for the Auxiliary

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Delegate to National Convention

Responsibilities

• Attend assigned Pre-Convention meeting

• Attend Central Division Caucus

• Attend Michigan Caucus and be prepared to give a

report on the Pre-Convention meeting you were

assigned to

• Attend all Convention Sessions

• Prepare a report within 30 days after National

Convention and present the report to your District

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ALA Assessment Report

Internal Culture of Goodwill

• National survey August 27, 2015

• National Goal 2: Create an Internal Culture of

Goodwill Overwhelmingly, interviewees identify a lack of

goodwill among members as the biggest obstacle to

implementing the Centennial Plan.

• How members treat each other is in the sub-par.

• Leadership Trajectory

• Hospitality

• Power and Control

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ALA Brand Ambassador

(Your Role in the Community)

• As a representative of the American Legion Auxiliary,

you must remember to be gracious and act with the

dignity and respect that our organization and our

Veterans deserve

• Remember a “first” impression is a lasting

impression

• Always remember that as Auxiliary members, we

must be kind to each other

• The sign of a good leader is that you are nice to

everyone, even if you do not agree with them

• Everyone deserves respect

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Where do you fit in?

The National Organization is responsible

for Policy & Programs

The Department is responsible for

Administration & Publicity

The District is responsible for

Communication & Coordination

The Unit is responsible for Membership &

Activities

National

Department

District

Unit

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Communication Loop

13

NationalCentral Division

Email, eBulletin, Website

Department of MichiganEmail, Unit Mailing, Website

Your District

Units in Your District

Information

is passed

down from

National to

Department

to your

District

You are

responsible

to pass the

information

to each Unit

in your

District

Impact

reports and

narratives

are passed

up from each

Unit in your

District to

you

You are

responsible

to pass

reports and

narratives to

the

Department

alaforveterans.org

michalaux.org


Michigan Strategic Plan

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Michigan Strategic Plan

Goals

• 5: Better Promotion of the Organization

• 4: Strengthen Units, Districts, and Department

• 3: Mirror Training from Unit to District to Department

• 2: Increase Goodwill among Members

• 1: Increase Membership to 35,000

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2015-17 Update Strategic Planning

2015-2016 Team Update

• Appointment process

• Rewarding members

• Training – winter conference and this training

session

• Website

2016-2017

• Rewarding members

• Training

• Membership

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Where to find information

• Your District Presidents Packet

• The Department Website www.michalaux.org

• The National Website www.alaforveterans.org

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http://www.michalaux.org/

http://www.alaforveterans.org/

ALA Department of Michigan - American Legion...

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