President’s Note, April 2010

Our Virginia Coalition for Open Government is fortunate to have an active, forward-thinking board. The work being done by our recently formed Futures Committee is emblematic of the efforts of our board to strengthen the Coalition for furthering the cause of open government in Virginia.

The Futures Committee met in February at Virginia Press Association headquarters in Glen Allen to discuss the outlines of a five-year plan to move the Coalition forward through 2015. Joining me for this meeting were: Dick Hammerstrom, Paul Casalaspi, Nancy Kent Smith and Megan Rhyne. Former presidents Wat Hopkins and Bob O’Neil were unable to attend.

After reviewing work done at The Homestead by the board in a 2006 discussion about the future, the committee zeroed in on twin objectives: Reaching a critical mass of additional dollars for the Coalition’s work, and a critical mass of membership and audience databases to broaden the Coalition’s reach and effectiveness.

Two strands of our discussion involved education and implementation, and initiatives we might undertake to strengthen both. To strengthen both strands, a variety of funding ideas were also discussed.

In the education arena, the committee suggested that VCOG should consider:

Preparing DVDs for high schools and colleges about access to records and meetings;

Distributing an op-ed column once a month on an FOI topic, written in rotation by six selected authors with expertise in this or a related field. The column would be distributed to newspapers throughout Virginia for their use; and

Changing the programming for the annual conference to include seminars on access to records that would be of interest to specific groups, thereby attracting more attendees and perhaps generating more members for VCOG.

In the implementation area, the committee discussed a variety of ideas, including charting a new course for VCOG in developing a broader audience that is connected to the Coalition, as well as a broader membership. Nancy referred to this as creation of a “commonality of interest” among groups and individuals who benefit from open government. The idea here is not only to draw more people into the Coalition as members, but also to mobilize more people by reaching out to make them aware of key access issues statewide.

Additionally, the committee discussed fund raising efforts in two areas – promotional and grant-based. On the promotional front, a variety of initiatives were suggested to capture public attention and garner some modest revenue for the Coalition. The committee also felt the Coalition needed to be more aggressive in applying for grant money from a variety of sources.

What do you think?

The Futures Committee’s work will continue over the next three months before submitting a final plan to the board in late June. I’d welcome your comments. Please ship ’em my way at:

lmcconnell@dailyprogress.com.