1. Begin scouting out potential spaces & putting the word out there that Urban Dharma is looking for space. This process will take a while since it's not quite like looking for an apartment to rent and move in.
2. Complete promotional website. This means completing a) Mission statement (defines the organization's purpose and primary objectives, defines the key measure or measures of the organization’s success, mostly written for the leadership team and "stockholders"), b) Vision statement (communicates both the purpose and values of the organization, gives direction about how we are expected to behave and inspires us to give our best. Shared with "customers," it shapes their understanding of why Urban Dharma is needed, is where they want to be), c) Profiles of Who's Who (who's involved and why and how perhaps the reader see him or herself as part of Urban Dharma, d) Sample of Weekly Program offered, e) How to Get Involved (articulating what kind of financial, professional, help Urban Dharma needs).
NOVEMBER
1. Khenpo Chophel comes to confer Dzambhala Empowerment on Sunday, November 7. Initially I thought Davidson is where he will do this. But I think it is more auspicious if we hold it in Asheville as Urban Dharma is going to be in Asheville. We need a space downtown to do this Empowerment and we need to advertise this program. Dzambhala is the deity of richness and wealth - it's a powerful method to banish the "poverty mind" and uncover the richness of Buddha mind.
2. Khenpo Chophel will give us projects to work on - rolling mantras, making small buddha images - for the future filling of the inside of the main Buddha statue at Urban Dharma. This will take a while to complete but it'll be a good way for community to build over merit-generating tasks.
DECEMBER-JANUARY
Winter is traditionally a "retreat time." So these two months we will focus on deepening Dharma practice. We might hold a couple of semi-public events in Asheville to attract some attention. I have asked someone to research rental spaces downtown (for $25 the first hour, $10 for subsequent, very affordable).
FEBRUARY-MARCH
1. I will be out of the country - in Asia. I will fundraise while there.
2. We host a community event downtown in mid-March announcing in a formal way the arrival of Urban Dharma. This is both a "friends-raising" and "fund-raising" event. We'll have art, music, food.
APRIL
1. Securing space and starting to work on renovating space.
2. Buddha statue arrives. Filling the main Buddha statue.
JUNE
1. Urban Dharma opens its doors!
That's a concrete plan...I was perusing some sites and was looking at mission statements here are some sites that I think give some good ideas and perhaps some ideas to avoid in regards to mission statements and by-laws...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.upaya.org/about/mission.php
http://www.greattreetemple.org/about/our-mission/
http://www.dharma-rain.org/pdfs/Mandala/Board%20Summary%2009.pdf
http://www.bpf.org/about-us/mission-statement
Oye, sorry about the various deletes..I was having computer errors.. I also wanted to mention that having been apart of various religious organizations off and on at different stages of their development the one thing I have noticed is that the organizations which have a clear, simple, well written plan in the beginning seem to thrive more where as others have shut their doors because they viewed the beginning paper work as just a loop hole document. A well thought out business structure in the beginning will really be of benefit. I guess what I am trying to say is that it would be nice if the aesthetic quality of the business plan matched the vision we have for the actual physical space.
ReplyDeleteJes - you just volunteered to join the team to craft a well thought out plan/mission statement/vision statement, right? Good! get in touch with Joe please!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to make a brief comment until I have the time to make one that's more substantial: I think your idea for a center is fabulous, not to mention much needed. And Asheville seems like such a ripe place to make this sort of thing happen.
ReplyDeleteCheers to all of you,
Dustin