National Council Changes in 2025
Background Info
Big City Mountaineers’ National Council was rebooted in 2021 with new organizational leadership and coming out of the COVID pandemic. As we enter 2025, BCM has identified some ways to make the opportunity to participate in National Council more open to our full community.
After receiving feedback internally and from our current National Council, BCM will be implementing updates to how the National Council is structured and operates. We believe that these changes will help BCM’s staff build capacity, better engage National Council members, and result in a more cohesive, connected, and supported organization. We believe that these changes will help BCM become a more fully resourced organization, both financially and by tapping into the unique skills and energy within our community of supporters.
This pivot centers on the idea that National Council’s critical role is to resource Big City Mountaineers in the ways in which it is most needed.
Activities
National Council, as a collective, will be asked to collaboratively rally around a quarterly theme or project. These projects will be decided by BCM’s staff and board in advance of the year. In 2025, the likely projects are:
- Q1 & Q2: Promoting the Adventure Fundraising program
- Q3 & Q4: Individual Giving Campaign
Additionally, at the Board of Directors’ discretion, National Council Members may be asked to sit on Board committees as non-voting members.
Membership
National Council has previously been an invitation-only group. BCM intends to pivot away from this and enable anyone who meets one of the following sets of criteria to join and participate in National Council:
- Minimum of 50 hours of volunteering with BCM per calendar year AND minimum of $1000 donated to BCM (personally or via referral or soft credit, this can include conducting an Adventure Fundraising campaign)
- Minimum of 75 hours of volunteering with BCM per calendar year AND an active AFS campaign with at least 5 donors at any level.
National Council members will be admitted on a semiannual basis (every 6 months). Individuals who meet the requirements above will maintain membership in National Council for the current calendar year and the next calendar year. Membership can be renewed as many years in a row as individuals wish. Additionally, current National Council members in good standing as of 2024 will automatically be invited to remain with the National Council in 2025.
Perks and Benefits
In addition to the intrinsic value of being an integral member of the BCM community, members of BCM’s National Council will enjoy the following benefits while they are active members:
- Pro Discounts on outdoor gear via Outdoor Prolink
- Access to BCM’s Leadership via quarterly virtual meetings
- Invitation to participate in Board committee work (as skills match with needs, in a non-voting capacity, each Board committee decides their needs independently)
- Priority selection for trail volunteering (all National Council members must still meet BCM’s trail volunteering requirements including screening, background check, and training)
- Participation in BCM community events in our regions of service, including events exclusively for National Council members (happy hours, campouts)
- Recognition on BCM’s website and Annual Report
Is this the opportunity for you?
National Council is an incredible opportunity to engage more deeply with BCM, and National Council’s work meets essential needs of the organization. We do recognize that this is not going to be the best fit for everyone in our community, and encourage people to consider joining National Council if you are motivated to work with a team of peers on addressing our nonprofit’s resourcing needs.
Please reach out if you are interested or have any questions: [email protected]