EWB-USA 2010

International Conference
Experiences, Wisdom, and Beyond
EWB Northeastern University
Ethan LaRochelle (EE ‘09)
Lucas Johnson (ME ‘10)
Ann Polaneczky (Civil ‘11)
Sustainable Chapter Growth and
Administration
Chapter Structure
Chapter Growth
Roles and Responsibilities
Chapter Sustainability
Institutional Knowledge
Fundraising, Publicity and Operations
Chapter Structure
Chapter growth
 Chapter management
◦ Grown organically
 Recruit and advertise
◦ University recruits
 Notoriety
Careful Project Selection
What are the community needs / wants?
Does your chapter have the resources to handle
the project?
Have you discussed the project options with
your partner NGO?
What are the resources your partner NGO can
provide?
Is the project even feasible?
Long term commitment - 5 year minimum
Continuing involvement in area with
neighboring communities?
Roles and Responsibilities (R&Rs) -
Students
Chapter administration
◦ Publicity
◦ Managing resources
◦ Fundraising
Project management
◦ Design
◦ Cultural
◦ Health
R&Rs - Faculty
Oversee budget allocations
Navigate university bureaucracy
Guidance and expertise
R&Rs - Mentors
Don’t design, enable
Review and approve
Project continuity
Help prepare travel team
Travel with project teams
Travel and design safety
Mentors committee and forum
R&Rs – Partner NGOs
Projectselection and guidance
Enable communication between
community and EWB chapter
Cultural familiarity
Provide credibility for EWB chapter
when new in the community
Provide expertise in other areas
Chapter Sustainability
Ensure that all class years represented in
all activities, including travel
Attending conferences and networking
with other chapters - spies
Make sure younger members are fully
confident with concepts of the design
Seniors do not hold officer positions, but
mentor new officers
Chapter Sustainability
Keep track of alumni
Maintain strong in-country NGO
relationship
Organize institutional knowledge and
make easily accessible
Choosing a Travel Team
 Considerations in selection
◦ Past commitment
◦ Future leadership potential
◦ Availability of future travel - both a + & -
 Politics?
 Retaining rejected travel team members
 Who gives input, who ultimately decides
 Conducting interviews, the application process
 Variations for large to small chapters?
Institutional Knowledge
What are the most effective ways to ensure the
group’s knowledge is maintained over time?

Each trip has a technical lead in training

Older members give weekly lectures to new
members to transfer project knowledge
The Wiki – Our all-knowing database of
information
Incorporating Research Into Chapter
Activities
Alternative to “traditional” projects
Good way to get people involved
Can be side project
Still follow EWB-USA guidelines
Funding through grants
University Relations
Reporting
Publicity
 Keep it professional
◦ Graphic identity
◦ Newsletters
◦ Informational pamphlets
◦ Presentations
 Work with companies
◦ Lunch-time talks
 Work with development
professionals
◦ Hosting donor events
Funding
 Stable donor base
◦ Keep in touch
◦ Updates
◦ Thank you events
 Limit“ask” to once per year
 Donor tracking database

◦ Contact person at company

◦ Notes about correspondence
 Funding
 EWB-USA
◦ Respond quickly
 Look for internal funding
◦ University
 Research grants
◦ Company
 Matching donations
 Small sources
◦ Amazon
◦ CafePress
◦ iGive
◦ Fundraising dinners
Operations
Minimize (no) overhead
◦ Distributive printing
◦ Group collating
◦ Mail merges
◦ Free online collaboration
 Google Docs
 Wiki
 Doodle
 SmugMug
Questions/Discussion
Isstructure relevant in such a grassroots
organization?
What are the most effective ways to ensure the
group’s knowledge is maintained over time?
Contact Us
www.ewb.neu.edu
Conference notes:
 www.ewb.neu.edu/wiki/index.php?title=EWB_International_Conference_2010