GIG Membership Policy and Application

1 - Membership of GIG is open to voluntary and community sector infrastructure organisations operating in the County of Gloucestershire.

2 - Members must demonstrate that their core functions match the following definitions; taken from the ChangeUp report published by the Home Office in June 2004

Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure organisations are those whose primary purpose is to provide infrastructure functions or services (capacity-building support and development, co-ordination, representation and promotion) to frontline voluntary and community sector organisations.

The core functions must be included in the member’s governing document (constitution/memorandum and articles/rule book).

Capacity Building is defined as empowering activity that strengthens the ability of voluntary and community organisations to build their structures, systems, people and skills so they are better able to:

define and achieve their objectives
engage in consultation and planning
manage projects
take part in partnership, social enterprise and service delivery.

Generic Infrastructure organisations provide support to all frontline organisations within a particular area.

Specialist infrastructure organisations provide support to a particular ‘sub-sector’ of the voluntary and community sector, or offer a specific area of expertise.

3 - Members must be a voluntary and community sector organisation themselves and deliver mainlyto voluntary and community sector organisations.

4 - Members who are specialist infrastructure organisations must have countywide coverage.

New members must bring additionality to GIG, for example representation of voluntary and community sector organisations who are not currently represented by other GIG members.
New members must nominate a board member (who completes Companies House Form 288a Appointment of a Director or Secretary) and a non-voting deputy, who must be kept appropriately briefed.
Members must ensure that there is a representative at all GIG Board meetings. Where three consecutive meetings are missed, this will be grounds for considering membership of GIG to have lapsed.

8 - Members must have an Equalities Policy and conduct meetings in a spirit of mutual respect and co-operation.

9 - Membership will be reviewed annually.

Membership Process: (Application Form and Presentation)

A membership application form must be completed by the applying organisation enclosing a copy of their governing document, equalities policy and equalities implementation plan, if available, and returned to:

Judith Mortier
GIG Consortium Development Worker
c/o GAVCA
75-81 Eastgate Street
Gloucester GL1 1PN

01452 332424
On receipt of the application the Membership Secretary will inform the applicant of the date for a presentation to the GIG Board, which shall be no sooner than four weeks from receipt.
An initial check will be carried out by the Membership Secretary to establish that the applying organisation has explained its eligibility i.e. that they meet the criteria listed in the membership policy above. The Membership Secretary will provide initial feedback to the applicant group within two weeks of receipt.
The applying organisation will be invited to make a presentation to the GIG board at the agreed date to explain the contribution that they can bring to GIG. The content of the presentation should cover the following areas:
- Information about the part of the voluntary and community sector that they represent
- Why they wish to be a member
- How their organisation can contribute to the aims and objectives of GIG
- What additionality they bring to GIG and its functions
The GIG board will make a decision on membership and a letter detailing this decision will be sent by the Membership Secretary to the applying organisation within 2 weeks of the meeting. There is no automatic right of appeal against this decision, however a resubmission containing new information will be considered.

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