> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://board.bff.fm/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://board.bff.fm/minutes/meetings/2021/2021-01.md). # January 2021 ## Agenda ### Opening Items * Review Agenda & Vote \[Ben] * Vote to approve previous minutes \[Ben] ### Discussion Topics *Prior to the meeting, please add items for discussion here:* 1. Committee Updates 1. Events 2. Tech 3. Board Development Committee 2. Winter fundraiser review/2021 Fundraising Plan 3. Update on The Secret Alley 4. Annual report draft: ### Closing Items * Open for public comment * Any other business? ## Minutes Scribe: **Ben Ward** Present: * **Amanda Guest**, Chair, Executive Director * **Caryn Kesler**, Creative Director * **Tom Tierney**, Vice Chair * **Ben Ward**, Secretary, Technical Director * **Erika Delgado**, Events Director ### 18:11 — Convene, Vote on Agenda & Previous Minutes {% hint style="success" %} Vote **YES** to approve the December minutes. {% endhint %} {% hint style="success" %} Vote **YES** to adopt the proposed agenda. {% endhint %} ### 18:15 — Committee Updates * Events (Erika, Amanda) * We’ve set up a new form to take band submissions for future Bestie Bashes. () * Q: How many people have submitted their work so far? 25 bands, so far. * We’ve promoted it in our social media, as well as email newsletter. * Tom will try to promote it to the Pops music community, too. * We don’t have a great sense of band availability right now * Taking submissions for a Valentine's Day event * We’re looking for ways to make more use of our Twitch channel with other broadcasts/content * We’re going to start sharing music videos that are submitted from like minded bands on our YouTube. * Q: What is an “unlikeminded band”? Bands that we don’t currently have a show for the genre: e.g. Jazz and Blues * Tech (Ben) * Automation reliability remains a bit wonky, but somewhat improved * Ben and BenGG met to discuss stats platform next step; we want to take over stream hosting so we can get raw stats data, but need to get a licensing reporting pipeline built first, which is a little complex. * Support Us page has been brainstormed, next step is needing to sync with Caryn to start on design process. * Board Development (Amanda) * We *might* have a treasurer? Amanda spoke to someone who was really keen and set up a meeting for them with Forrest. * At some point we’ll need a bookkeeper as well, trying to determine if those roles are something that our treasurer candidate could do. * Seems promising, but weren’t able to arrange introduction for this month’s board meeting. Will try to set that up for next month. * Will hopefully share bio and LinkedIn info with rest of the board soon. ### 18:46 — Fundraising * Amanda: We did great! * We didn’t meet the goal, fell $7000 short * We did better with corporate matching than ever before * We think that in the context of 2020, there’s a lot of competing fundraisers, “every business has a GoFundMe.” * Less engagement. Our email open rate was terrible, even high-profile targets simply didn’t open the email. * Especially in that context, moving to a model where we are less dependent on these two big peak events is important. * We finished the year in the red and had to supplement from our emergency fund. We need to look to raise $25000 more this year than last, in order to ensure we don’t do the same. We will deplete the emergency fund in 12+ months otherwise. * Q: Moving to ongoing fundraising sounds good as a strategy. What are the tangible plans for that? * Setting up a syncs with Josef to try and come up with a concrete plan, but there’s nothing immediately to show for that. * Seeking additional consulting advice. * We’ve formed a new group of volunteers to resume grant writing. ### 19:04 — Update on The Secret Alley * The discounted rent will be extended, but currently trying to figure out how that would be distributed with the other tenants. * If we can keep our rent at our current discounted rate it remains competitive with getting storage elsewhere. If it increases, we need to revisit whether we can keep two studios there. * Tom: Emphasise that we should consider what the absolute financial benefit is of us if we pull out of a studio. * We don’t have the financial resources at this time to consider moving/building out another space. ### 19:25 — Fundraising again * With trying to create a structure to have additional fundraisers throughout the year, considering the events we might organize around. Two big tentpole events, 3-4 medium events (e.g. the gala, birthday celebrations), and then a smattering of small one-off events (e.g. a video broadcast, Facebook fundraiser, home-hosted mini-event.) * Try to be flexible with time to fit around the schedules of people who would run each activities. * Tom has determined these will be named “Tinytivities”. * We want to try and fill out a schedule for these activities — each board member will try to come up with one. * How can we get more of the DJ community involved in this, especially to host Tinitivities? * Maybe use the board member ideas to kickstart launching it to the community. ### 19:39 — Annual Report * Report is drafted, all board members please read it and send feedback to Amanda before Sunday. ### 19:46 — Any other business? * Caryn: I’ve compiled all the feedback for Amanda’s annual review, the board just need to meet to finalize it. Booking time for Wednesday 27th to do that. ### 19:48 — Meeting adjourned. The next meeting of the BFF.fm board is scheduled for 6pm on February 18th 2021. See [https://board.bff.fm](https://board.bff.fm/) for more information. ## Action Items * All: * Come up with a “tinytivity” idea, and when you’d be able to host it. Deadline: 2 weeks. * Review the annual report before this weekend so that it can be sent out next week. Feedback by Sunday.