Southern New Mexico
Natural History Foundation

By-Laws
of the
Southern New Mexico Natural History Foundation
Approved by the board on July 16, 2002

 

The By-Laws of the Southern New Mexico Natural History Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the "Foundation") address the duties of officers, roles of standing committees, and financial and budgetary matters. The By-Laws also contain board policies. These By-Laws can be changed by a quorum of the full Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the "Board"). If there is any conflict or disagreement between these By-Laws and any provision of the Constitution of the Southern New Mexico Natural History Foundation, the Constitution shall take precedence and its provisions shall be observed.

Article 1: Definition

The Southern New Mexico Natural History Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 support organization for the Las Cruces Museum of Natural History (LCMNH), hereinafter referred to as the "Museum". The Museum is part of the Public Services Department of the City of Las Cruces in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Article 2: Purpose

The purpose of this organization is to:

  • Create support for expanding the Museum programs
  • Encourage gifts, endowments and memorials for the Museum
  • Promote legislation and appropriations for the Museum
  • Promote community awareness and use of the Museum
  • Conduct and administer fund raising campaigns for the Museum

Article 3: Goals

Goal #1: To increase public awareness of the Museum

Goal #2: Implement a successful fund raising campaign

Goal #3: Recruit museum volunteers and members

Article 4: Officers

The officers of this organization shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. This body constitutes the executive committee.

A nominating committee of three members shall recommend a slate of candidates for the annual meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, with the consent of the nominee, at the annual meeting. Election will be by ballot except in an instance where there is only one nominee for any office, at which time the vote may be made by voice.

The officers shall be elected for a term of two years by a majority vote of members present and voting at the annual meeting. Their term of office shall begin directly following the annual meeting and conclude in two years at the annual meeting or when their successors are elected.

1. President

The President is the chief executive officer of the corporation and is charged with providing overall guidance and leadership in implementing the policies of the Board. Duties include, but are not limited to, presiding at all meetings of the Board, Executive Committee, and general membership; appointing all committees with the approval of the Board and providing a charge to the committees; executing all documents authorized by the Board; ensuring proper coordination between all parties involved in Foundation affairs.

2. Vice-President

The Vice-President shall assist the President in his/her duties and shall carry out the responsibilities of the President when the President is absent or otherwise unable to do so.

3. Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for recording, preparing, and distributing the minutes of each Board meeting, each Executive Committee meeting, and each general membership meeting; and shall perform other duties as assigned by the President and/or the Board. The Secretary presides over all meetings of the Board if the President and Vice President are absent.

4. Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for executing all financial transactions of the corporation as authorized by the Board including, but not limited to, income, expenses, taxes, grants oversight, and other reports and documents as required. The Treasurer works with the Executive Committee and the Museum staff to prepare an annual projected budget.

Article 5: Standing Committees

The Foundation consists of seven (7) standing committees which are: The Executive Committee, Fund Raising Committee, Membership Committee, Publicity Committee, Museum Store Committee, Nominating Committee and Constitution & By-Laws Committee.

Chairpersons for the standing committees shall be appointed by the President and shall be Foundation Board Members. Each appointment shall be for a term of one year but may be renewed for successive one year terms. Committees shall be comprised of board members and current members of the Foundation. The Museum Director shall sit ex-officio on all committees.

1. Executive Committee

Consists of the President, Immediate Past President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Museum Director (ex-officio). The Executive Committee may be authorized by the Board to make decisions within specific guidelines which must be then ratified by the full Board. Further, the Executive Committee may take independent action when time does not permit full meeting of the Board, but all such actions must be ratified by the full Board at the next scheduled meeting.

2. Fund Raising Committee

Responsible for developing and overseeing long-term and short-term fundraising programs and special events. These responsibilities include grant proposal writing for museum projects as selected and determined in cooperation with and at the direction of the museum director to support museum programs, developing special events to raise funds and other means of fund raising in support of the Foundation's mission.

3. Membership Committee

Responsible for the solicitation and acknowledgment of individual and business memberships in the Foundation, the recording and acknowledgment of honorary memberships in the Foundation, and the development and coordination of the annual membership meeting.

4. Publicity Committee

Responsible for the promotion and public relations of the Museum and Museum projects in coordination with committee chairs, Museum staff, and Foundation Board.

5. Museum Store Committee

Work to research and re-establish the store.

6. Nominating Committee

Responsible for the development of a slate of nominated officers to include President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and new Directors to fill open positions as outlined in Article 4, Section 2, of the organization's constitution. This slate must be presented at the annual membership meeting for the approval of the general membership. The slate shall reflect the cultural diversity of the community..

7. Constitution & By-Laws Committee

Charged with the annual review of the Constitution and By-Laws. The Committee will present any recommended changes to the By-Laws for approval by the Board. The Committee will present any recommended changes to the Constitution to the Board for approval to present to the general membership.

Article 6: Financial and Budgetary Matters
  1. Procedures
    1. The Board shall approve all individual project budgets at the beginning of the fiscal year or at the time the project is adopted by the Board.
    2. At each meeting the board shall review the Foundation expenditures and income for each approved project. The Board is responsible for approving or disapproving any proposed revisions of project budget.
    3. In the event of an emergency where revisions must be made to a project budget pursuant to paragraph two the Museum Director will present to the Executive Committee to approve or disapprove said proposed revision.
    4. Committee chairpersons and members of the Board must provide the Treasurer with all receipts from expenditures made on behalf of their various projects. All persons making expenditures for the Foundation must use tax exempt certificates whenever possible.
    5. Any income designated for the Foundation, received by Board members, committees, or museum staff shall be documented and then forwarded to the Treasurer.
    6. The Treasurer will not issue a check for an incurred expense until the person or firm with whom the Foundation is doing business has provided all information necessary for compliance with state and federal tax laws. Firms that are incorporated or generally recognized as a company in the ordinary course of business are exempt. Individuals who may be engaged to provide services to the Foundation shall be required to sign an Agreement for Services.
    7. No member of the Board nor any employee of the Foundation may open an account at any place of business nor make any expenditures over fifty dollars ($50.00) outside the approved budget without prior approval of the Board.
    8. The Foundation shall consult an attorney as needed to assist in any legal matters.
    9. The Foundation shall, on an annual basis, seek an accountant who will study the financial records of the corporation and assist the Treasurer in completing necessary tax forms and other business necessary for fiscal accountability.
    10. Board Compensation and Sale of Services. No member of the Board shall be financially compensated for providing materials or services to the Foundation or the Museum as long as that Board member holds office.

 

Article 7: Membership Categories

 The annual dues for membership categories are to be determined by the Board and any changes in the annual dues for any category require the approval of the full board.

 Categories shall be:
Student, Individual, Family, Supporting, Patron/Business

Article 8: Conduct of Board Meetings

 Roberts Rules of Orders shall be the guidelines which are followed for all Foundation meetings.

 Board members shall conduct themselves according to Roberts Rules of Order. Conduct deemed inappropriate by the President shall result in the expulsion of that board member from the meeting.

 Full Board meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of each month, unless the Board determines that a holiday or an unusual event will conflict with the meeting date. Board members who miss three consecutive meetings without excused absences will be asked to leave the Board. Absences must be reported to the President or Museum Director by the date of the board meeting.

  • The Executive Committee will meet the second Tuesday of every month

          The Foundation will have an annual meeting.

All meetings of the Board shall be open to the general   membership.