Michigan'S Great Southwest Strategic

“A draft copy of the form 990 is reviewed by management prior to filing with the irs. After filing with the irs, the form 990 is available to all board members upon request.”

“Annually, all board members are required to complete a conflict questionnaire. The completed questionnaires are reviewed by the secretary of the board to determine whether an actual conflict exists. If there are any decisions/determinations that are related to a conflict, the member is recused.”

“The process for determining compensation for the organization's executive director includes review and approval by a board-appointed compensation committee, utilizing comparable benchmarks from similar positions of similar organizations, as well as performance feedback from volunteer leaders. This process was undertaken in 2020.”

“The organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public upon request at the leadership council office.”

“The leadership accelerator graduated an additional 38 alumni for a total of over 130 alumni in four years. These alumni are prepared and many take opportunities to engage in their community in meaningful ways, 41% of graduates volunteer their time and talents to improve the quality of life of everyone. More than 160 local leaders representing more than 90 local organizations (business, government, nonprofit, education) are actively engaged in one or more of our key priorities as a council. The success of the council is the people who have engaged to solve problems and work together to remove barriers and execute. Many of these leaders would otherwise not cross paths. The goal of the council is to select key priorities to address, connect a number of key leaders and stakeholders and find a way to make the execution and operation sustainable by "finding a home" within the community where the initiative can carry on. For example, the leadership accelerator, after four years of operation and management by the mgsslc, was transferred to a strong partner agency and a key driver of the initiative, the kinexus group, to operate and manage in the future. We consider that priority now "graduated" from the mgsslc; we will, however, continue to support and assist the kinexus group in the direction and success of this key initiative for berrien county. The council's intent is to act as a collective impact group to take ideas and initiatives further together. The council has formed a common vision and selected and prioritized major initiatives. The intended outcomes ultimately will improve the quality of life for everyone in our community. The increase in jobs, household income, graduation rates, great talent available, and government services for everyone are some of the most significant outcomes we track and measure. Our current major priorities are 1. Transportation & mobility, 2. Safe & affordable housing, 3. Harbor redevelopment, and 4. Local government efficiency and intergovernmental cooperation. The fundamental key requirements to achieve breakthrough results include: 1. Collaboration 2. Leadership at all levels notable accomplishments include: 1. Multiple municipalities have signed resolutions supporting requests for grants and improvements to their communities. 2. Connecting our communities through trails non-motorized pathways has made significant advancements as municipalities and the county are working together to line up plans to connect and create a connected network. 3. 17 of 39 berrien county municipalities have joined the best practice committee to share insights and best practices, support one another with common agenda items (water systems), and are working in the spirit of "a win for one community is a win for berrien county." 4. A third party expert in public transit worked with the four independent public transit providers, their respective cities, the county, and the planning commission to come up with a solution to increase transit service available today for 58% to 100% of the residents. This could significantly impact the lives of many in our community to improve accessibility to work, education, healthcare, and life necessities. The council as a whole meets bi-annually. At these summits, leaders share updates on the priorities, they let fellow community leaders know what is needed to be successful (money, talent, etc.), and new emerging or escalating issues or opportunities are discussed. In 2018, the concept of a harbor development project has emerged and is growing in relevance and the opportunity to impact housing, jobs, and recreational opportunities in the benton harbor/st. Joseph michigan area. This is projected to be finalized by late q3 in 2021. The council determined that safe and affordable housing required significant research and data collection to better understand the problem definition and the potential solutions. Through a lengthy analysis of over 40 stakeholders, it was determined that the counci”

“Contract service fees: program service expenses 96,000. Management and general expenses 12,002. Fundraising expenses 15,000. Total expenses 123,002. Other professional fees: program service expenses 16,757. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 16,757.”