Co-op / Organization:
Nickel City Housing Co-op
Location:
Buffalo, NY
Type of Organization:
Housing
Brief Description of Organization:
Nickel City Housing Cooperative was founded in 2001 with the mission of fixing up vacant properties in Buffalo to provide affordable and cooperative housing. We are all members of North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) and our homes are leased to us by NASCO Properties, making us unique here in Buffalo because we have the support and assistance from a national network of housing co-ops.
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The Worker Cooperative Development Center will focus its efforts on leveraging existing assets and relationships to foster a community of worker cooperatives in Buffalo, NY. The Center will provide a structured training program for each worker cooperative selected through an RFP process including ongoing access to a comprehensive range of supports and services. The Center will also provide general education about worker cooperatives and an accessible resource library for any interested community members and start-up or existing businesses.
Website:
http://nickelcitycoop.org/
Number of Members:
24
Number of Staff:
9
Dress Code:
Casual
Internship Position Title:
Policy Improvement Coordinator
Internship Position Duties:
Treasury & Finance
- Work with Board (Organizational) Treasurer and House Treasurers to establish simple, straightforward, effective treasury systems for tracking utility payments, collecting & recording rent ("sheltershare"), Food & Utility payments, maintenance, and other payments
- Research & report on various systems for managing housing cooperative finances
- Research and request quotations for coordinating housing cooperative finances with a third party (accountants, financial consultants, etc.) particularly to fulfill 501(c)3 financial reporting requirements
- Work with NCHC, NASCO & financial consultants to establish system of organizational financial management that addresses house & organizational treasury and 501(c)3 reporting
- Produce documentation of developed systems & procedures for future treasurers
Maintenance
- Work with the House Maintenance Coordinators, other house members, and contractors to create a prioritized and comprehensive list of necessary maintenance projects
- Obtain quotes for these projects and organize them along a multi-year financial plan based on projected maintenance budgets
Membership
- Work with the House Membership Coordinators to review and recommend improvements to membership outreach strategies and systems, through active participation in the member recruitment process
Administration
- Work with Board Secretary and other NCHC members to inventory, evaluate, and organize institutional policies and records
- Review and recommend improvements to institutional record-keeping procedures
*** For the very ambitious applicant, this 15-20 hr/wk position could be combined with our other internship posting, "Worker Cooperative Development Center Administrative Consultant," another 15-20 hr/wk position, which includes an hourly living wage of $13/hr. **
Position Training:
The Coordinator will be fully trained in all current NCHC policies and procedures in their first week. Through work with various members in House Roles, the Coordinator will also learn a good deal of institutional history (and dirty secrets). The Coordinator will also be introduced to community partners, other local cooperatives, and important community institutions throughout their tenure at NCHC, as intersectionality is vital to the success of our mission to provide affordable housing and promote participatory democracy.
Skills Development & Learning:
The Coordinator will be encouraged to come prepared with knowledge of organizational systems in both cooperatives and nonprofits, but they will leave with a depth of knowledge of best practices in organizational and policy development that can only be obtained through immersive hands-on work. The Coordinator will also gain experience working within a community where they are also living, as room and board will be provided at one of the NCHC houses.
Other details of working conditions:
The Coordinator will have space for a personal office within their room at NCHC
Compensation ($):
0
Is Room Included?:
Yes
Working Hours:
Hours are highly flexible and should be determined by the applicant's preference. Required to attend Sunday evening house mtgs.
Total Hours of Work Per Week:
15-20