An Important Message to Our Members
Greetings to all members!
Seeds of Diversity's Board of Directors are coming to you today with an important update regarding the direction of memberships.
In an effort to continue to safeguard the integrity of our organization while still maintaining democratic agency over its direction, we are reviewing and planning to update Seeds of Diversity’s governance structure and by-laws. Please read on about the suggested course of action relating to membership and quorum, and how it may affect you.
Membership
Currently, all Seeds of Diversity members, including those who sign up to share seeds, receive the newsletter, or otherwise use the platform, are considered voting members automatically - you are able to vote at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on any decisions being brought forward at that time. We know that many folks value this involvement, and join us every year to exercise their voting rights!
On the other hand, based on attendance at several recent AGMs, we also understand that this is not a function that is utilized by a majority of Seeds of Diversity members. Many members want to engage with the Seed Exchange, and other programs offered through Seeds of Diversity, but not necessarily participate in its governance.
In order to ensure that participation in governance is reflective of each member's intent, we propose that moving forward, as of January 1st, 2026, members would be invited to opt-in as voting members to demonstrate their active involvement in Seeds of Diversity. This option would also be provided when new members sign up, with the new default being that all members would be “non-voting” unless actively opting in.
Quorum
This is the number of members required to be present in order to conduct official business or make decisions during a meeting. If we don’t meet the required minimum, we typically cannot vote or move forward with formal actions.
Seeds of Diversity's current bylaws state that only 2 voting members or board members are required to make decisions, which we do not see as a sufficient safety net to ensure that balanced and representative decision-making is protected.
We propose that the bylaws be updated to reflect that 50% + 1 of voting members, or greater than 50% of the board, are required for quorum.
We want to hear from you!
Do you have feedback on these proposed changes that you’d like to share?
Do you want to be part of an advisory group to guide these decisions?
Click here to fill out our (very short) feedback form!
We thank you all for your ongoing support for Seeds of Diversity
Sincerely,
Kate Veinot (Chair) + the Seeds of Diversity Board of Directors
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