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Program and Risk Management

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Resources for Remote Community Engagement

Between March and August 2020, the Bonner Foundation convened weekly Zoom calls with its national network. During this time, Foundation staff and Bonner Directors, Coordinators, and other staff and student leaders shared information and updates related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their students, programs, partners, projects, and institutions. Through this sharing, the Foundation also gathered information and input that shaped the direction of its focus, resources, and professional development. For instance, the Foundation and Network developed several new resources to support effective program management and the design and implementation of remote community engagement projects that build the capacity of community partners and constituents. Many of these resources are available in the Bonner Learning Community, a platform designed on Mighty Networks that allows for students, staff, and faculty to communicate in a more dynamic way, participate in webinars, and share ideas and resources. To access resources on the Bonner Learning Community, you must request access at: https://bonner.mn.co/feed

Resources include:

• Online guides for teaching students to Know Your Issue, engaging in policy research and developing social action and policy responses
• Resources for Designing Online Bonner Orientation, including easy to use power-points, games, and facilitation guides for planning and running remote Bonner Orientations
• Self-paced instructional guides for Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning, which can be used to educate and engage faculty in community engaged coursework, including online
• A self-paced guide on Online Course Design, which may be helpful to faculty, staff, and student leaders who want to run a course or term-long series  
• Step-by-Step Guide on creating Brochures & Flyers (as well as other materials like fact sheets) for Community Partners
• Step-by-Step Guide on Celebrating Volunteers and designing recognition events and strategies, even remotely
• Step-by-Step Guide on creating Email Marketing Lists or outreach strategies via email for partners
• Step-by-Step Guide on Grant Writing, which includes how to research funders as well
• Step-by-Step Guide on how to develop an Operations and/or Training Manual for a partner, a particularly great project to do remotely
• Step-by-Step Guide on writing Press Releases for a partner or program, which also may help students learn to write news articles
• Step-by-Step Guide on Program Design, which could be useful for students and partners who want to pivot their work online or create a remote program
• Step-by-Step Guide on Program Evaluation, which may be an excellent project to carry out in this time as partners and programs take stock of their services
• Step-by-Step Guide on creating Promotional Videos, which may be used for a variety of purposes including training, fundraising, and more
• Step-by-Step Guide on how to use Storytelling to share a program or organization's impact, especially through a case story 
• Step-by-Step Guide on how to develop Social Media for a partner or program, including a social media strategy for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
• Step-by-Step Guide on how to do Survey Design for a partner or program, which may help inform a new or revised program, link with evaluation or fundraising, and more
• Step-by-Step Guide on Training Design for a partner or program, including how to design workshops which may be offered online, through video, and more
• Step-by-Step Guide on how to create and implement a Volunteer Orientation, including online (as well as in person if feasible)

Remember, to view this content, you must join the Bonner Learning Community at https://bonner.mn.co/feed.

Bonner 2020 Working Group

Through weekly meetings and conversations during the 2020 Online Summer Leadership Institute, network staff also raised the need for help with policies, procedures, and protocol related to the Bonner Program and community engagement. The Foundation created a working group including professionals from across the network:

• Ellen Alcorn, Assistant Director, Community-Engaged Learning Program and Director, Bonner Leader Program, Bates College
• Liz Brandt, Community Engagement Director at the Bonner Foundation 
• Kevin Chapman, Program Manager of the Bonner Office of Community Service, Morehouse College
• Laurie Hattaway Chandler, Director of the Bonner Center for Community Engagement, Berry College
• Ariane Hoy, Vice President at the Bonner Foundation (Convener)
• Amber Finnicum-Simmons, Bonner Program Coordinator, Stetson University
• Amy Gilliland, Director of Community Engagement, Maryville College
• Bradley Hartsell, Integrative Learning Technology Coordinator, Emory & Henry College
• Danny Rodas Garcia, Bonner Coordinator, Earlham College
• Dave Roncolato, Director of Civic Engagement and Professor of Community and Justice Studies, Allegheny College
• Rachayita Shah, Community Engagement Scholarship Director at the Bonner Foundation 

Over the course of July and August, the Working Group is providing input, examples, and support as the Foundation compiles resources. Visit Campus Examples to find source material and resources and Documents to Download to find an annotated overview and download the following documents. We will continue to update this page with additional resources.

As of August 4, 2020, you can find templates for the following:

• A General Volunteer Protocol Form, useful for any circumstance where a Bonner student or another person will be engaging remotely and/or in person, and also to introduce partners to the concepts of remote engagement.
• A standard Basic Waiver (two page), which may be helpful for community partners to use with volunteers as well as anytime your institution is engaging students in service in person.
• A more complex General Individual Liability Waiver, which reflects stronger legal language for the institution, and encompasses both in person and remote activities.
• A standard Basic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU, two page version), which can be used between the center/program and any community organization/agency. 
• A more complex General Memorandum of Understanding, which is designed for deeper partners with whom Bonner Scholars and/or Leaders are working over multiple terms. This MOU also contains language to address other dimensions of the experience, such as supervisory requirements, Title IX and non-discrimination policies.
• A specialized Community Engaged Learning Memorandum of Understanding, which is designed to help define expectations and processes between students, partner, and a faculty member(s) who are carrying out projects in person and/or online.
• A sample Campus Internship Form, which includes legal protections for the institution and may be appropriate for any internship that may involve remote and in person connections.
• A sample Waiver for Events, which is again designed to include strong legal protections for the institution and may be appropriate for any in person events organized at this time.
• A simple Work Study Agreement Contract, which may help to formulate language and agreements with key partners, such as school districts. 
• Recommendations for planning and implementing Bonner Cornerstones (including First Year Trip, Second Year Exchange, Capstones, and Presentations of Learning) remotely.