Idaho Conservation District’s Resolutions

Resolution res·o·lu·tion noun 1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group. Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.expression organizationconcurrent resolutionjoint resolution 2. a decision or determination; a resolve: to make a firm resolution to do something. Her resolution to clear her parents' name allowed her no other focus in life.decisionresolvename 3. the act determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.; the act of resolving.resolving a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.

Resolutions are often a means of adopting specific policies or positions. Businesses, governments and even faith based organizations often employ the use of resolutions as a means of setting policies or authorizing the creation of new committees, departments or other functioning sub-groups within the larger group. The process for effectively writing a resolution is fairly straightforward, and can be adapted to fit just about any situation.

Instructions o 1 Acquaint yourself with the general format for resolutions. Many people use examples from parliamentary procedure as the guideline for structure and flow of a resolution. Such helpful guides as Robert’s Rules of Order can provide examples of the use of key phrases such as “whereas” and “resolved.” o 2 Define the situation that you believe needs to be addressed. This will often mean focusing in on a core issue that may be impacting a larger issue facing the organization. Be as specific as possible about the nature of this core issue, as this helps to lay the groundwork for demonstrating the relevance of the resolution to the current condition of the organization.

o 3 Outline the negative impact created by the current condition of the core issue. The idea is to offer specific examples of how the present status is creating counterproductive situations that are draining the resources of the organization. These examples help to illustrate why some type of action should be taken. o 4 Offer specific recommendations for action that will help to turn the negative situation into a positive one. This is the true meat of the resolution as it moves away from essentially stating why something is wrong, and now offering solutions to correct the problem. As with the identification of the issue and the outlining of why the issue is having a negative effect, be as specific and detailed as possible with the offered solution.

o 5 Set the first draft of the resolution aside for a day or two then read it through. Often, you will find small changes in wording come to mind, or possibly the inclusion of more detail that will make the resolution more focused and precise. Incorporate these changes into the body of the proposed resolution and set aside the second draft for a short period. After a second review, if nothing else comes to mind, it is time to present the resolution to the body. Tips & Warnings: Few resolutions make it all the way through a governing body or conference without some adjustments. Do not be upset if someone wishes to substitute a word or phrase for something different. The main purpose of the resolution is to address and issue and come up with a solution.  Failure to be specific in the focus and intent of the resolution is often a great way to have the document be rejected outright, ruled out of order or referred to a committee for consideration where it will die a slow death. Make your case as pointed and detailed as you possibly can.

How to Write a Resolution for a Non-Profit or Public Sector Organization Resolutions are formal documents used to solidify and document votes on a decision made by board members of a non-profit or public sector governmental organization. The decisions are normally in reference to financial matters, implementation of policy or any adoption, authorization or approval of actions being taken by the non-profit or governmental entity.

o 1 Format a resolution by placing the date of the resolution and a resolution or reference number at the top of the resolution form. If it is the first resolution being voted on, the number may be 00001, and every other resolution after the first will be numbered in sequence. o 2 The name of the resolution should be titled by the subject matter. For example, a possible title could be "Approval of Budget for the Fiscal Year." o 3 The language of the resolution should be formal, starting with the first sentence referencing the responsibility of the board. One example is, "Whereas it is the responsibility of the Board to approve all

o 4 The next sentence or following portion of the resolution should document facts or reasoning why the action is being taken. For example, "Whereas the financial staff of XYZ non-profit organization developed the budget based on the projects, expenses and operational costs for the XYZ organization; and whereas the accountant of XYZ has audited and reviewed all financial statements from the previous fiscal year; and whereas the current budget consists of projected figures based on previous expenses and projected expenses and accounting statements." o 5 The last statement on the resolution consists of the action being voted on, such as, "Now therefore be it resolved to approve, adopt, and authorize the XYZ budget for the fiscal year." The next portion of the resolution lists the names of the board members voting on the resolution and a space along with their vote of approval or disapproval. The resolution is approved if the majority of the board members vote "yes," and the resolution is not approved if the majority of the board members vote "no." A signature of the President of the Board should be placed on the document along with the recording of the vote

Resolutions come from an idea. By working together as a group cooperatively----a Great Resolution is created.