Central Appalachian Network
CAN is a network of practitioners of 100+ organizations across economic sectors in Central Appalachia that facilitates peer to peer learning, collaboration, organization development, mentoring, and capacity-building. Learn more about CAN at www.cannetwork.org
OCS provides comprehensive coordination and facilitation services for CAN. OCS is committed to helping CAN be an equitable, accessible, democratic, and participant-driven network by decentralizing the network structure and centering more decision-making power in the Network's seven Working Groups. OCS performs the following tasks for CAN:
Facilitate the internal committees of CAN (Leadership Team, Equity Committee, Executive Committee, Fundraising Committee, and Finance Committee) and the seven Working Groups of CAN.
Schedule and coordinate all CAN meetings with agenda planning coordination and support, facilitation support, taking detailed and accurate notes, and provide follow-up on meetings.
Coordinate special initiatives of CAN such as participation support awards or special training events.
Maintain and monitor Network work plans, schedules, and task lists
Provide problem-solving support to the CAN Committees and Working Groups
Provide support, research, and material development to CAN Committees and Working Groups
Event planning and coordination of planning teams, organizing event logistics and event execution
Contract and contractor tracking and coordination
Performing administrative duties – maintain contact lists, shared folders, data, etc.
Administrative and coordination support for CAN’s small grants program and fundraising efforts
Communications support: website updates, social media management, monthly newsletters, and a unified graphic presence.
Some accomplishments include:
Facilitating the build-out of CAN’s next phase of development in becoming a more equitable, accessible, democratic, and member-driven network by decentralizing the network structure and centering more decision-making power in the Network's seven Working Groups.
Creating clarity in CAN’s structure, policies, and key guiding documents. This is an on-going process, but so much has been improved in a year!
Creating collaborative fundraising tools for Working Groups to coordinate on cross-sector funding opportunities.
Coordinating the delivery of the ARISE Planning Grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission including producing a white paper about the importance of CAN in harnessing network collaboration for community-led development, a market analysis for each of the CAN sectors, five-year work plans for all Working Groups, and the development of the ARISE Implementation proposal.