HUMANISTS OF HOUSTON
FIVE YEAR PLAN
2007

This document was amended and voted into effect by the membership at the Main Monthly Gathering on
November 17, 2007.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Humanists of Houston (HOH) endeavors to provide a stimulating and supportive fellowship for all Houston-area Humanists, atheists, agnostics, and other freethinkers. It seeks to advance Humanism through education, outreach, further development of the philosophy, and promotion of Humanist values in our lives and our society.

ORGANIZATION

• Charter & Bylaws (available on HOH Website)

• Executive Committee & Handbook

• HOH_Plans

• Membership – Patrons 9; Full members 51; about 400 contacts

• Distribution of membership is shown on the attached Houston map

• Projected Growth 15% per annum

• Annual budget for operations for 2007 $3700; projected to grow at 15%

• Development Fund $11,000; projected to grow at 12%

GOALS:

• education for members and the public to disseminate Humanist knowledge

• community activities for members and the public aimed at improving people’s lives

• research leading to better futures for individual people and understanding of societies and their development

• outreach to improve society

• coalitions to coordinate and cooperate with other freethought and like-minded organizations

EDUCATION

• programs covering the Humanist Curriculum

• club meetings covering special topics

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• newsletter

• membership roster

• social gatherings

• weddings, naming ceremonies, memorials

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

• editorial functions for Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism

• original essays in humanism

OUTREACH

• Advertising

• Darwin Day

• World Humanist Day

• Other special public events

COALITIONS

• American Humanist Association

• Houston Freethought Alliance

• Local Unitarian Congregations

• Other organizations with shared interests such as TFN and AU

PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2007

• Is given on the HOH Website [link]

OUR FUTURE VISION FOR HUMANISM & HOH

• We envisage a chapter having at least 1000 contacts and 50 patrons of all ethnicities in the Houston area in 5 years, fully supportive of the American Humanist Association and its Vision. We will put the highest priority on attracting young people, women, and all ethnicities to participate. We suggest that the monthly gathering be the focus of activities, supplemented by special interest club meetings, and local groups meeting in various locations around the city.

WHICH GOAL IS MOST IMPORTANT?

• We believe all of our goals (Education, Community, R&D, Outreach, Coalitions) are important and intend to push forward with all of them

OUR GREATEST NEEDS GOING FORWARD?

• Getting Respect and Visibility for Humanism

• Charting the Future of Humanism & a Humanist World

• Understanding human reasoning, beliefs, cultures, spirituality and religion

OUR HIGHEST BUDGETARY PRIORITIES

• Establishing a Patron program to increase income dramatically and increasing members participation.

• Building Space (for Meetings, Children’s Education, Offices). We expect eventually that HOH will need several buildings. For the foreseeable future we suggest that space be rented as needed.

• Salary for an administrator, other helpers (to help with the Website, preparing advertising, answering telephone, mailing paper notices & newsletter, maintaining a speakers list, helping with outreach and tutoring)

• Audio/visual equipment

• Establishing radio and television coverage.

OUR PREFERRED COLLABORATORS

• Atheists, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and any others with whom we can find common cause.

• AHA (including HAMCIAC), CSH, SSR, UUA, Texas Freedom Network, Americans United, American Atheists, Atheist and Humanist Meetups.

• HCOF, Unitarians (Wirt Rd. First Unitarian, Bering Drive)

C1: The Immediate Agenda

The following is designed to (a) increase membership and funds dramatically, followed by (b) getting a space of our own (meaning a rented space, shared with HCOF and/or other organizations if possible):

Focus on Patron Program
We will begin to emphasize the Patron Program in our membership appeals. Patronage will automatically include membership and we'll use the first 3 month's payments ($20/month for 3 months = $60) from that Patron to cover the costs of becoming an HOH and AHA member, plus their T-shirt and pin. We'll pass along their payments and info to AHA ourselves. The option will exist for individuals to become a member only, without being a Patron. In general however, we should start to move in the direction that people generally think of membership as being $20/month and it's simply called a "Patron". Without a program such as this, it would be impossible to meet the operating funds needed to sustain long term development plans for HOH.

Central & Regional Gatherings

The main gathering will continue to be on the third Saturday of each month.  The space we have been using for this in the Religious Education room of the Wirt Road Unitarian Fellowship is becoming overcrowded with our growing attendance and we see a priority in the immediate future to find a better accommodation.

We will expand the HOH "Brunch" forum concept and begin having local or regional gatherings on the first Saturday of each month. There will be perhaps 3-4 of these happening simultaneously at first, depending on volunteer response for organizers, but with eventual plans to expand to seven regions in and around the Houston area (Spring Branch, Inner Loop, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, West Houston, Jersey Village, and Pasadena). These areas have been placed strategically after considering population densities, projected growth, potential interest distribution, and more. They have also been selected so as not to conflict or overlap with the current meetings of other Alliance organizations.

Proposed Eventual HOH
Regional Gathering Locations, approximate
(click to enlarge)

We'll need to get one person for each location to volunteer as "Regional Organizer" who will be responsible for running his/her local regional gathering. These organizers can form a Regional Planning Committee and come up with a program for the first Saturday. This can be the exact same program, since they will all be happening at the same time - thus, saving trouble.  The Planning Committee that currently exists will continue as it has, planning content for the Third Saturday Main Monthly Gathering for all of HOH. The Executive Committee shall have ultimate oversight and veto over the content and form of these events, as it would any other aspect of HOH. These regional gatherings should make it much easier for people to attend, eventually inspiring greater attendance overall. Attendees at all of the Regional Gatherings should be encouraged to attend the larger Main Gathering on the third Saturday later in the month.

Patron Drive
Once the regional gatherings are in place, we can send out paper mailings to everyone on our list we have physical addresses for (and the rest emails). We can announce the new regional gatherings for their area and ask that they become Patrons. At that point, maintaining all new programs and driving for more Patrons should become our priority.  We currently have 9 patrons (effectively 10.5 since one is choosing to give $50/month). As we gain more Patrons, we'll have more ability to advertise our group. It seems very possible the Womens Club and Young Adults Club may breath new and diverse members into the group as well.

C2: The Long Range Agenda

Working with the American Humanist Association
Several of our members have been active with the AHA on its Board, in the Chapter Assembly and on the editorial staff of Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism. We expect to continue and expand this collaboration as the AHA develops its Five Year Plan whose Programs and Priorities are stated as follows:

The AHA provides organization, staffing, services, publications, and infrastructure to support its programs and activities. Its priorities for the next five years are to:

• Improve the standing and awareness of Humanism through a vigorous advertising and public awareness campaign [A1], and public advocacy and lobbying for Humanist positions on topical issues [A2].

• Strengthen the AHA by improving the ways AHA chapters are supported [B1]; expanding the AHA membership base [B2]; and cooperating with like-minded organizations [B3].

• Develop Scholarship and Research through increased ties with the wider academic community, while developing original papers on topical issues, such that the AHA becomes a recognized resource on policy [C].

The strategic goal of the AHA for the next five years is to grow the membership and raise the awareness and capital needed to accelerate its larger vision and purpose. The AHA’s current membership is close to 10,000 and its annual operating budget is one million dollars. Doubling both these figures during the five-year period of 2007 through 2011 will verify that the AHA is on the correct course. Although a significant portion of the AHA’s income is generated from annual dues and subscriptions to publications, growth must be financed through increased support from major donors and foundations.

Founding the
Houston Humanist & Freethought Center (HHFC)
Upon reaching 40 Patrons, participation with HCOF in renting a space will become a realistic possibility. It is uncertain how long it will take us to build up to this many Patrons. The space rented could be in a strip center amongst other sorts of stores, which is good for foot traffic and visibility. It should have at least two rooms, one larger and the other smaller. The larger one should be at least the size of the hotel conference room currently being used by HCOF. Once we actually research specific locations and their exact prices, we may discover that we need a few more Patrons to meet the gap.


Activities of the HHFC

• HOH Main Monthly gathering

• HCOF Service

• One of the Atheist Meetup locations (possible)

• One of the HOH Regional Gatherings

• Ideas Club

• Religion, Ethics, & Society Club

• Other Clubs (Social, Youth, Contemplatives, or Women's at times, possible)

• Coffee Social/s

• Various rented uses for other like-minded groups

• Darwin Day (annual)

• World Humanist Day (annual)

• Winter Solstice Celebration (annual)

Services of the HHFC

• Canned Goods Program

• Free tutoring for neighborhood kids

• Free art classes

• Humanist Scholarship ($500 to winner of Humanist Essay contest)

• Humanistic Citizenship Award

• Humanist Manifesto III published by American Humanist Association.

• The Five Year Plan of the American Humanist Association, 2007

• HOH Progress Report for 2007, Daniel Strain, see HOH Website

• Doing Good Better: How to be an Effective Board Member of a Nonprofit Organization, Edgar Stoesz & Chester Raber, 1994, pub. Good Books.

• The Humanist Heritage, Robert D. Finch, in Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, 14 (2006) 29-49, Marian Hillar, Ed., pub. American Humanist Association.

HOH Contacts Distribution Map
(click to enlarge)

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NEW VOLUNTEERS ANNOUNCED
HOH has recently been benefited with a new Secretary and Membership Director.
[Click Here For More Info]

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WELCOME GATHERING SUCCESS!
See pictures and learn about the great turnout at our recent Welcome Gathering!
[Click Here For More Info]

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HOH CHILDREN'S PROGRAM
Learn about our plans for an HOH Children's Program and help us make it a reality! Find out what one Humanist group did.
[Click Here For More Info]

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WHAT HOH REALLY NEEDS
More than funds, more than events, it's our rarest commodity.
[Click Here For More Info]

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CANNED GOODS PROGRAM
Remember to get one extra can when shopping, then bring those collected to the monthly Gathering!
[Click Here For More Info]