Bylaws

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Read SCCDC’s Rules and Regulations

Approved by the CDC Board of Directors, November 13, 1999
Amended by the CDC Board of Directors, November 04, 2004
Amended by the CDC Board of Directors, December 17, 2022
Amended by the SCCDC Board of Directors, June 8, 2024
Approved by the SCCDC Board of Directors, March 8, 2026

Article I: Name

The name of this organization is Southern California Community Dance Coalition (hereinafter referred to as SCCDC).

Article II: Purpose

SCCDC is a non-profit organization for educational purposes. The purpose of SCCDC is to promote the study, preservation, and enjoyment of traditional and historical dance and music, primarily those of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles.

Article III: Membership

The organization shall have no members.

Article IV: Production of Events

Events can be produced in two different ways:

  1. By affiliate groups (hereinafter known as Affiliates) that are financially responsible for the success of their events;
  2. Or by individuals volunteering under the oversight of the SCCDC Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the Board). These individual volunteers are responsible for producing events, but are not financially responsible for the success of these events.

Section A: Affiliate Groups

Groups whose activities promote the objectives of SCCDC may become Affiliates. Such affiliation with SCCDC is exclusive of affiliation with any other organization, with the exception of the Country Dance and Song Society. Approval of affiliation requires a vote of two-thirds of a quorum. The date of this vote is the start of the affiliation of this group.

Affiliate groups sponsor their own events and are financially responsible for the success of their events. All events sponsored by Affiliates must meet the requirements set forth by the Board. Affiliates will operate as independently as possible within the constraints of SCCDC’s bylaws, policies, and non-profit status. Affiliates will compensate SCCDC with a percentage of their revenue to support SCCDC’s external costs, such as insurance.

SCCDC shall maintain active supervision of the actions of each Affiliate and, as the federally-recognized 501(c)3 organization, shall have responsibility for, and retain ownership of, the assets associated with the affiliate.

SCCDC shall terminate affiliation with a group whose activities are not consistent with the purposes of the 501(c)3 status of SCCDC. Any affiliate may be removed, after notice and opportunity to be heard, by a two-thirds vote of a quorum. Any affiliate may remove itself from SCCDC by submitting written notice to the President. When affiliation is terminated, assets associated with the former affiliate group shall be retained by SCCDC, unless the Affiliate submits a written request within one year to the President of the SCCDC Board that the assets be transferred to another 501(c)3 organization.

Section B: SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators

SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators are volunteers who have taken on the responsibility of a recurring dance, a dance-camp weekend, or other special events on behalf of SCCDC.

All events run by SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators on behalf of SCCDC must meet the requirements set forth by the Board. SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators are required to track attendance, collect revenue, and make arrangements for payment of expenses. SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators need to report the income and expenses to the SCCDC Treasurer. SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators must submit any earnings from the dance or requests for reimbursement.

SCCDC shall have responsibility for, and retain ownership of, the assets associated with SCCDC. SCCDC Event Managers and Coordinators are not financially responsible for the success of SCCDC dances; all earnings or losses will be passed onto SCCDC.

Article V: Board of Directors

Section A: Powers

The Board of Directors (“the Board”) has sole responsibility and authority for all business matters of SCCDC. All powers and activities shall be exercised and managed directly by the Board or, if delegated, under the ultimate direction of the Board.

Section B: Composition

The Board shall be composed of the following Directors:

  • President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Affiliate Directors
  • Two Members at Large (members of the general community)
  • Volunteer Coordinator
  • Talent Coordinator
  • Safety Coordinator
  • Insurance Coordinator
  • Publicity Coordinator
  • Regional Dance Event Coordinators including Sturtevant, Fiddling Frog, and other events as needed

The same person can fulfill more than one of these designations. (For example, a Talent Coordinator can also be President. A Treasurer could also be considered a Member at Large Director, but does not need to be.)

Each Director shall have only one vote regardless of the number of positions held. Directors may not vote by proxy.

Section C: Meetings

The Board shall hold at least four regularly scheduled meetings per year, which shall be open to the general dance community. A meeting must be attended by a quorum of the Board to be considered a board meeting and to transact SCCDC business.

Special meetings may be called by the President or by any two Directors of the Board.

Section D: Quorum

Two-thirds of the Directors in office as of the date of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.

A meeting at which a quorum was initially present may continue to transact business, despite the departure of any Directors during the meeting, as long as any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum.

Section E: Annual Election Meeting

Elections to the Board shall take place in the fall at one of the annual meetings, hereinafter referred to as the Election Meeting.

During election votes at this meeting, only current board members should be present in the room. Non-board members may be present before and after voting takes place.

Part 1: Affiliate-Directors

At the Election Meeting, an organizer from each Affiliate group should nominate a Director to represent that Affiliate (either a self-nomination or a nomination of another member of the Affiliate organization). The nominated Director should be present at the meeting and must be approved by a majority vote. These Directors may serve as many terms as they desire, subject to renomination and approval by the Board.

Part 2: Members at Large Directors

At the Election Meeting, two Members at Large representing the community of dancers shall be nominated by the Board. The nominated Directors should be present at the meeting and must be approved by a majority vote. Members at Large may not be callers, musicians, or anyone in a position to derive financial advantage from the activities of SCCDC. Members at Large may serve no more than five consecutive one-year terms.

Part 3: Officer-Directors

The Officer-Directors shall consist of a President, Treasurer, Secretary, and such other officers as may, from time to time, be determined by the Board. These Directors have a vote on the Board like any other Director, but will also hold responsibilities associated with their Officer position as described in the relevant sections below.

At the Election Meeting, a Director shall be nominated by the Board for each Officer-Director position. The nominated Director should be present at the meeting and must be approved by a majority vote. Officer-Directors shall serve no more than five consecutive one-year terms.

Section F: Term of Office 

All Directors’ terms of office run from January 1 through December 31.

Section G: Resignation and Replacement of Directors 

A Director may resign from the Board at any time and leave a vacancy to be filled for the remainder of
the unexpired term. Resignation shall be effective upon receipt of written notice by the President and Secretary.

SCCDC Affiliate-Directors must nominate in writing a replacement representative to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.

Vacancies may be left unfilled until the Board votes on a replacement.

A replacement for any Director vacancy may be nominated at any regularly scheduled Board meeting and must be approved by a majority vote. A replacement Director’s term will commence immediately and run through the end of the current term (December 31).

In the event of vacancies on the Board, the remaining Directors may exercise the powers of the full Board until the vacancies are filled.

Section H: Removal of Directors

A Director may be removed by the Board if they have willfully violated the Bylaws, demonstrated gross negligence, or been absent for two consecutive meetings. In these cases, a two-thirds vote is required for removal.

Section I: Payment

Directors may not be paid compensation for their services as Directors of the Board.

Section J: Inspections

Any Director shall have the right at any reasonable time to inspect and copy all books, records, and documents of SCCDC, and to inspect the physical properties of SCCDC.

Article VI: Officer Duties

Section A: President

The President shall have general supervision of all business affairs, shall preside at Board meetings, and, with the Treasurer, shall sign all contracts for the organization.

Section B: Treasurer

The Treasurer shall collect, deposit, and disburse funds as directed by the Board; shall keep accurate financial and business records of the organization; shall prepare and submit an annual financial report to the Board; and, with the President, shall sign all contracts for the organization.

Section C: Secretary

The Secretary shall take and circulate full minutes of all Board meetings to the Board and make them available to the general community when requested; shall make known to the general community notices of meetings and vacancies to be filled; shall maintain current copies of the rules and policies as decided by the Board; shall provide these to any group applying for affiliation; and at the annual meeting shall distribute copies of any documents that have been revised during the preceding year.

Download SCCDC’s Rules & Regulations

Section D: Delegation of Authority

The President and the Treasurer each may authorize another Board member to sign contracts on their behalf.

Each officer may delegate their duties to another Board member.

Article VII: General

Section A: Fiscal Year

SCCDC’s fiscal year shall be January 1 through December 31.

Section B: Use of Earnings

All net earnings shall be the property of SCCDC and not benefit any private individual. SCCDC shall not attempt to influence legislation or participate to any extent in a political campaign for or against any candidate for public office.

Section C: Dissolution

In case of dissolution of SCCDC, the assets of SCCDC shall be transferred to the Country Dance and Song Society or another 501(c)3 organization as determined by the Board.

Article VIII: Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the full Board. A written notice of proposed amendments must be provided to all Directors at least 30 days before the vote; the notice must state the proposed changes.