ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

For The Internal Family Systems Association

Amended April 2003

I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Internal Family Systems Association.  For business purposes, we shall be named “IFSA”.
II. PURPOSE
A.	The purposes for which the Internal Family Systems Association is organized are exclusively charitable, scientific, literary, and educational within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law:
	1.	To promote the Internal Family Systems model of psychotherapy
	2.	To facilitate communication among practitioners who use the Internal Family Systems model in their work
	3.	To advance the theory and practice of the Internal Family Systems model
	4.	To provide a venue where practitioners of this model of psychotherapy can meet informally, to socialize, network, and share experiences.
B.	No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons except that the Chapter shall be authorized and empowered by pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.
III. MEMBERSHIP
A.	Membership shall be open to clinicians who use the Internal Family Systems model as a component of their practice and to persons wishing to incorporate the model into their knowledge base.
B.	All members shall have the right to vote for officers and by-laws, attend the annual General Membership Meeting at The Internal Family Systems Fall Conference, hold office, serve as Committee Chairs or Regional Community Representatives, and receive the newsletter and any other membership benefits.
C.	The Board of Directors of IFSA may establish in August annually, dues and fees for membership and may determine, add or delete services and benefits rendered to members.
D	Membership shall run from the first day of October to the last day of September.
IV. STRUCTURE
A.	Decision-making is vested in the membership as a whole. There shall be a General Membership Meeting annually.
B.	1.	The Governing Board of Directors shall consist of Officers of the Association and any Committee Chairs.  They shall be vested with responsibility to establish the mission and structure through which IFSA’s goals are met.
	2.	Committee Chairs may be selected from IFSA members by the elected officers of the Board, and shall have voting privileges on the board.  Term will be assigned at the beginning of the Committee’s work and will extend at the will of the officers.
	3.	Non-voting members may include, but are not limited to, representatives selected by member of each Regional Community, IFS Trainers/Leadership Group and The Center for Self Leadership, P.C.
	4.	A Quorum may be decided by the consensus of half plus one of the voting members present, whether at Executive Board meetings throughout the year or at Board of Directors meetings.
C.	Officers: Day-to-day administration of Association affairs and execution of decisions taken at the General Membership Meeting shall be vested in four officers elected from the membership by the members. The officers of the Association shall be: i)     President         ii)        Vice President        iii)       Treasurer          iv) Secretary
D.	Duties of Officers:
	1.	President:   Preside at all IFSA Board, General Membership and Executive meetings. Serve as spokesperson and representative of the Association. Appoint in collaboration with other officers, the chairpersons of all association committees and task forces. Oversee all committee work.  Provide direction to Association staff and volunteers. Provide regular reports to the membership on the state of the Association. Inform the board of activities made on behalf of the Association.
	2.	Vice President:  Assist the President in the administration of the Association.  Serve as Chair of Budget and Finance Committee. Appoint, in collaboration with other officers, the chairpersons of all association committees and task forces
	3.	Secretary:  Oversee recording, preparation and distribution of minutes in a timely fashion of all official meetings of the Association. Submit report of annual activities.  Handle correspondence of the Association as directed by the President.  Appoint, in collaboration with other officers, the chairpersons of all association committees and task forces.
	4.	Treasurer:  Oversee the collection, monitoring and dispensing of all funds of IFSA. Report financial standing of IFSA to the Board and the membership.  Complete reports necessitated by federal or state government. Work collaboratively with the Budget and Finance Committee. Appoint, in collaboration with other officers, the chairpersons of all association committees and task forces.
	NOTE:  Immediate Past President of the Association shall be available to assist the President and Board with guidance and advice based upon knowledge of previous board policies and association practices.  May provide orientation for new officers. Irrespective of the foregoing, the most vital task of the officers shall be facilitation of participation by the members in the work of the Association.
E.	ELECTIONS Officers shall serve for two-year terms with two rotating cycles: President and Treasurer Cycle One and Vice President and Secretary Cycle Two and can be re-elected for a maximum of two terms. Election of new officers shall take place in time for new officers to be effective on September 1st and installed at the Internal Family Systems Fall Conference. The Chair of the Nomination Committee will be appointed no later than May each year.  This Chair will be responsible for involving at least two other members in the process of securing nominations.  Voting will take place so that new officers can take office as of September lst. Calls for Nominations will be sent to general IFSA membership through the newsletter or in separate mailing or by email; voting will take place through the mail, fax or email.
V. COMMITTEES
A.	The Executive Board may appoint chairpersons for committees needed to accomplish the work of the Association.
B.	Permanent Committees of IFSA shall be: Executive, Newsletter, Nomination & Election, Membership, and Budget & Finance.
C.	Executive Committee shall include:  President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and Newsletter Editor.
VI. REPORTS
Prior to the General Meeting, the Secretary shall submit a report of annual activities; the Treasurer shall submit an accounting of receipts and disbursements; the Board shall provide membership numbers; the Committee Chairpersons shall submit a written report; the Board shall provide membership numbers.  These reports will be provided to the membership at the General Membership meeting and through e-mail or other means to assure distribution to the members.
VII. DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the Internal Family Systems Association, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal, state or local government for a public purpose.  Any assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas, of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes. To be considered could be the non-profit organization, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists at 1133 – 15^th St. Northwest, Suite 300, Washington DC 20005.
VIII. AMENDMENTS AND BY-LAWS
Amendments to these articles, or by-laws more closely defining one or another aspect of the Association's structure or its functioning shall be sent to membership via email or regular mail to be voted upon at the same time as our annual ballot voting elections.
IX. POWERS
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.