Structure and Bylaws

Young People for Progress

1. Members. Any person who is 34 years old and younger, does not hold elected political office, registers as a member, completes membership orientation, and pays dues to Young People for Progress (hereinafter YPP) is a Member. Members are entitled to participate in any campaigns, committees, and groups organized within YPP, except as otherwise set forth herein. Furthermore, any Member in good standing may hold an elected or appointed position within YPP. Members may retain their membership until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 35. 
2. Meetings of the Members. Public meetings of the Members shall be held on a regular basis, at least once a month, and at a regularly scheduled time and place, unless determined otherwise by the Members. A meeting of the Members shall be defined as a General Body Meeting. The Members present and assembled at a General Body Meeting represent the General Body Membership and are the highest decision-making authority in the organization. The General Body Membership shall allow for the democratic introduction of proposals through a resolution process. Resolutions can be introduced by any Member at a General Body Meeting.
3. Code of Conduct. Every YPP Member is expected to conduct oneself with civility and respect towards all other Members. Unacceptable Member behavior includes: creating an intimidating, offensive, and/or abusive environment for other Members; engaging in undemocratic or disruptive behavior; engaging in any actions detrimental to the purpose or values of the organization. If a Member’s conduct is found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization, they will be subject to disciplinary action that may include suspension and/or expulsion from YPP, in accordance with YPP Bylaws and policy.
4. Dues. The General Body Membership shall determine any dues, and shall re-approve dues yearly by a majority vote. Changes to any dues must be approved by a ⅔ vote of the General Body Membership.
5. Budget. The annual budget of YPP shall be deemed adopted once approved by a majority of the Steering Committee and a majority of the General Body Membership.
6. Investments. YPP shall not place its funds in any investments that carry a non-negligible level of risk (such as stocks, mutual funds, etc.) except in accordance with an investment strategy approved by the General Body Membership, in which case the Steering Committee (or its designee) shall manage such investments.
7. Steering Committee and Officers.
8. Steering Committee.
9. The Steering Committee shall consist of Officers and may include At-Large members. The Officers shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. YPP shall aim to have at least one member of the Steering Committee under 18 years of age, aged 18 through 26, and aged 27 through 34, respectively. The number of At-Large members of the Steering Committee shall be determined by the General Body Membership. All Officers and At-Large members of the Steering Committee shall be elected directly by the Members and shall be voting members of the Steering Committee. No person shall hold more than one office on the Steering Committee. Each Officer and At-Large Steering Committee member will serve a one-year term, the beginning and ending dates to be determined by the General Body Membership. If an officer of the Steering Committee is elected during the second half of the year due to a special election, they may run again in the subsequent election for a full term regardless of if they may have aged out of the eligibility requirements, that being 34 years and under. A majority of the members of the Steering Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting business. The Steering Committee shall meet in person or virtually at least twice a month at a time and place to be determined by the Steering Committee. In-person Steering Committee meetings shall be open to observation by any Member of YPP in good standing, unless a majority of the committee votes to close the meeting.
10. The Steering Committee shall be authorized to meet by telephone conference or through other electronic communications media so long as all the members can simultaneously communicate with each other and participate fully during the meeting. The Steering Committee may conduct votes on matters via electronic means, whether or not a scheduled meeting is taking place, and all votes must be recorded in the Steering Committee minutes. Unless otherwise resolved by the General Body Membership, all communication required in these Bylaws, including meeting notices, may be sent electronically. All minutes of the Steering Committee’s meetings, except minutes of closed sessions, shall be accessible to YPP Members, including records of votes taken.
11. President. The President shall chair the Steering Committee and shall ensure that all orders and resolutions of the General Body Membership and the Steering Committee are carried out. The President shall sign or countersign all certificates, contracts or other instruments of YPP except where otherwise designated in these Bylaws or resolved by the Steering Committee. The President shall perform such other duties as are incident to the office required of them by the Steering Committee.
12. Vice President. The Vice President shall assist the President to ensure that all orders and resolutions of the General Body Membership and the Steering Committee are carried out. The Vice President shall perform such other duties as are incident to the office required of them by the Steering Committee.
13. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall, as directed by the Steering Committee, have care and custody of the general funds, securities, properties, and assets of YPP. The Treasurer shall ensure that the funds and securities shall be deposited in the bank(s), trust companies or depositories that the Steering Committee shall designate. At the direction of the Steering Committee, the Treasurer will ensure disbursement and disposal of the same, taking proper voucher for such disbursements. They shall ensure that accurate books of account are kept in accordance with commonly accepted accounting principles, recording therein the amount of all monies, funds, securities, properties and assets in their custody, wherever located, and showing the amount of disbursement made and the disposition of properties. They shall exhibit said books and records when required by the Steering Committee, President, or government agency of appropriate regulatory jurisdiction pursuant to law. They shall prepare, in consultation with the Steering Committee, a one-year budget for presentation to the General Body Membership. They shall prepare a yearly financial report for presentation to the General Body Membership. They shall ensure the timely filing of documents with government agencies, including but not limited to federal and state tax returns and charitable solicitation registrations.
14. Secretary. The Secretary shall ensure that the minutes are kept of the meetings of the Steering Committee and of the General Body Membership and shall ensure that the minutes are distributed. The Secretary shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law. The Secretary shall be custodian of all YPP records. The Secretary shall keep a register of the address, phone number and e-mail address of each member of the Steering Committee, information which shall be furnished to the Secretary by each Steering Committee member. The Secretary shall, in general, perform the duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as are from time to time assigned by the President, or by the Steering Committee.
15. Co-officers. Elected Officers may serve as co-officers (e.g., co-president, co-vice president, co-treasurer, co-secretary) and share responsibilities of the position, if they so choose.
16. Removal.
17. Any member of the Steering Committee may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Steering Committee. Any member of the Steering Committee may resign in writing.
18. Any member of the Steering Committee who misses three consecutive meetings or ten total meetings in a term without an acceptable reason shall be removed from the committee and their position declared vacant. Members of the Steering Committee may also be removed for malfeasance or gross incompetence.
19. The General Body Membership may remove a member from the Steering Committee by a two-thirds vote.
20. By a two-thirds vote, the General Body Membership may schedule elections for the full Steering Committee earlier than the next regularly scheduled elections (“snap elections”). The newly elected Steering Committee shall serve until the next regularly scheduled elections, unless otherwise specified in the General Body Membership’s resolution scheduling the snap elections. 
21. Vacancies. All vacancies on the Steering Committee shall be filled through a special election.
22. Compensation. Steering Committee members may receive payment for their work. This payment will be a stipend set by the General Body Membership in advance of the Steering Committee elections. The candidate may opt out of the stipend and may state in advance that they are opting out of the stipend. 
23. Appointment of staff. The Steering  Committee shall have the power to appoint an Executive Director, and other staff, to carry out decisions made by the Steering Committee. The Executive Director shall have access to YPP’s bank account and ability to spend with limitations set out within the Bylaws. 
24. Committees. The number, duties, and functions of the committees other than the Steering Committee, if any, shall be as determined by the Members in accordance with these Bylaws. Committee leaders shall actively encourage diversity in committee leadership and participation.
25. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the General Body Membership.
26. Public Posting. These Bylaws shall be publicly viewable on the YPP website.

Originally ratified January 6, 2020.

Most recently amended September 19, 2022.