5 Myths & Misconceptions About Boards & Councils

Serving on a board or town council is a great way to get involved with your community. But there are some common myths and misconceptions about what boards and councils do — and being a member of one. Midwest Assistance Program staff identified five including:

Myth #1: All that board/council does is talk and drink coffee.
Mythbuster: The majority of boards/councils are hardworking groups, volunteering more time than they expected to help solve a problem for their community and contribute to its survival.

Read the rest of MAP’s myths about boards and councils by clicking here.

You also can learn how serving on a board or council benefits you and your community, tips for better board/council meetings and what makes a good board/council member in the Spring issue of MAP’s Source newsletter.

Who We Are

Midwest Assistance Program, Inc. (MAP) has been helping communities and tribal nations find solutions to their infrastructure and development needs through information, resource management, expertise, and technical assistance since 1979. MAP is governed by a nine member board of directors: six members from MAP's participating states and three at large.

MAP is a member of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) network. RCAP works to revitalize communities through its six regional partners and nearly 200 rural development specialists at the state and local levels in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The majority of these communities, which are typically economically disadvantages, have fewer than 2,500 residents.

Our history

By 1979, MAP was dedicated to improving water and wastewater services for communities in nine Midwestern states. In 1987, MAP expanded its services into solid waste management and recycling. From the beginning, MAP has been committed to helping communities through tailored technical assistance and training and help designing and managing systems. MAP also has focused on teaching community leaders to build their capacity so they can respond to community problems themselves and make knowledgeable, appropriate decisions.