Board Member

Website Common Good City Farm

About the job

Overview

Common Good City Farm is a 501c3 nonprofit urban farm with a mission to create a vibrant, informed, and well-nourished community through urban farming. We are actively seeking new members for our Board of Directors (BOD) and would love to hear from you if you are interested.

Timeline for the 2020 Board of Directors Nomination Process for Interested Candidates

  • Submit the 2020 Board Interest Form by December 15, 2020
  • The interested candidate interviews with current board members and the Executive Director take place on a rolling basis
  • After interviews, the interested candidate confirms their interest in being officially nominated for election and provides a resume (or some other bio that outlines their experience and interest, e.g. export of LinkedIn profile, a video or audio recording, or a letter)
  • Candidates will be contacted with the result of the board meeting and election between December 28 – December 30

If it’s after December 15, 2020, we still welcome you to express interest, but your form will be saved for 2021 consideration.

Our Commitment to Equity

In line with our commitment to equity, the 2020 Board of Directors Nomination process seeks candidates representative of the community we work alongside in the pursuit of our mission to create a vibrant, informed, and well-nourished community through urban farming.

We encourage women, black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), bilingual and multicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities to apply. Interested candidates shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, medical condition, or other status.

Creating an equitable organization and local food system is an ongoing process. We look forward to hearing from all interested community members.

2020 Board Recruitment Profiles

We are currently recruiting for community leaders with skills and expertise in the following areas:

Profile 1: Financial Expert 

  • Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Certified Professional Accountant, Business Owner, or Executive Director experience
  • Holds expertise in administrative and operational management and able to share best practices on organizational systems and processes
  • An understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and financial statements, experience with internal accounting controls, financial oversight, and an understanding finance and audit committees

Profile 2: Human Resource / Legal / Administrative Leader

  • Human resources or administrative officer experience with nonprofit human resources, talent, and culture best practices such as talent recruitment, management, administering benefits, record management, and strategic HR functions
  • General counsel, chief legal officer, or other experience with the ability to advise on legal needs, contracts, governance, and other rules
  • Provides ways for the organization to innovate on traditional practices

Profile 3: Food Justice Champion / Community Organizer

  • Lived experience in practicing urban agriculture, food policy advocacy, and food assistance policy
  • Holds a deep understanding of the Washington DC food landscape and ways to leverage local resources or coalitions
  • Track record as a community organizer in service of social and racial justice within DC; former program participants, active members of the community and/or local civic associations will also be considered

Profile 4: Strategic Communications Champion

  • Senior level experience with developing strategic communications with an understanding of how to leverage brand strategy to drive an organization’s visibility and impact
  • Aligning communications with strategic planning and developing communication skills among board members
  • Leveraging digital media platforms and fundraising tools, especially to reach a wider audience and larger networks

Board of Directors Job Description 

Amended on May 27, 2019 (Originally Adopted May 21, 2014)

About Common Good City Farm

Common Good City Farm’s (CGCF) mission is to create a vibrant, informed, and well-nourished community through urban farming. We actively engage with all members of our diverse community and create opportunities for connections on our farm, while emphasizing intensive vegetable production and modeling best practices in sustainable urban agriculture.

Board of Directors Role

The Common Good City Farm Board of Directors supports the work of the Farm and provides leadership and strategic governance.  While day-to-day operations are led by the Farm’s Executive Director, the board’s role as the governing body of the organization is to provide direction and management of the affairs of the organization.

Board Member Responsibilities

The board provides fiduciary oversight, ensures mission integrity, and hires, evaluates, and supports the Executive Director.

Leadership, governance and oversight: 

  • Serves as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director as they develop and implement Common Good City Farm’s strategic plan;
  • Reviews outcomes and metrics created by the organization for evaluating its impact;
  • Approves the organization’s annual budget, audit reports and material business decisions based on the board’s legal and fiduciary responsibilities;
  • Assist in raising adequate resources for the activities of the organization;
  • Reviews agendas and supporting materials prior to board and committee meetings;
  • Responds to correspondence from the organization’s staff in a timely manner;
  • Contributes to the annual performance evaluation of the Executive Director as requested;
  • Assists the Governance and Nominations Committee, the Board Chair and the Executive Director in identifying and recruiting other board members;
  • Partners with the Executive Director and other board members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out;
  • Serves on at least one committee and takes on special assignments when asked and available;
  • Nominate at least one professional for the board as part of the regular nominating process, based on the criteria of the Nominations and Governance Committee;
  • Represents the organization to external stakeholders, including volunteers, funders, local government and community partners, acting as ambassadors for the organization; and
  • Helps ensure the organization upholds its commitment to build a diverse board and staff.

Board members should not:

  • Engage in the day-to-day operation of the organization
  • Direct, evaluate, or hire staff other than the Executive Director
  • Make detailed programmatic decisions more appropriately left to staff
  • Make any commitment of CGCF staff or financial resources except with the prior authorization of the full board and the Executive Director

Fundraising: 

Common Good City Farm Board of Directors will consider the organization a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority.  So that the Farm can credibly solicit contributions from foundations, organizations, and individuals, all board members are expected to:

  • Make an annual contribution commensurate with their capacity;
  • Introduce at least one new potential donor each year; and
  • Participate in development/fundraising efforts of the organization including the drafting and sending of donor acknowledgments, engaging in peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, etc.

Board Terms and Participation

Common Good City Farm Board of Directors serve a three-year term and are eligible for re-appointment for one additional term.  After their second term, they must step down for one year before being considered for re-appointment to the board. They should familiarize themselves with the provisions of the organization’s charter, bylaws, and policies, and ensure that they are being followed.

Board meetings are held every two months, and committee meetings are held throughout the year. Board members should schedule enough time in advance to review meeting agendas and supporting materials to assure active, informed participation – supporting materials can often be substantial, consistent with the fiduciary and governing responsibilities of a governing board. To remain in good standing, board members must attend at least three of the board meetings and at least one CGCF event each year.

To apply for this job please visit www.linkedin.com.

Common Good City Farm

To apply for this job please visit www.linkedin.com.

Contact us

Common Good City Farm

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