Apply to Join the Voices Board of Directors
What is it like to be a Board member for Voices for Vermont’s Children?
Serving on the board is a great way for me to advocate for children and families in system-changing ways. I am meeting amazing people from around the state and learning about real struggles and successes. As an early childhood educator, I am able to more deeply understand the systems and policies that affect families, and I can use my voice to make change at a state level for safe and equitable policies.
~Jackie Reno
What’s Involved in Board Service?
Time Commitment: The Board currently meets 8-10 times per year, generally for 90 mins on a weeknight. Most meetings include a call-in or video conference option (at this time we are meeting 100% remotely). Board members are also strongly encouraged to attend some Voices events during the year - fundraisers, house parties, conferences, workshops, etc. Members are expected to serve on at least one standing or ad-hoc committee of the board as well.
Financial Support: Voices only asks that our board members give what is meaningful to them and participate in fundraising activities, which include options for even the most timid introvert.
Mission Support: One of board members’ most important roles is that of ambassador. Board members should feel comfortable and confident talking about our mission and promoting the work of the organization in their networks - and we’ll help you! Board members also serve as our eyes and ears in the community, reflecting any insights back to inform our policy work.
What’s the Selection Process?
The nominating committee of the board will review applications and conduct initial phone interviews with board candidates.
The committee will then consider the board’s recruitment goals - especially representation of Vermont’s racial, ethnic, social, and geographic diversity - and recommend candidates for an in-person meeting with a staff and board member. We review board expectations, share some history, and highlight current priorities with the candidate to ensure a good fit for everyone.
The interviewers share their insights with the full nominating committee, and if the candidate is still interested, the committee will make a recommendation for the board to consider (for vacancy appointments) or place them on the ballot for the annual membership meeting and election.
Apply now!
We strive to be:
DIVERSE The individual leaders who compose nonprofit boards are a reflection of an organization’s values and beliefs about who should be empowered and entrusted with its most important decisions. We believe that all social sector organizations can better achieve their missions by drawing on the skills, talents, and perspectives of a broader and more diverse range of leaders, and that the diversity of viewpoints that comes from different life experiences and cultural backgrounds strengthens board deliberations and decision-making.
INCLUSIVE The most effective boards work to build a culture of trust, candor, and respect — none of which is possible without a culture of inclusion. Boards that cultivate an inclusive culture ensure that all board members are encouraged to bring their perspectives, identity, and life experience to their board service. An inclusive board culture welcomes and celebrates differences and ensures that all board members are engaged and invested, sharing power and responsibility for the organization’s mission and the board’s work.
EQUITY-FOCUSED Boards play a critical role in helping organizations understand the context in which they work and how best to prioritize resources and strategies based on that reality. An awareness of how systemic inequities have affected our society and those an organization serves enables boards to avoid perpetuating flawed strategies and creates powerful opportunities to deepen the organization’s impact, relevance, and advancement of the public good.