Becoming a Found in Faith Board of Directors Member means becoming part of a growing and innovative team. We have recently expanded our Board from 7 to 11 members in eager anticipation of meeting our 5-year strategic planning goals. We are focused on governance, fundraising and advocacy in an effort to provide the best support possible to our staff and volunteers so they can, in turn, serve our clients with the utmost care.
We are currently seeking to fill 7 board positions including Treasurer, Secretary, and 5 General Members. Please click the links to learn more about what each of these roles entails along with general Board Member responsibilities and policies.
Rationale
Found in Faith Ministries (FIFM) board members are expected to attend most regularly scheduled meetings. The FIFM Board of Directors does much of its work and nearly all its decision making via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, or a hybrid. Meetings are held monthly with additional meetings scheduled during periods of high workloads. Missed meetings seriously diminish the effectiveness of the entire board, and thus of FIFM. This policy therefore sets a clear shared expectation for meeting attendance to which board members will be held accountable.
Policy
FIFM board members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings. Board members are expected to input regular meeting times in their personal calendars and to avoid scheduling other meetings during that time.
Board members occasionally miss meetings due to circumstances beyond their control such as illness, travel schedules, jury duty, or holidays. These will generally be considered “excused” absences. In all cases, board members are expected to notify the Board of meetings they know they will miss. Failure to attend two (2) consecutive Board meetings without excuse shall result in a written warning from the President, or from another member if the absent member is the President, advising that an additional absence without excuse shall constitute a resignation from the Board.
To make the Board more accountable and to ensure transparency internally and to the FIFM community, Board members will adhere to the following:
- All minutes (with attendance and excused/unexcused absences) will be sent via email to all Board members by the Secretary.
- Repeatedly absent Board members will be noted in the meeting minutes.
- Board attendance percentage will be reported when Board members stand for re-election.
Organizational Areas of Focus:
- Business: Producing mission-aligned products and services that offer value to the community and generate revenue to fund overhead and operations (social enterprise).
- Operations: Compliance and efficiency of organizational operations and raising money to fund programs.
- Programs: Identifying and addressing client needs through direct-service and volunteer support.
Board Member duties in each area:
- Governance: Providing oversight of the organization including legal compliance, reporting, and staff support.
- Advocacy: Being the voice for our clients in the community through outreach, networking, and marketing.
- Fundraising: Rasing the funds neccessary to sustainably provide much-needed services to our applicants.
How Board Members can serve each duty:
- Time: Providing hours of support in service to our mission whether in-person or virtually, on a team or independently.
- Talent: Offering your skills, experience, and wisdom to assist in meeting the needs of our organization and programs.
- Treasures: Fiscally supporting the mission through personal gifts and/or fundraising efforts and connections in the community.
Board Member Application
If you are interested in finding out more about the unique opportunity of becoming a Found in Faith Board Member, please fill out the application below. If you have any questions and need immediate assistance, please email alicia@foundinfaithmd.org.