Free Forest School is a national-and-beyond organization with a mission to nurture kids and empower caregivers by fostering connections to nature, culture, and one another through outdoor play. Our Board of Directors provides leadership and oversight to bring this mission to life, with sustainability and equity at the forefront.
The primary responsibility of the Board of Directors is the governance and oversight of the organization. The Board delegates responsibility for operations to staff who partner with volunteers to carry out programs. Working on different levels, Board Members, Staff and Volunteers collaboratively carry out the organizational mission.
Specific Board responsibilities include:
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Ensuring the organization operates in adherence to its Bylaws
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Overseeing fiscal management: approving the budget, setting financial goals and benchmarks, tracking financial performance
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Establishing policies and procedures
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Hiring and overseeing the Executive Director
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Electing Members and Officers of the Board of Directors
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Participating in Strategic Planning
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Acting as an ambassador of the organization
Board Members are responsible for applying a DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice) lens to all of their work. Board Members sign a DEIJ Commitment Statement, participate in ongoing training, and utilize our DEIJ tools to reflect on their work in an ongoing manner.
In addition to serving in a governance role, Free Forest School Board members also:
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engage in hands-on tasks that support the staff and programs, participating actively in work of their choice (3+ hours/month) as an officer, through committee work, or in direct consultation with staff
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attend Quarterly Meetings which take place via video conference in January, April, July, October (8 hours/year)
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attend an in-person Annual Retreat (2 days/year) in February/ March (travel assistance available)
So, what do Board Members get in return? Joining the Free Forest School Board of Directors is an act of service in support of the FFS mission. Being a part of the Board gives members an outlet to contribute to a cause that they believe in. They build relationships with other leaders who care deeply about children’s access to nature play. And over time, they get to experience the joy of seeing the organizational mission progress!
Our Board of Directors is growing this year, through a new nomination process: an Open Call for Nominations, which will go live on April 4. Instead of tapping the people we already know, we want to bring in many new perspectives by making the process of joining our Board both clear and widely accessible. You’ll be able to nominate yourself or someone you think would be a great addition to the team. Check this page for details and access to the application starting April 4!
