Get Involved

Become a Community Advisor

About the Board

As community members and volunteers, Gay City’s Community Advisors use their diverse perspectives, experiences, and identities to inform and promote the organization.

Advisors are expected to fully lead and participate in fundraising, community outreach activities, and strategic planning to ensure the financial stability of the agency. They truly champion the organization’s mission, vision, and values.

The Gay City Board is deeply committed to increasing representation of the communities most impacted by the injustices our mission, vision, and values seek to address.

We strongly encourage QTBIPOC and Queer Femmes to apply.

Purpose

To serve on at least one Board Standing Committee as a non-voting member.

Term

This position does not have a term.

Obligations

  • Follow the bylaws, operating agreements, protocols for engagement, and attendance requirements listed aboves
  • Represent and strengthen the reputation of the organization to the public

Duties

  • Serve on a minimum of one Standing Committee (see Standing Committees)
  • Contribute skills, knowledge and experience where appropriate
  • Promote and sustain practices and tools that will result in achieving a diverse and equity-minded Board
  • Engage with and support on-going learning and development that supports diversity, inclusion and equity of the Board
  • Inspect policies, procedures and decisions with an equity-minded, social justice lens
  • Be prepared and open to learning and growing

Standing Committees

All board members will serve on one of the three committees listed below. Committee meetings are held during designated committee meeting times or at a co-chair’s discretion.

During a term, members may serve on the same or different committees, as space and distribution permit. Each committee will work to incorporate the infrastructure, programmatic, and sustainability strategic goals in their work.

Development Committee (board contributions and events)

  • Works in conjunction with the Development Director on major events involving donors and community connections
  • Plans and promotes Eden Garden Party, Give Out, GiveBig, and Stronger Together: World AIDS Day Breakfast, as well as the development of new events and outreach to major donors
  • Collaborates with Development Director to create and manage board member pledge plan, and manage the completed board member pledge plan

Connections Committee  (community stewardship)

  • Cultivates and sustains the professional connections among networks (e.g., GSBA events and reps) and organizations
  • Seeks out opportunities for board and staff interactions to strengthen whole organization connections
  • Manages outreach to diverse LGBTQ+ communities to increase relationship and understanding of Gay City through board networks (e.g. create network maps that tie in strategic relationships)
  • Prepare a mission moment for each board meeting (e.g. client story)

Mission and Governance Committee

  • Manages recruitment and orientation of new board members
  • Tracks board member terms
  • Continual review of board functions, by-laws, and annual executive director evaluation
  • Plans the annual board retreat and any ad hoc board retreats through the year

Finance Committee

  • Review financial statements and reports at a minimum of each month
  • Report to the board monthly on the financial health
  • Draft annual budget and adjust as needed for the board’s approval

Attendance

1. Attend and actively participate in:

  • Committee meetings, as determined by the committee (approx. 1-2 hrs per month)

  • Gay City events, as scheduled

2. Prepare for meetings (approx. 1-2 hrs)

Community Advisors are not required to attend Board Meetings.

How to Apply

Apply Here

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the recruitment process for the Gay City Board of Directors?

Start your journey to Gay City’s Board by reviewing the Board of Director position description. Submit an application from the description page (if positions are available). The Board Co-Chairs will review your application and schedule a conversation with you to discuss your interest. Meeting details will be shared using the email provided in your application.

Is there a monetary figure that a Board of Director is required to give and / or bring into the organization?

We do not require a Board of Director to contribute a set monetary amount and instead ask each Director to complete an engagement plan that outlines what they can contribute while on the Board. We acknowledge there are many ways to contribute and view it in a holistic manner. Our ask is that our Board of Directors contribute to Gay City in a way that is meaningful and significant to each of them.

Would an interested individual be able to join a Standing Committee first as a way to step into working on the Board?

We allow Community Advisors, non-voting members, to join the Board of Director Standing Committees. Interested individuals can review the Community Advisor position description,  Standing Committee responsibilities, and complete an application (if positions are available).

To apply for the Board, click here.

To apply as a Community Advisor, click here.  

In the application, you can identify the Board role you prefer and select a preferred Standing Committee. Please indicate in the comments section if you are solely interested in a Community Advisor role.