Board Member Duties
The Board asks its members to provide organizational oversight and strategic planning to preserve and protect our lands to ensure that the Whatcom Land Trust mission is fulfilled in perpetuity.
Attend and actively participate in meetings to guide the organization
- Join our monthly Board meetings held on the fourth Monday of each month beginning at 5:30 and usually lasting two hours.
- Attend occasional special meetings where an immediate time-sensitive decision must be made (rarely more than one a year).
- Participate in the annual Board retreat, usually a full day on a weekend during early winter.
- Read all of the Board packets and materials before meetings. Board members are encouraged to bring up any questions regarding the materials in the packets.
- Engage in Board decision-making by participating in discussions, asking questions, understanding the issues, and voting for what you feel is best for the organization.
- Connect with the Land Trust by attending our events, particularly those associated with fundraising, land stewardship, community outreach, and staff morale and appreciation
- Contribute financially to the organization in an amount that is meaningful to you. No set amount is expected.
Provide organizational oversight to ensure long-term sustainability
- Establishing the organization’s Mission, purpose, and governance policies
- Reviewing financial reports and budgets
- Approving land transactions and stewardship commitments
- Hiring, reviewing, and compensating the Executive Director
Become a member of at least one of the staff and/or Board-directed committees
- The Board President assigns Board members to committees based on the member’s interests and the needs of the organization. These committees meet once a month or as needed, usually lasting from one to two hours.
- Staff committees include Land, Stewardship, Philanthropy, Communications
- Board committees include Executive, Finance, Human Resources, Nominating
Aspirations
Members serve the organization in many different ways depending upon the skills, resources, and available time they bring to their service. Ideally, each member fulfills the following aspirations. However, these commitments are not a requirement of service if the member provides other assets that are of value to the Mission of Whatcom Land Trust.
• Assist with fundraising for the organization such as by helping at events, introducing potential new people to the organization, connecting potential donors to appropriate staff, bringing in potential business partners, hosting a house party, sponsoring an event, offering a matching donation, accompanying appropriate staff to support in making an ask for donations, etc.
• Become a Land Trust ambassador to make the organization more visible in the community and increase the number of people who support our Mission.
• It is hoped that once Board members have gained sufficient experience on the Board they will serve as officers of the Board of Directors (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer).
• Established Board members are encouraged to mentor new Board members.
