Hi everyone!

I’m Jen Zuckerman, chair of the SAFSF Nominating Committee.  I’m reaching out to invite you to nominate either yourself or another member for one of four open Director positions on the SAFSF Board.

As you know, SAFSF is an ever-evolving organization.  We are seeking Board leadership that understands where we’ve been, who we are, and seeks to grow into who we hope to become in the next decade. 

I’ve had the amazing experience of serving on both the SAFSF Steering Committee and on the Board of Directors for the past seven years. This experience has offered me the opportunity to engage with a broad array of members, lead webinars, facilitate policy conversations, and work closely with the incredible SAFSF staff.  We are a working board, which means that we need your ideas, your expertise, your vision, and your action. Everything you put in you will get out a hundredfold.

We meet quarterly, virtually in May and December, and in person in February and October.  We also come together annually at the Forum. Committee meetings take place outside of the formal Board meetings.

I would be glad to chat with anyone who might like to discuss this in more detail just send me an email at [email protected].

Please consider nominating yourself or a member colleague! Come join us!

---

Nomination Process

*Deadline CLOSED Friday, March 24*

SAFSF is accepting nominations for up to four positions on the Board of Directors for three-year terms beginning on June 1, 2023.

The Board seeks candidates who will help ensure a diversity of perspectives representing gender, geographic location, life experience, political ideology, professional skills, and race, culture, ethnicity, and organization size and type. We are also expressly seeking individuals with specific experience and/or organizational representation including:

• Tribal-led investment
• community foundations
• health funders
• financial management
• fundraising and development
• executive leadership
• legal expertise

We are only able to have two nonmembers serving on the board and both of these slots are already filled. The open positions must be filled by members of SAFSF.

Qualified candidates must be:

• Members of the board or staff of a grantmaking or investing organization active in sustainable agriculture and/or food systems philanthropy, which is a current SAFSF member.
• Committed to uphold and lead with SAFSF’s core values: Collaboration, Equity, Respect, Stewardship, Integrity, and in accordance with the SAFSF Commitment to Racial Justice.
• Familiar with SAFSF through previous experience on an SAFSF committee or active engagement by participating in our events, cohorts, or programming. 
• Prepared to engage on an active board. Expectations include:
• Participation in monthly meetings, 2023 dates include:
  • Tuesday, June 6 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 12:00 – 1:00pm PT / 1:00 – 2:00pm MT / 2:00 – 3:00pm CT / 3:00 – 4:00pm ET
  • Thursday, July 13 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 11:00 – 12:00pm PT / 12:00 – 1:00pm MT / 1:00 – 2:00pm CT / 2:00 – 3:00pm ET
  • Thursday, August 17 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 12:30pm – 2:00pm PT / 1:30 – 3:00pm MT / 2:30 – 4:00pm CT / 3:30 – 5:00pm ET
  • Thursday, September 14 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 11:00 – 12:00pm PT / 12:00 – 1:00pm MT / 1:00 – 2:00pm CT / 2:00 – 3:00pm ET
  • October | TBD
  • Wednesday, November 15 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 11:00 – 12:00pm PT / 12:00 – 1:00pm MT / 1:00 – 2:00pm CT / 2:00 – 3:00pm ET
  • Thursday, December 14 | Board Meeting (virtual via Zoom)
    • 11:00 – 12:30pm PT / 12:00 – 1:30pm MT / 1:00 – 2:30pm CT / 2:00 – 3:30pm ET
• Participation on a Committee of the Board (see full list on website)
• Annual attendance at the 2023 SAFSF Forum in Washington, D.C. | June 12-14

Timeline for the nomination process:

• Friday, March 24 | Applications due
• March 20-April 24 | Review and interview period
• Friday, May 12 | Candidate notification
• Thursday, June 1 | Start of new Director terms

Self-nomination or nominations of other qualified candidates are welcome. This form provides complete contact information for the nominee, nominator (if applicable), background questions, and a statement of interest describing why the nominee would make a great SAFSF Director. Once a nomination has been submitted, SAFSF will request from each nominee a nomination acceptance form or a letter of interest (if not self-nominated).

This form must be submitted no later than Friday, March 24. Questions about the nomination process should be directed to Holly Enowski at [email protected].

Please consider nominating yourself or a funder colleague to bring your perspective, expertise, and energy to the work of SAFSF!