Board Member/Advisor

Strive For You (STRIVE4You

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Job Summary

STRIVE4You is seeking highly motivated, hardworking, passionate leaders to enthusiastically further the mission and expand the impact capability of this growing unique nonprofit! STRIVE4You is a 501C3 nonprofit based in Nashville TN with a national scope. Our mission is to provide resources, education, and most of all opportunities for people with disabilities, specifically those with low vision and blindness, to live truly meaningful & fulfilling lives in an inclusive society for everyone! STRIVE stands for Strength, Training, & Recreation Inspiring Vitality & Empowerment. Through our truly one-of-a-kind programs & services STRIVE4You seeks to provide confidence, inspiration, skills, and awareness for a brighter future for everyone. We accomplish this through a two prong approach. First, providing direct support to those living with vision loss, and second by educating communities where they work, play, and live to dispel negative stereotypes, bullying, and abuse breaking down barriers to create a more inclusive society.

The ARISE program of STRIVE4you was developed to provide adaptive sports programs and the education and tools needed to adapt sports for individuals with visual impairments. The visually impaired community has one of the highest obesity rates in America. This is due  to a variety of both personal and societal barriers they experience that limit their access to recreational and athletic programs subsequently robbing them of essential physical and mental health benefits. Considering the substantial evidence of lack of physical activity, higher levels of obesity, and overall poor health among adults who are visually impaired, there is a clear need for more inclusive mainstream activities and fitness opportunities which promote good health. Through the ARISE program we are providing people with visual impairments opportunities to improve their quality of life with Adaptive Sports Days, annual sports tournaments, and health conferences, as well as one-on-one consulting and educational offerings to teach advocacy for health and athletic needs. We are also taking a unique approach with this program to provide professionals within the sports and recreation field the resources, tools, and knowledge they need to create more inclusive programs for people with visual impairments through national recognized professional development workshops, webinars, one-on-one consulting, and more!

The SEED program is a safety education and self-defense program with a mission to create a culture of safety and security for all, implementing a holistic host of services training body, mind, and spirit. This is a nationwide program unlike any other. SEED’s adherence to STRIVE4You’s peer-to-peer approach is what makes it unique. Our curriculum was developed by advanced instructors with over thirty-five years of experience, principally by people with visual impairments for people with visual impairments. SEED’s goal is to teach a principled approach to recognizing, analyzing, and responding to potentially threatening situations specific to people with visual impairments. This is accomplished through workshops, webinars, and ongoing classes taught by certified instructors from around the country. And by providing opportunities for individuals to get certified we are providing potential employment opportunities for a community that has a 75% or higher rate of unemployment. SEED empowers people with low vision or blindness the opportunity to gain the confidence they need to leave their homes and be productive members of society!

The STRIVE4You Board of Directors comprises leaders from the nonprofit and for-profit sector who are dedicated to the organization’s mission. Serving on the Board of Directors is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate in the foundational belief that everyone has an equal capacity to achieve incredible things if provided the right support and opportunities.

Job Responsibilities

As the highest leadership body of the organization and to satisfy its fiduciary duties, in general the STRIVE4You’s board of Directors primary responsibilities is to develop, oversee, and nurture The mission and overall impact of the program & services of STRIVE4You. This includes;

• defining & guiding the overall mission and purpose of the organization by objectively making strategic and informed decisions  as an engaged board member. This includes regularly attending four board meetings per year, reading board materials in advance of board meetings and to come prepared to ask questions and engage diligently in discussions.
• Develops and ensures all policies & procedures of STRIVE4You is fair, responsible, and are properly implemented/followed.
• Maintain constant Monitoring of finances to ensure strong fiduciary oversight and financial management in order to protect the assets, donors, and partner’s interest/contributions.
• Assist the staff in strategic and organizational planning and oversee its efficient implementation
• Actively participate in committee work by serving on one or more board committees
• Actively participate in essential fundraising and resource development by leveraging personal relationships and connections to help the fundraising committee and staff identify and solicit potential funders, as well as directly invest in STRIVE4you’s work by making or securing from others a personal contribution of $1,000 minimum each year.
• Monitoring the Organization’s programs and services to ensure they continue to efficiently meet the mission and need of those we serve
• selecting and regularly evaluating the performance of the executive director(s) to ensure the day -to-day operations of the organization are being carried out efficiently.
• And enhance the Organization’s public image and maximize outreach efforts by responsibly representing STRIVE4You to the community while advocating for our mission, programs, and services as a passionate positive steward and board member.

Terms & Time Commitments

Board Members will be elected to a term in accordance with the bylaws of Strive For You. Terms are a two-year commitment beginning in January thru December. The board terms are setup on a rotating bases to ensure that there are experienced leaders on the board at all times. A Board Member should expect to spend 4 – 6 hours a month on activities of Strive For you in addition to the Board of Directors quarterly meetings. A minimum of three meetings will be held a year via teleconference and one in-person at our annual leadership retreat. Hours may fluctuate depending on current task or project.

Qualifications

Specific Desired Skills/Expertise

We are currently recruiting for diverse leaders with expertise in the areas of the following  areas of experience to advise our board and staff to help fulfill the mission of STRIVE4You:

• Corporate or nonprofit management
• Fundraising or grant writing
• Marketing
• Education
• Legal
• program & event planning
• human resources,
• safety & self-defense
• law enforcement
• mental health & Counseling
• health & fitness
• low vision & blindness

or other areas that will help STRIVE4You serve our demographics.

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

We deeply understand the enormous working relationship that is critical to have between the Board of Directors  and our staff, As well as the essential effort it takes to build a strong engaged leadership team. Therefore, we do not take this process lightly and hope you will not either as you Evaluate your potential commitment to the mission of STRIVE4You! Here is an outline of the steps involved with becoming a Board Member of STRIVE4You.

1. First, please visit our website at https://strive4you.org to learn more about STRIVE. Next, review the above board description carefully. And then take a moment to consider all requirements, commitments, and overall mission of STRIVE4You to ensure you are fully devoted to being a engaged, self-motivated member of the team. Even consider coming out and experience a STRIVE4You event for yourself. Being a board member is more than a title!

If you are then still interested we invite you to go to: https://strive4you.org/volapp and fill out an official Board Application. You will be asked to provide references and a resume.

2. We will review your application and contact any references provided. If we think you are a good fit we will reach out to schedule an interview between you and our Board President and/or Executive Director. This gives you an excellent time to learn more about STRIVE4You by asking any questions you might have. While giving us a chance to get to know you as well!

3. If everyone is in agreement we will send your application and supporting documents to the current board for approval.

4. After approval we will  proceed with the onboarding process which will include conducting a background check, signing a conflict of interest survey, a confidentiality agreement, and a Board member agreement. There maybe a few other small steps but that is pretty much it!

Details

• Date Posted: January 24, 2023
• Type: Board Member
• Job Function: Accounting / Financial Management
• Service Area: Board Leadership
• Start Date: 02/01/2023
• Salary Range: NA
• Working Hours: 4-6 hours a onth with opportunity for additional projects.