Current Openings

Volunteer Job Opportunity: Host Committee Chair

CLASSIFICATION: Volunteer

REPORTS TO: Development Director and Board Development Committee Chair

LOCATION:  Twin Cities, Minnesota

Summary

The role of this volunteer position is to ensure that the Annual Gathering operations run smoothly and that all post-event details are handled and closed out. The Host Committee Chair is responsible for maintaining communication between all parties, directing related committees and keeping volunteers on task. This includes monitoring the timetable to make sure critical deadlines are met and activities are initiated and properly executed when scheduled. The Host Committee Chair will work with the Development Director and Board Development Committee Chair on planning and engaging with volunteers through all phases of the event.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Review & adjust timelines for all pre-event, event, and post-event functions
  • Keep the Annual Gathering volunteer committee on task, reminding committee members about deadlines
  • Coordinate with development staff for scheduling and table placement.
  • Promote tickets sales
  • Act as a problem solver during event
  • Ensure setup of event, set up of auctions, and final teardown
  • Assign, monitor and supervise tasks and duties to volunteers including, but not limited to procuring silent auction items, collecting & packaging silent auction items, event decor, placing signage, event setup and tear down.
  • Be in regular communication with Development Director and Board Development Committee Chair
  • Support Annual Gathering auction/ raffle wrap-up as needed and ensure fulfillment for purchases following event.
  • Support post-Annual Gathering wrap-up
  • Take detailed notes for future learning

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Attention to Detail
  • Accuracy
  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Ability to work with last minute revisions at deadline
  • Ability to communicate with all volunteers and Annual Gathering host committee members
  • Positive attitude and good work ethic
  • Ability to establish priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives with minimal supervision

Special Requirements

  • Must be able to commit a minimum of 2 hours per week from March through June.
  • Three hours per week in July and 5-15 hours per week in August and September leading up to event. Roughly 3 hours/week for a few weeks post Annual Gathering to support event wrap-up.

Please contact the Friends of the BWCAW’s Development Director Mike Linnemann at mike@friends-bwca.org if you are interested in joining and if you have any additional questions!

Volunteer Job Opportunity: Host Committee Member

CLASSIFICATION: Volunteer

REPORTS TO: Development Director and Host Committee Chair

LOCATION:  Twin Cities, Minnesota

About the Annual Gathering

The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Annual Gathering is a gala put on to benefit the BWCA and the Northwoods. It includes a pre-event gathering of the Sigurd Olson Circle of members then opens into a cocktail reception for all attendees. The evening also features a three-course meal with wine pairings, a short program highlighting each part of the Friends mission, a presentation of three annual Conservation Awards, and an action-packed live auction.

Committee Objective: Overall execution of the Annual Gathering event. This includes, but is not limited to silent auction, sponsorships, auction, event logistics, and fundraising to hit the event goal of $100,000.

Length of Involvement: February – October

  • One-and-a-half hour meetings each month through October, with a debrief in November
  • Bi-monthly meetings in September and August
  • Attend the Annual Gathering on September 28, 2022, as a volunteer or attendee
  • Other preparation events such as basket building, decorating and event promotions, wrap up meeting, etc.

Areas of Interest: (We would like each member to be interested in helping with at least 2 of the following areas):

SILENT AND LIVE AUCTION

  • Brainstorm ideas for live-auction items and silent auction baskets to engage attendees and generate bidding to support mission
  • Create solicitation letter, forms, and materials for donations with help from Friends development staff
  • Solicit donations from provided letter, forms, and materials for donations with help from Friends development staff
  • Work with Friends development staff for support on the night of the event (set up, auction spotters, help with check out, tear down)
  • Determine (with the guidance of the auctioneer) the order that the items will be auctioned
  • Assist with reaching out to businesses and individuals to solicit donations
  • Assist with donation pick-up
  • Assist with pairing up donations for baskets
  • Send out thank you notes to all auction item donors

SPONSORSHIP

  • Assist Friends’ development staff in creating a comprehensive list of potential sponsorship opportunities and in-kind needs
  • Solicit individuals and businesses to establish sponsorship relationships based on the goals and sponsorship levels
  • Ensure that all donors, underwriters and sponsors receive proper recognition before, during and after the event (including signage, event promotion, programs, etc.)
  • Write thank you letters to all financial and in-kind sponsors

PUBLIC RELATIONS

  • Share and create event-related social media posts to increase engagement
  • Distribute event flyers and other marketing materials around the community
  • Help brainstorm unique promotions to generate excitement about the event
  • Proofread event materials to ensure accuracy

LOGISTICS:

  • Attend the ‘basket creating’ afternoon to help assemble silent auction baskets
  • Serve as a volunteer at the Annual Gathering by arriving early, monitoring the silent auction, answering attendee questions, and various other assigned tasks to ensure smooth event execution
  • Clean up and tear-down of the event
  • Help plan event logistics and provide input in areas such as entertainment, games, signage, sponsorship, fundraising goals and more.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT & COORDINATION

  • Recruits and energizes volunteers.
  • Identifies volunteer needs and figures out how to meet them.
  • Communicates with volunteers.
  • Can help with the organizing and delegating event night tasks.
  • Lobby greeter / Gift box creator / morning set up / station attendants / check out volunteers / floating volunteers

Benefits of Becoming a Committee Member:

  • Support a great environmental cause and support the Boundary Waters
  • Network with other environmentally-minded people and community members on the committee
  • Experience with a large, non-profit event
  • Fun atmosphere

Please contact the Friends of the BWCAW’s Development Director Mike Linnemann at mike@friends-bwca.org if you are interested in joining and if you have any additional questions!

Opening – Board of Directors

Summary

The Board of Directors determines the mission, strategic direction, and programming for Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness (“Friends”). A Director ensures and nurtures adequate human and financial resources and actively monitors and evaluates the Executive Director’s performance and the Friends’ financial results. A Director approves and systematically implements policies to ensure achievement of the mission of the Friends.

Primary Relationship
  • Reports to the Board Chair
  • Works closely with the Executive Director and other staff to ensure the achievement of the mission
  • Works closely with and gets to know other Board and committee members and builds collegial working relationships that contribute to consensus
  • Serves as a spokesperson outside the organization and delivers consistent, compelling messages on mission, programs, and finances, and encourages civic participation
Leadership Responsibilities
  • Knows and commits to the Friends’ mission, vision, and values
  • Provides leadership continuity by ensuring Board succession, including identifying, recruiting, and orienting new members
  • Is knowledgeable about Friends’ policies, programs, and operations, and oversees their implementation and evaluation
  • Is accessible and responsive to other Directors and staff
  • Actively seeks out financial and other resources for the organization
Management Responsibilities
  • Engages in strategic planning
  • Approves written policies and procedures governing the work and actions of the Friends’ employees and volunteers
  • Hires, sets the compensation for, and annually evaluates the performance of the Executive Director
  • Reviews the overall compensation structure for staff and establishes policies on employee benefits, vacation, and sick leave
Fiscal Responsibilities
  • Approve the annual operating budget; at least four times per year assesses the organization’s financial performance
  • Assists in developing fundraising plans and actively participates in fundraising initiatives each year
  • Makes an annual gift to the Friends as circumstances allow. There is no minimum contribution amount, but the Friends should be in a Director’s top three charities for annual giving.
  • Ensure that an internal review of the Friends’ compliance with legal, regulatory, and financial reporting requirements is conducted annually
Board Meetings and Committees Responsibilities
  • Regularly prepares for, attends, and participates in Board meetings
  • Participates actively in at least one Board committee
Committee Chair Description
  • The Committee Chair presides or assigns someone to preside at all meeting of the respective committee. The Committee Chair has general supervision, direction, and active management of the committee’s affairs, working in partnership with staff and volunteers. The Committee Chair reports to the Board Chair.