Call for Expressions of Interest to Join our Board of Directors
/October 2021
The Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) seeks to cultivate a committed Board that is representative of the diverse landscape of compost issues across Vermont. To that end, CAV is seeking prospective board members to fill vacancies on its current Board of Directors. CAV is specifically seeking enthusiastic individuals who have a passion for composting, soil health and building resilient communities and who also possess skills such as organization, leadership, strategic thinking, fundraising, creativity, policy and outreach education.
About CAV
CAV is a 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by a part-time Executive Director. The organization promotes composting as a vital link between soil health and sustainable agriculture and communities. CAV was initially founded in 2002 with support from the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and the Agency of Natural Resources with the purpose and vision to establish a thriving composting sector in Vermont. Since 2002, Vermont has gained a number of permitted composting businesses, community and on-farm composting, and additional organic materials management businesses including anaerobic digesters, a depackaging facility, and a significant increase in organics hauling businesses operating throughout the state.
Today, CAV continues to engage with many stakeholder groups to promote the production and use of high quality compost through education, policy, outreach, and partnerships to reduce and manage organic waste and create jobs. Current programs and activities of the organization include:
Soil Builders: Education in Action program (funded by Lake Champlain Basin Program)
Organics from Mixed Use Buildings - A pilot project in Brattleboro (funded by the Windham Foundation)
Coordinates and convenes the annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS)
On-Farm Community-Scale Food Scrap and Agricultural Organic Waste Management in Vermont and New Hampshire (funded by USDA Rural Utilities Services, beginning in October 2021)
Provides leadership and participates in the Farm to Plate Network and Food Cycle Coalition; teaches in the Master Composter Program; provides expert testimony on statewide, compost-related issues
Responsibilities of CAV Board Members
CAV Board members are expected to be highly engaged in the strategic vision, planning, and implementation of CAV programs and activities. Some of the responsibilities include:
Attending and participating in 3 to 4 Board Meetings per year (In-person/Zoom)
Being prepared for meetings by reading and/or commenting on materials sent beforehand
Supporting the work of CAV by representing the organization in a positive manner
Serving on and contributing to ad hoc committees, or serving in an Officer role
Supporting the work of the Director by providing timely feedback, technical advice, and strategy
Playing an active role in fundraising and seeking funds for CAV projects
Additionally, Board members are expected to nominally invest in CAV as follows:
Board members typically spend between 2-10 hours per month on board-related business
Board members (as individuals, or as their organizational affiliation) are expected to be CAV members in good standing
Board members are not compensated for their time or travel for board-related activity. (Many board members carpool to meetings)
Terms of Service
Board members are appointed to serve 3-year terms based on a calendar year and are eligible to serve additional terms. Many of our board members have served for over a decade. New Board members are typically appointed in December.
About Non-Profit Board Service
Serving as a member on a nonprofit board is both a challenging and rewarding experience. Serving on a board is a great way to share your skills and build new skills, while forming relationships with other individuals who share a similar passion and interest around a common cause. CAV board members have the opportunity to increase their personal knowledge of the composting sector in Vermont and regionally, and to contribute to projects that advance the use of compost to support soil health.
The legal duties of nonprofit board members include the:
Duty of Care: to participate actively in making decisions on behalf of an organization and exercise best judgment;
Duty of Loyalty: to put the organization’s needs first, before one’s own personal, professional or business interests; and
Duty of Obedience: to ensure that the organization is true to its mission and complies with federal and state laws.
If you are new to non-profit board service, we recommend reviewing these resources:
The National Center for Nonprofit Board’s “Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards”
The Vermont Office of the Attorney General’s “Understanding Your Responsibilities: Guidance for Board Members of Charitable Nonprofit Organizations in Vermont”
For More Information & to submit your expression of interest for consideration:
Contact CAV Director Natasha Duarte (Natasha@CompostingVermont.org / 802-373-6499) or CAV Board President Bob Spencer (spencebbc@aol.com)
A list of current board members and officers can be found at: compostingvermont.org/board-of-directors
The Composting Association of Vermont is an equal opportunity provider and employer.