The Friends of the Community Growing Center (FCGC) – a 501(c)3 that manages the Somerville Community Growing Center – seeks individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join its Board of Directors. The Center is a city-owned, volunteer-run green space that for the past 25 years has been on the cutting edge of innovation in urban agriculture and community activism. We are in the process of renovating the Center through a Conservation Preservation Act grant, and are looking for individuals interested in helping to guide us into our next 25 years. Candidates should be excited to delve into any of the different facets of this unique urban space regardless of their primary area of expertise.

About Us: The Somerville Community Growing Center (SCGC) is much more than a green space, it is where community grows. Situated on a 1⁄4 acre of gently sloped hillside near bustling Union Square, the high school, and the library, it hosts rich programming including environmental education and cultural performances and offers unique volunteer opportunities. Initiated in 1994, the Center is a model for urban land use and collaboration between city government and local nonprofit and community agencies. This urban oasis was designed and built by local residents and is maintained by volunteers. Visit our website at www.thegrowingcenter.org to learn more about what we do.

Qualifications & Expectations New Board members will:

• Support the mission, values, and vision of the Somerville Community Growing Center:
• Candidates must show a willingness and commitment to get to know the organization, its volunteer base and the community which it serves.
• Act as ambassadors for the Center and represent the organization in a knowledgeable and professional manner.

Actively participate in monthly meetings and other special meetings:

• Attend monthly meetings and remain up to date on current Center issues.
• Stay in contact regularly with other board members, ideally through established online communication platforms
• Take on active leadership roles:
• Be an active member on one of the FCGC’s three operating committees: the Site Committee, the Fundraising Committee and the Programming/Outreach Committee.
• Attend and support the Center’s special events throughout the year.

Participate in fundraising to ensure the FCGC has adequate resources to operate and maintain the Center:

• Develop, review and implement annual budget on a regular basis.
• Familiarity with Quickbooks is a plus for the Treasurer.
• Engage in fundraising activities and planning, including but not limited to reaching out to personal networks, making targeted asks, writing grant applications and identifying additional funding opportunities.
• Help ensure legal and ethical integrity of the FCGC as a registered 501(3)c via the annual performance review process, conflict of interest policy and fiduciary responsibilities.

Especially important to us are team members with one or more of the following areas of expertise and interest:

• Finance knowledge for record keeping such as Quickbook accounting software.
• Interest in urban ecology, and similar community endeavors.
• Prior non-profit board expertise

Site maintenance and oversight.

• Commit to a 1-year renewable term beginning in November 2018.

Application Process

The call for new Board Members will be shared, and active recruitment will occur throughout September and October 2018. Applications are due by October 31, 2018 after which candidates will be evaluated and interviewed. New Board Members will be formally approved at our board meeting in November 2018.

For more information or to make a nomination, please contact Liza Kitchell at lpkitchell@gmail.com.

The application is available through our website: www.thegrowingcenter.org.