Role of Cooperative Board of Directors:
- Preserving the co-op’s character
- Safeguarding assets
- Hiring the manager
- Setting cooperative policy
- Distributing year-end financial benefits
- Strategic planning
- Self-evaluating their performance
- Electing board officers
- Appointing board committees
(USDA, Co-op Essentials. 2014.)
Essential Board Member Competencies:
- Collaborative team player– puts good of whole over personal interests, has excellent communication skills
- Dependable– timely and follows through with commitments
- Creative problem-solver– sees many possibilities, thinks outside the box, innovates
- Assertive– will speak their mind confidently and clearly, even if representing minority opinion
Required skills/experience:
- Must be a co-op member/owner.
- Experience with at least one of our programs:
- Student
- Teacher
- Parent of student in youth program
*Currently, we are especially in need of self-defense workshop and parent/family of kids program participation.
- Clear understanding of and commitment to our cooperative’s mission/vision of helping our community grow safer, stronger, together.
Preferred skills/experience:
- Business/non-profit/cooperative management or board membership
- Financial/accounting, Marketing/sales, Legal, HR, DEI or similar
Currently accepting applications through December 9th, 2o24 for 2 vacant seats. Board members serve a 2-year term (2025-26 for incoming board members) and meet monthly on the 2nd Saturday of the month 8-9am via Zoom.
Apply by Dec 9, 2024 for 2025-2026 term:
Please email your responses with a headshot attached to our office team at info@undergroundselfdefense.coop.
Full (preferred) Name
Pronouns (optional)
Involvement at Underground (ex: amount time training, which programs, or teaching, which programs, or as a parent of kids in program, or as a “retired” student or parent)
Skills/experience relevant to board: (ex. Business, legal, HR, marketing, cooperatives, etc.)
Motivation to join board: (why do you want to participate)
