Members-at-large, Board of Directors

Job Description

Forge City Works is looking for people with a passion for our mission to join our board of directors! We are actively recruiting for the class of 2023.  

About Forge City Works:

Forge City Works (FCW) uses food to change lives, build community and create economic opportunities for people. We are a Hartford based non-profit that develops food-related employee-based social enterprise businesses to support our programs. Founded in 2007 as Billings Forge Community Works, in 2019 we served more than 5,000 people directly in our programs and reached an additional 50,000 customers.

Our social enterprise, The Kitchen, offers catering and a retail cafe and hosts our culinary and customer service on-the-job training for opportunity youth and adults with barriers to employment, such as formerly incarcerated and housing insecure. Our farmers market provides access to fresh, local produce in the center of the city. We have built on a deep core of culinary expertise to create a vibrant set of programs around culinary careers and engagement with food, cooking, and food-based enterprises.

To learn more visit: www.forgecityworks.org 

Why Join?

Board members make a difference at Forge City Works. Our smaller number of members makes it possible for you to build meaningful relationships and make a positive measurable impact in the Hartford community.  

We are in a unique time within our organization, where leadership opportunities are available and new board members will have the opportunity to be part of the planning of our strategic direction for the next five years.  

Board members work collaboratively with other members, the executive director, and the staff. One of our organizational values is to meet people where they are. Board members are asked to contribute in ways that match their interests, abilities, talents, and connections.

We value a broad range of personal and professional backgrounds. We are especially seeking people with experience working in finance, fundraising, accounting, and the culinary industry.

Active Current Board Members: click here

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive professional experience with significant executive leadership accomplishments in business, government, philanthropy, healthcare, hospitality, or the nonprofit sector.
• Demonstrated success as a nonprofit Board Member or Chair.
• A commitment to and understanding of the Forge City Works constituents and mission, preferably based on experience or personal connection.
• Savvy diplomatic skills and the ability to cultivate relationships, while persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, initiative, and a passion for driving the FCW mission.
• No current conflict of interest that could create perception of bias or require abstention from a significant percentage of discussion. Potential conflicts can be discussed on a case by case basis with interested candidates.
• Commitment to financially support FCW at some level, based on personal means and capacity, as well as be involved with ongoing development and fundraising.

Highly Attractive Attributes for Board Members:

With appreciation that no candidate likely has all of these, there are several attributes beyond the minimum that are highly attractive attributes for a FCW Board Member:

• Conviction for the mission of FCW through personal and/or professional experience.
•  Demonstrated comfort in asking for financial contributions.
• Understanding of the workforce development and food access mission.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
• Demonstrated experience in development of multi-year strategic plans.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at FCW

All Forge City Works business ventures and entities thread diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through everything we do and most importantly, at the heart of who we are. This is embodied and demonstrated through our shared values and culture at every level and area of our organization, including customer and guest services, and workforce training.

We are proud to offer a “people first” culture that supports those who have multidimensional life experiences, perspectives, and skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our collective impact will be.

If you have interest in exploring or pursuing this opportunity, we’d love to connect with you! Please complete this online form, including uploading a letter of interest and a recent resume.

Additional Information or Questions:

Ben Dubow

Executive Director

Forge City Works

ben@forgecityworks.org

860-548-9877 x107