Insight Meditation Community of Western Massachusetts Board Application
IWM Board of Directors Candidate Application

Thank you for your interest in the Insight Western Mass Board of Directors. We are a working board. Prior to starting this application, please review the Board Member Roles and Responsibilities listed at the end of this document to make sure this position is a good fit for you.

An invitation to serve as a board member is based on a number of factors. Please know that we will give every application all due consideration and will reply to all inquiries.

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Your name *
Your email *
Telephone *
Address *
Demographics
We seek to co-create a radically welcoming sangha that is truly open to all people and in all the ways they identify including but not limited to: race, religion, ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or age. We invite you to share any facets of your identity you feel would be helpful for us to know.
How long have you been connected to IWM? Do you have experience with other sanghas? *
Please include any previous volunteer and/or committee work at IWM (and/or in other sanghas if you'd like).
Please share a brief evolution of your meditation and/or spiritual practice(s) including community and retreat experience. (Retreat experience is not required, by the way!) *
For applicants who identify as white, please talk about your journey with awakening to issues of race / racism / whiteness / white supremacy.
Livelihood/Occupation/Life Interest *
Feel free to include interests in addition to your livelihood that have given you skills or expertise that would be of benefit to the board and to the sangha as a whole.
Do you have any previous board experience?
If so, please list the organization and years of service. Please know that prior board experience is not a requirement to join the IWM board.
What skills would you bring to the IWM board? *
Check all that apply. Feel free to elaborate in the text field below.
Required
Other skills?
Please describe other skills you may bring not listed above; you may also elaborate on any of the skills you checked.
What interests you in serving IWM by joining the board at this time?
Please provide any other information you would like to share with us.
Please provide two references who can speak to the qualities you might bring to your board service. *
Please include their full names, phone numbers, emails, relationships, and the years you have known one another.
Thank you! 🙏
Many thanks for your interest, your commitment, and your service!
Deep bows of appreciation.

IWM Board Member Role Description
The description can also be found here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OvGvlBR9_3dVx8PtTnfmu8OyzGfpQ2M3/view

Overview:
Serving on the Board of Directors provides a wonderful opportunity to work with others in support of offering the Buddha’s teachings, to sustain and deepen meditation practice, and to bring wisdom and compassion into daily life.

The Board is the governing body of the organization and is responsible for its finances and strategic planning. The Board is empowered to direct, control and manage the Center’s affairs and is property subject to its by-laws.

It is a working board, so in addition to decisions about governance, Board members carry out vital functions of the center in cooperation with paid staff/consultants, the Teachers Council, and sangha members. The Board strives to make decisions through consensus and may move forward with a simple majority.

Roles and Responsibilities:
Attend monthly board meetings regularly, currently second Thursdays of each month (2 hours), with additional meetings on third Thursdays as necessary.
Serve on a committee, task force, or in another leadership role (e.g. practice leader, facilitator, teacher) or as a Board officer.
Read and respond to email/text/phone correspondence related to Board matters in a timely manner.
Subscribe to community email newsletters and stay abreast of current offerings and sangha issues.
Support the sangha with your presence at open practice, special events, courses, and/or retreats, as well as in the larger Dharma communities, as you are able.
Support the sangha financially -- and participate in fundraising initiatives -- as you are able. There is absolutely no minimum that needs to be met and you are the arbiter of “as you are able.”
Other work as is necessary.
Time commitment varies; usually 2-5 hours per week.

Related Expectations:
Will have an interest in the health and sustainability of IWM including supporting a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where values of equity and justice are held in community.
Will adhere to the Ethics guidelines of the sangha.
Will strive to walk the Eight-fold path. Will have a commitment to practice Wise Speech during and between meetings to other board members and to the sangha.
Will act with the best interests of the sangha at heart, and be willing to listen, learn, and speak with an open heart.
Will have a commitment to practice and to attending Buddhist meditation retreat(s) as they are able.

Types of experience/expertise generally needed:
Equity and inclusion experience
Community Building, Program Development, Facilitation
Fundraising
Organizational development/governance/administration/management
Communications and social media
Facility/property management (and/or securing new space)
Finance, accounting, budgeting, investment expertise
Legal expertise
Computer, Technological, and Website
Human resources
Volunteer management
Activism/social justice work
Restorative justice
Practice Leader experience
Teaching in Theravada tradition

Diversity/Inclusion
We seek to co-create a radically welcoming sangha that is truly open to all people and in all the ways they identify including but not limited to: race, religion, ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or age.

6/13/2021 rev 8/19/21
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