Wonder Woods logo

The mission of Wonder Woods is to pave the way for children to play and learn in a living ecosystem, every day, in nearly all weather, throughout all four seasons. The forest is endlessly challenging, soothing, changeable, and various. Children who know that they are part of an inspiring larger world become lifelong learners. We encourage resilience, curiosity, confidence, and joy in children.

Sectors:

  • Education
  • Environment / Climate
  • Youth

Board Member duties & responsibilities:

The Wonder Woods board aims to work as collaboratively as possible. Officers are named per legal requirements of a 501c3 and to assign final ownership for tasks, but we work as collaboratively as possible to make decisions and set priorities. Every member and officer relies on the others equally to make decisions and complete tasks. If some of the duties and responsibilities listed below are not within your area of expertise, this does not exclude you from being able to participate as a board member. We seek to fill the board with members who bring various talents, skills, and perspectives to the table.

General Expectations

  • Know the mission, purpose, goals, values, policies, programs, strengths, and needs of Wonder Woods.
  • Seek out opportunities for learning around forest schools, playworking, and child-led play. Stay informed.
  • Undertake special assignments.
  • Along with the full board, help hire, oversee, and assess the performance of the Executive Director. 
  • Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Engage in strategic planning and setting long-term goals for the organization.
  • Act as a responsible and diligent ambassador for Wonder Woods by telling its story and presenting its accomplishments as well as its needs and challenges and also bringing back any concerns, ideas, suggestions, compliments and the like when you believe they have merit.
  • Identify the specific talents and skills you possess that might serve the organization and share them to the best of your ability.
  • Make yourself approachable to the entire Wonder Woods community (families, children, and playworkers) when possible (at events or meetings).
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest in a timely manner.
  • Bring goodwill and a sense of humor to the board’s deliberations. Our mission is play-focused and that extends to board members too!

Meetings

  • Prepare for and conscientiously participate in monthly board meetings and possibly additional committee meetings, including three community meetings per year, as well as other Wonder Woods social events/activities when possible. (100% attendance at community parties is not required, but certainly welcomed and appreciated).
  • Ask timely and substantive questions at board and committee meetings, consistent with your conscience and convictions, while supporting the majority decisions on issues decided by the board. Respect the process of collaboration, while acknowledging that 100% consensus is not always possible. -Maintain confidentiality of board’s executive sessions or when confidential information is given to you
  • Suggest board and committee meeting agenda items occasionally to board leaders and the executive director to ensure that significant, policy-related and strategic matters are discussed.

Fiduciary Responsibilities 

  • Along with the full board membership, help review and approve the organization’s budget.
  • Ensure that Wonder Woods is well managed and financially stable.

Fundraising

  • Support Wonder Woods’ fundraising efforts, special projects, and community outreach initiatives. While there is no mandatory minimum donation expectation for Wonder Woods board members, we ask that all members consider giving what they can of their time, skills and funds (in line with their personal means). Giving funds–whether that be $10 per year or $10,000 per year– better credentials us to ask others in our community to give as well. Recruiting donations from others is also a valuable way to help.
  • Solicit funds and support from your networks when possible, helping to broaden Wonder Wood’s donor base.

Board term & limits:

Currently 1 year term with no term limits. We are looking to determine term limits this year.

Financial commitment:

While there is no mandatory minimum donation expectation for Wonder Woods board members, we ask that all members consider giving what they can of their time, skills and funds (in line with their personal means). Giving funds–whether that be $10 per year or $10,000 per year– better credentials us to ask others in our community to give as well. Recruiting donations from others is also a valuable way to help.

Skills needed:

  • Board Governance
  • Financial
  • Legal