Board of Directors

About Project Place

Project Place promotes a community of hope and opportunity for individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty by providing the skills, education and resources needed to obtain and sustain employment and housing. Located in Boston, MA, Project Place aims to:

• Provide a supportive and inclusive community that seeks to meet individuals wherever they are on life’s journey;
• Deliver high quality programming that is effective, evidence-based and outcome focused;
• Provide personalized case management, instilling hope and guiding individuals with strategies to overcome barriers;
• Offer holistic support to the people we serve, cultivating professional skills and personal growth equally;
• Maintain a workforce development program that is relevant and reflects the current expectations of the labor market; and
• Provide long-term individual support for at least two-years post-programming to promote retention and reinforce achievements

Board Responsibilities

Leadership, Governance, and Oversight

• Collaborate with the Executive Director in developing and implementing the long-term strategic plan.
• Approve Project Place’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; stay informed of, and meet all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Review outcomes and metrics created by Project Place’s Executive Director for evaluating its impact and regularly measure its performance and effectiveness using those metrics.
• Participate in an annual performance evaluation of the Executive Director.
• Assist the Committee on Directors and Governance in recruiting board members.

Fundraising and External Relations

• Meet annually with the Executive Director to develop a plan for your annual giving and cultivation of others; personally treat Project Place as a top philanthropic priority reflected in your annual financial giving.
• In partnership with the Executive Director, identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major individual donors, corporate, and/or foundation gifts.
• Act as an ambassador for the organization making introductions to additional donors, volunteers, and others that can advance the mission and work of Project Place.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of Project Place’s work and unique brand within the community; seek and secure opportunities to raise the profile of Project Place and its Executive Director.

Board Member Expectations

• Make a personally significant annual financial contribution to Project Place.
• Attend board meetings (the Project Place Board of Directors meets four-six times a year.)
• Participate regularly in at least one committee (additional minimum of four meetings a year.)
• Attend at least two fundraising events and one board/staff reception annually (attendance at other agency-wide events is appreciated but not required.)
• Manage a portfolio of prospects; actively engage in the solicitation of donors, new board members, and other volunteers for the benefit of Project Place.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Executive Director as needed.

Terms

Members of Project Place’s Board of Directors are expected to serve a term of at least three years. After three years, board members and board leadership may collectively agree to add an additional three- year term. Currently, the Project place Board of Directors does not have term limits.