NAREB LITERACY PRIMER SERVING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS

FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PILLAR

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS

NAREB was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 1947 as an equal opportunity and civil rights advocacy organization for African American real estate professionals, consumers, and communities in the United States. Our purpose remains the same today, but we are more focused on economic opportunity than civil rights. Although composed principally of African Americans, the REALTIST® organization embraces all qualified real estate practitioners who are committed to achieving our vision, which is “Democracy in Housing.”

DISCLAIMERS

All statements in this white paper are the views of the authors and do not represent the views or opinions of any organizations with which they are associated. Neither the Board of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, nor its executives or staff, are responsible for the content of this report. Any errors are the sole responsibility of the authors.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

February 9 , 2023

It gives me great pleasure to present the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), Faith-Based and Community Engagement Primer – Part II. In 2021, as part of NAREB’s Five Pillar Program, NAREB identified our Faith-Based and Community Engagement organizations as key partners in our communities in our fight to increase Black home ownership. Our association has been blessed to form key relationships with several historic and significant Black organizations. Through the work of our Faith-Based and Community Engagement committee, NAREB has been able to secure MOU partnerships with several organizations including the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Full Gospel Fellowship.

NAREB’s Faith-Based and Community Engagement pillar is focused on the development of key relationships for the organization and sharing effective educational tools with Black consumers through these key partnerships. Our goals are to increase access to financial information and capital for Black consumers, increase home ownership and real estate investment for Black Americans as well as develop affordable housing for and by our community. By accomplishing these goals through the Faith-Based and Community Engagement pillar, we are confident that our efforts will help to increase the overall Black homeownership rate.

Our Faith-Based and Community Engagement Primer – Part II continues the impactful work of this pillar and provides our members with the education and tools they need to go into our communities and connect with key organizations to effectively educate and help to move our community toward home ownership. The primer is designed to teach Realtist to engage with their local clergy and community leaders, host roundtables, community days, and key discussions in their cities, and serve on boards and commissions that will impact democracy in housing for their areas.

As the oldest minority real estate trade association in America and with the motto and mission of “Democracy In Housing” NAREB has been the voice of Black real estate and Black homeownership since 1947. As the leading minority real estate trade association, NAREB ensures that the dream of homeownership remains alive for all who desire it regardless of economic conditions. It is with tremendous gratitude that I thank the authors of the Faith-Based and Community Engagement Primer – Part II and our very own First Vice President of NAREB, Courtney Johnson Rose, our Director of Faith-Based and Community Engagement, Bishop Craig Worsham, and Committee Chairs LaDonna Parker and Debora Canady for their efforts in ensuring the creation of this primer.

Sincerely,

Pope President

National Association of Real Estate Brokers

BOARD AND COMMISSIONS

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP

Shannon Higgins

Mary Thomas

Katrina Kier

Dr. Melissa Chester

Therita Lawler

Sanina Jones

Hayward Little Charisse Penalver

Kathy Mann

NAREB President Elect

NAREB Faith-based & Community Engagement Committee Chair

NAREB Faith-based & Community Engagement Committee Vice Chair

NAREB 3rd Vice President

NAREB Director of Faith-based & Community Engagement

Dr. Courtney Johnson-Rose

LaDonna Parker

Deborah Canady

Courtney Jones

Bishop Craig A. Worsham

ABOUT THE WRITER

Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard

Assistant Director of Community & Public Engagement

University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture

@RevJuju • damalism@usc.edu

As Assistant Director of Community and Public Engagement with the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, the Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard combines her experience as a pastor and expertise as a community leader to help faith leaders become full partners in the work of social change. She leads programming for the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, which is housed at CRCC. Smith-Pollard also is a pastor, motivational speaker, author, life coach, radio personality and community activist.

Dr. Najuma accepted her call to ministry in 1996, while serving under the phenomenal tutelage of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, her father in ministry. SmithPollard was ordained as a Deacon in 1996 and as an Itinerant Elder in 2000. Since that time, she has served as Assistant Pastor and Pastor of Family Ministries at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, California; Pastor of A.K. Quinn AME Church in Moreno Valley, California; and Pastor of St. James AME Church in Los Angeles, California. In 2014, Smith-Pollard launched Word of Encouragement Community Church (WOECC.ORG) in Los Angeles. She is a frequent speaker at churches and church conferences.

Pursuing her passion to serve others beyond the walls of the church, Smith-Pollard founded the company Living on Assignment, LLC, a personal development coaching and consulting firm that helps people live rich and meaningful lives. She is also the executive director for the Southern California School of Ministry.

She founded a sexual violence awareness and training campaign called “It’s Not Okay” (www.itsnotokay. org). Combining her passion for social justice and entrepreneurship, Smith-Pollard established Chocolate Tee’s, an urban apparel company that uses a portion of its profits to support selected non-profit efforts and the “It’s Not Okay” campaign. She also leads the “…And She

Can Preach!” mastermind group, committed to supporting emerging women preachers.

Smith-Pollard holds a B.S. in management from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Southern California School of Ministry, an M.B.A. from Woodbury University and a Doctorate in Ministry from United Theological Seminary. She is an alumna of the “Passing The Mantle” Civic Engagement and Community Development Institute at USC, the precursor to the USC Cecil Murray Center’s Faith Leaders Institute.

Areas of Expertise

Preaching

• Women clergy

• Sexual Violence

• Faith Leadership

• Black Church

• Civic Engagement

5 PILLARS FOR BUILDING BLACK WEALTH

Our goals are to increase access to financial information and capital for Black consumers, increase home ownership and real estate investment for Black Americans.

1 4 3

WOMEN INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE (W.I.R.E.)

NAREB has identified Black women as a high-potential target market group of consumers to reach and penetrate to focus their attention on spending power on investing in real estate, pursuing home ownership, and growing existing practitioners’ careers in real estate.

FAITH-BASED & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

NAREB’s relationship with Faithbased and civic Institutions allows the association to target Black American consumers nationwide to: Educate our audience about homeownership, and Inspire them to purchase real estate. NAREB’s Strategic and MOU Relationships will be nurtured under this pillar.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION / SMALL BUSINESS

The majority of NAREB members are small businesses that qualify for most diversity and inclusion initiatives. We will focus our attention on educating and informing NAREB members about the income generation possibilities available through minority certifications and minority procurement opportunities.

GENERATIONAL WEALTH BUILDING

NAREB understands that wealth building concepts, plans, and execution should be addressed on a multi-generational basis. In that regard, NAREB has developed age and life-style specific initiatives to reach and inform audiences about wealth building and homeownership.

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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS / ADVOCACY

Over the course of NAREB’s rich history, barriers to homeownership have been identified, addressed, and eliminated based upon the association’s commitment to advocacy on behalf of equality and opportunity in our profession and for Black Americans seeking homeownership of their choice.

FAITH-BASED & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

MULTI- GENERATIONAL WEALTH

WOMEN INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE (W.I.R.E.)

GOVERNMENT & POLICY

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AND SMALL BUSINESS

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION

AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS ASSOCIATION

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, INC

NAACP

Urban League

Catholic Charities

UNCF

Catholic Charities

National

Associattion For Equal Opportunity

In Higher Education

African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

Full Gospel Church Fellowship

Greater Church of Deliverance Inc.

Hampton Minsterial Conference

Virginia Union University

Texas Southern University

Prairie View A&M University

African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

Full Gospel Church Fellowship

Greater Church of Deliverance Inc.

NAACP NAACP

Urban League Urban League

Southern Christian Leadership Council Rainbow P.U.S.H.

Rainbow P.U.S.H.

Civic Engagement

Faith Based HBCUS

INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW

The FAITH BASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SEGMENT OF NAREB is expanding our curriculum to include Board and Commissions instruction. The role board and commission members play in the empowerment of a community is crucial; especially on the local level. If we are to be successful in leveraging our role and power in the community, it is important to understand how we can work as part of the total ecosystem of a community.

The goal of today’s session is two-fold:

To help you strengthen your relationships and build networks with nonprofit, public, and private organizations through leadership placement on board and governing commissions.

To equip NAREB representatives with the tools to engage the local city infrastructure in order to and expand the wealth conversation and creation beyond traditional means and to be a part of the process that influences policies and major decisions, particularly in the are of real estate, land use, community development and public works within in the community.

UNDERSTANDING BOARDS & COMMISSIONS 101

So what exactly are local boards and commissions?

Boards and commissions are advisory or regulatory groups that work with cities and counties. Regulatory groups set licensing standards and professional requirements for members. Advisory groups provide guidance to the program or agency with which they are affiliated. Board and commission members are typically unpaid volunteers. Examples of local boards or commissions include but certainly not limited to Planning and Zoning, Libraries, Health, Real Estate and Compensation.

Typically, City Departments and Bureaus are headed by General Managers. However, some Departments are also headed by an advisory or controlling Board or Commission appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation of the Council. Few Boards and Commissions are appointed by Council members. You will need to research the infrastructure of your local City and County Departments to know exactly how Board and Commission members are elected or appointed; the process will vary by city and county.

Boards and commissions are headed by a principal department and created by the constitution, by statute, or by executive order as specified in the constitution of that city or county.

Board and commission members serve in an advisory role to help to direct policy by making suggestions and recommendations to their local elected policymakers and government management. This system of commissions is intended to be representative of, and responsive to, the communities they serve.

Boards and commissions are often key decision-making bodies on important equity issues, that relate to people of color, gender issues, housing issues and underrepresented communities. NAREB encourages its members to be a part of that process from the inside, advocating for their communities and the broader equity agenda at the systems level. We believe this will build more engaged and powerful communities in our regions.

A couple of distinctions to better help us understand the influence of a Board or Commission:

What is the difference between board commission and committee? The most clearly distinguishable feature is that a “committee” operates as a means of internal regulation of legislators by the legislature, while “commission” serves as an external review process. Committees normally

consist of legislators, while legislators do not serve on commissions in most states.

What does ‘commission’ mean in politics? In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a pluralityat-large voting basis. These commissioners constitute the legislative body of the city and, as a group, are responsible for taxation, appropriations, ordinances, and other general functions; their influence in day to day life of citizens is more important than most residents of a city then people actually realize.

Finding Qualified appointees:

A huge challenge and a key reason for this session, is, appointed members on boards and commissions oversee key city and county agencies and advise elected decision makers on core policies and programs that impact quality of life for residents in the local city; and while decisions made by these agencies have a major impact throughout the city and county, there is a lack of representation and influence of these boards and commissions by community members.

Elected officials report that they lack qualified pools of candidates with experience as community leaders who have the time, technical expertise and interest in serving on commissions. In addition, communities throughout most major cities face barriers to engagement with government representatives who make decisions that directly affect

low-income and immigrant communities and communities of color.

This is why the Boards and Commissions workshop is needed to prepare Realtist to step into these local leadership roles to expand their influence and impact by serving on boards and commissions, which yield significant political power across your service areas. Training ensures that Realtist are in position as strong leaders able to make equitable decisions for all communities. We hope our Realtist will leverage their influence and become community leaders and advocates within local government structures and readies them to serve on city boards and commissions.

In most instances the Administrative Code authorizes other Boards and Commissions to receive a stipend per meeting attended though stipends are typically waived. Appointees must be voting residents of their city and cannot be members of the City Council nor sit on more than one Board or Commission at a time.

To locate information on the local boards and commissions, look for the city sites to list Boards and Commissions with information about their members, contact information, meeting agendas, and minutes; to include information on public meetings calendar.

The Ethics Commission’s office establishes policy around lobbying and other aspects of serving on a public board and/or holding a commissions seat.

Difference between board commission and committee?

BOARD COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Members are citizens or public officials.

External oversight.

Most are part of the executive branch.

Members are state legislators.

Internal oversight.

Most are part of the legislative branch.

SECTION 2

STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Whether you are appointed or elected to a board or commission; the key to success is having the right relationships and/or establishing the right relationships.

In this section we will look at ten keys to building strategic relationships. You should not assume because you know a lot of people, you have built relationship capital needed to move into this area of community engagement work. As we have seen in past training, one has to be impactful, influential, and intentional around relationship formation, this is key.

ability and want to undergird your success within a board or commission and they also have the influence to help get you seated.

Strategic relationship building is an important part of the leadership learning and development process. It's about being resourceful. It's about learning from others and knowing how to connect with people. It's about knowing how to ask for things that you need and having a mentor to guide you.

Being a leader when it comes to building strategic relationships goes way beyond simply “making contacts” or “networking.” Those phrases represent a transactional relationship.

Look at your network like a set of circles, and you are in the center. In our connected world, we have almost instant contact with as many people as we want, and we have access to broad networks of people. Practically speaking, not everyone in our networks have the same level of access. The key is to be mindful about who we choose to build lasting connections with, and those who may be more social, informal, or distant connections; this is why we call this method strategic.

Strategic relationships are not with people in your family and friends circle; these are people with whom you have a targeted goal or outcome as the center of your relationship. In the case of board and commissions those strategic relationships have an interest to support and/or see you elected or placed on a board or commission. They see value in what you bring to the work, have trust in your

Strategic relationships are always of mutual benefit. Leaders recognize that it takes a two-way street to create the best value and the best outcomes in your strategic relationships. And while our talent is our greatest asset; talent without relationship and adequate training will not yield the results you want. Developing strategic relationships as a foundation for personal growth and success is crucial. This will undoubtedly transfer to overall success for your business and organizations as well.

Developing strategic relationships is a full course curriculum in and of itself, we are only scratching the surface in the document to offer some guide points in the following section. We encourage you to do some additional reading, personal and leadership development to really build your strategic relationship circle.

SECTION 3 10 KEYS TO STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT

We have summarized ten keys to Strategic Relationship Development. These following keys are not the exhaustive list of how to do strategic relationship development, but are in general the leading steps to begin.

1 RIGHT MINDSET

Do you have “relationship buliding mindset”?

Adopt the mindset that relationship building is part of your work and development. No matter your job title, building relationships is in the description, and it should be part of your development planning. It has been noted by professionals time and time again, that 5-10% of our professional week should be dedicated to strategic building relationships.

2 BIG PICTURE

Know your big picture.

Take some time to create a snap-shot of what successful relationship building looks like for you. What would you like to accomplish in the next year? The next 3-5 years? What does the next phase of your career look like – do you want to change industries, become an entrepreneur, become a leader, join a board, or work internationally?

3

STRATEGY AND TACTICS

Blend the strategic and the tactical.

When you have a basic snap-shot, your strategy and tactics will help you accomplish that, what do you specifically need to. Think of strategy as the general direction in which you’d like to go. Tactics are the specific actions you’ll take to get there.

COMMUNICATION STYLE

Know your communication style.

Any number of assessment tools can help you to determine your best communication style and preferences. And while you can’t possibly know the communication style of every person you meet, when you understand your style, you can better engage and understand those around you. For example, in the DiSC assessment, if one is a high “I” and “S”, that generally means they are naturally inclined to be very social, an influencer and prefers quality in work over quantity. Knowing those things about oneself, as well as the other traits in the assessment. (See DISC offer in back of manual)

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PROFIL UPDATE

Update your profile through professional organizations.

NAREB is a huge beginning, but do not stop here. Crossover into other areas that may not appear popular but they will stretch you professionally and are a wellkept secret of those who have benefited greatly through their networks.

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ELEVATOR PITCH

Short version of your story

Have prepared the short version of your story (some call this your elevator pitch); of how you went from A to B and what your hopes are for achieving C. People don’t just get behind people, they get behind the story of that person. In strategic relationship building you are inviting strategic individuals to get behind your story; as a leader who has moved from A to B and has great aspirations for C. Take time to develop your story board.

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‘ON-GOING’ STRATEGY

Build a relationship in advance.

Build relationships as an ‘On-Going’ strategy, not just when you need them or a one and done method. Because, when you need a relationship, it’s usually too late to develop it. And while this may not be a habit built into our everyday life; commit to putting into place a process that is consistent and sincere, not corny.

VISIT EVENTS

Attend local events and meet new people

Regularly attend local events and aim to meet at least one new person. Have you ever gone to an event and spent time only with people you knew? Or spent the whole time alone not engaging with anyone? For people who are deep introverts this will be the hardest part of strategic relationship building, getting outside of yourself but do not get overwhelmed with taking on the whole room, be selective and clear of your objective.

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AREA OF EXPERTISE

Develop your area of expertise, in addition to Real Estate.

Do you have an area of expertise or a specialty skill you’re known for? For example, how to save for your next home purchase. You may have a bonafide savings system that you are known for; and have become the expert on that practice. How are you communicating that expertise to the masses? Do they know who you are and what you do? This practice is how you become known as an expert: get real good at a thing, develop a proven strategy that can be replicated, then share with others.

TO STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT

10

RELATIONSHIP BULIDING MINDSET

KNOW YOUR BIG PICTURE

BE STRATEGIC AND THE TACTICAL.

YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP IN ADVANCE

UPDATE PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

FOLLOW-UP

Follow-up Follow-up Follow-up.

Your impact and influence is sealed in your ability to follow-up with people you engage, beyond a one time meet and greet. Follow-up quickly, with a clear objective (even if it is “Lets meet for Tea!”) and recall the details of your initial encounter.

A SHORT VERSION OF YOUR STORY

ATTEND EVENTS AND MEET PEOPLE

DEVELOP YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE

FOLLOW-UP FOLLOW-UP FOLLOW-UP

If you’re interested in a role on a board or commission, now is the time to build those relationships relevant to the activities of the board or commission you are pursuing. It may be easier than you realize to find someone who is already involved in a relevant area of interest, that are already board and commission members. Here are a couple of tips that can help develop strategic relationships with existing boards and commission members:

• Meet with a representative of the appointing authority. Express your interest in an appointment and your qualifications for membership. (it is okay to send a cover letter if you are unable to meet the appointing authority directly).

Use your connections, personal and professional. Let them know of your interest in serving on a board or commission. Chances are you know someone with connections, and they can make a soft referral on your behalf or an introduction. Key here is sincerity.

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS AND PLACEMENT

Board and Commissions are not only an avenue for community and civic engagement but also a way to build power for communities throughout your local city. Leaders like yourselves should understand the power you may have access to and why placement is so crucial.

First, you are representative of, and accountable to, communities of varying economic thresholds and communities often marginalized.

Second, you have the potential to influence social justice issues in these communities, and, in turn, lead communities and organizations in influencing decision making in your city through the boards and commissions.

Third, you may hold seats on city, county, and regional commissions that impact the political strategies needed to implement and support equitable local policymaking.

The process and placement should not be entered lightly, because, successfully serving on boards and commissions is about having the right knowledge foundation, the technical skill and the political skill. Prospects should examine one's interest and investment into the process. Two important points to consider are:

First, Why am I serving? Serving on a board or commission is a significant and meaningful way to participate in civic life. As a member, you can share your expertise while directly participating in shaping your local community. Many people choose to serve on boards and commissions as a means of gaining new skills, sharing diverse viewpoints, or to “step out of a comfort zone.” Some might also choose to utilize their seats as a means to attain higher leadership positions, appointed or elected.

Counties and cities are looking for a diversity of experiences and skills on their boards and commissions. Many cities and counties are already looking for qualified individuals to serve. Often, citizens may apply for boards

and commissions that they think themselves qualified for, which has led to a concentration of women on certain bodies and a concentration of men on others. For instance, traditionally, men have not been asked as often to sit on early childhood boards, and those boards tend to be dominated by women. But do not limit yourself by moving into the obvious; take time to see where you might align in a board or commission outside your familiar zone.

Second, Am I The Right Candidate? Local residents are preferred appointees because boards and commissions are a wonderful way to encourage citizens to be involved in their own governance. Most often, a person is appointed to a board or commission because of a particular skill, interest, or expertise. Others may have a general background in a subject, such as health care or the environment, and be selected to serve on a board with responsibilities related to that subject. Specific expertise is not a requirement to apply for all boards and commissions. Do not hesitate to apply, even if your skill set may not be right on target.

Because boards and commissions operate differently from city and county, you will need to check locally to find out how the application process works in your area. In smaller population areas, often the application process may be less formal. You may want to contact the City Administrator, City Clerk, or County Auditor to learn about the appointment process.

Below are additional questions to think through in preparation to engage the board and commissions process and placement. As a leader, you have to be clear about your WHY you want to serve and WHY NOT. A as the role of board and commission is a role of impact and influence:

Are there specific boards or commissions you are most interested in serving on or influencing for social justice outcomes, and why?

Please include if you have previously served on any commissions or if you’re had experience advocating and influencing specific commissions on policies.

What are your experiences, professional or personal, of supporting equity and/or social justice work?

What are your experiences in working with others (coalition work) to affect policy change?

In the section below we have included a robust breakdown of the application process, bringing together common steps and questions, to the best of our ability. It is important to note the process and placement will vary city to city and county to county. It is incumbent upon you to use the below section as a guide but you must research the particular city and county to which you are applying to understand their process and placement procedure.

This is where your strategic relationships can be beneficial, especially if they have insight into the board and commissions process and placement in your local city or county. They can assist you in navigating the steps, as they may differ from below.

What experiences in interacting with local decision makers through some form of civic engagement or volunteerism?

HOW TO BEST USE THIS GUIDE

2 STEP 1 STEP

Copy all of the questions below into that document

3 STEP 5 STEP 4 STEP

Fill in all the questionseven the ones that are more reflective and require some thought.

Begin to craft your expertise profile - this will help you navigate which board or commission to pursue and share with your strategic partners so they can refer you as opportunity arises.

Fine tune your answers, fill in any gaps, and commit to a script (key information about you and your interest in serving on a board or commission, and why?)

SECTION 4

BOARDS AND COMMISSION PROCESS - PRACTICUM

The process to apply for a board or commission placement will vary by city by city and county by county, but we’ve created a general outline of what you can generally expect in most cases, so you can begin to prepare your profile:

Step 1

Research the Board and Commissions process in your city or county.

Knowing all that you can about the boards and commissions process in your area will be critical before making a decision. You want to fully understand the function, purpose, and mission of any board or commission before seeking an appointment.

Contact your city or county office: Look up publications, city/county websites that list current boards and commissions. Review the lists for relevance to your area of interest.

• Research the legal statute that establishes its existence and duties of the particular board or commission of interest.

• Review the board or commission website to review past minutes, newsletters and annual reports.

If applicable, observe a meeting or event held by the board or commission of interest.

If you have established strategic relationships with a current member(s) of the board or commission of interest, interview them to learn what is expected as part of an appointment. If you do not currently have an established strategic relationship, current members are generally listed on the city/county website, you might be able to connect with a member via professional introduction.

Sample Research Questions:

Which boards and/or commissions are related to your area of expertise?

Which boards and/or commissions have current or upcoming vacancies?

Who is the appointing authority for the board and/or commission?

How many members serve on the commission/board?

What are the required or preferred qualifications for members?

What are the term limits for members?

What are the duties of members?

What is the time commitment from members?

When and where are the meetings held?

How long are they?

How is the board or commission structured in terms of committees?

What are the current priorities of the board or commission?

What are the current challenges faced by the board or commission?

Step 2

Matching with the right Board or Commission will be important to your success and your longterm impact.

Once you have identified a board or commission that interests you, you will want to do your due diligence to ensure you are a good match. Examine and evaluate your skills and qualification, align with the mission of the organization along with the criteria it has set for its members.

The appointment process can be competitive, so having clarity about your qualifications, expertise and connection to the mission and duties of the board or commission is key.

It is not a requirement to have prior board/commissions experience to service, what is important is alignment with the board or commission of interest. This is where your qualifications, experience and expertise should be fleshed-out for you to be able to confidently articulate, in your strategic relationship building, application and/or interview process or during any campaigning.

A note on expertise - everyone has an area of expertise; some have gained this by study and education; others by way of lived experience. Do not diminish your expertise.

Below is a self-assessment exercise that will help you outline your qualifications, experience and expertise. You will begin by listing your experiences out. Do not hold back the details and do not assume some part of your journey is not valuable:

Skills and Experience:

Professional Experience:

Volunteer Experience:

Educational Experience:

Volunteer and educational experience:

Skills acquired through any professional development:

1. Self-Assessment Exercise: From the above lists highlight the skills and experience that directly contribute to the board/commission of interest.

2. List Your Honors, Awards, and Other Interests: Highlight honors, awards, and interests that are most relevant to the mission and duties of your selected board or commission.

3. Write out a descriptive qualities statement: This statement will generally begin with I am… Analytical, Calm, Confident etc. You will also compile your qualities,

skills, honors, and experiences that are directly related to the board or commission of interest. You want to be able to clearly articulate orally or in writing, “How will you be an asset to the board or commission?”

Step 3

You want to begin to build support, this is another area where your strategic relationship will be helpful.

Once you know you have the necessary skills, experience, and interest to serve on a board or commission, you want to begin to share with your team, strategic partners and network so they can help identify opportunities for you and act as your ‘word-of-mouth’ campaigners.

Step 4

Resumes, Covers Letters, and Recommendations

Your request for nomination or application should include a cover letter, a current resume, and possibly letters of recommendation. Remember requirements may vary by city or county and organization, so be sure to check with the appointing authority to ensure your application is complete to their requirements.

The Cover Letter

A cover letter should be typed, brief, printed on highquality paper, and organized into three parts:

• In the first paragraph, you will indicate a specific interest or general appointment interest, and your reasoning.

• In the second paragraph, you detail the specific issues you wish to address relative to your board or commissions of interest.

• The third paragraph should indicate a brief description of your relevant qualifications for serving.

The Resume

A resume used to apply for a position on a board or commissions may be different than one used to inquire about a 9-5 job. A resume used for an appointment should highlight political affiliations, knowledge of the community, and political campaign experience. It should highlight experiences that directly relate to the mission and goals of the board or commission, rather than the long version resume used for securing employment with a company of your working history.

A strong resume is neat, well organized, typed, easy to read, and includes the following:

Contact Information:

Objective Statement:

Qualifications:

Experiences:

References:

Letters of Recommendation

Include your name, address, email address, fax number, and day and evening telephone numbers. A very specific statement stating your goals. Name the appointment you want.

Describe your professional, educational, and volunteer experiences related to your objectives. Use action verbs. List strongest and most relevant experiences first.

List information about your paid work, education, volunteerism, and special skills and abilities, most important listed first. List your title, duties, name of organization, and relevant dates. Tailor to maintain relevance to the board or commission of interest.

Include names and contact information for references if well known or influential, otherwise simply state “References furnished upon request.” Although not always required, it is a good idea to include letters of support as part of your application. Consider including letters from experts affiliated with the board or commission, as well as letters from people who may have influence with the appointing authority. Provide a copy of your resume to the person writing the recommendation. Be sure to indicate when the recommendation is needed, where it should be sent, and to whom it should be addressed.

Step 5

This is the Nomination, Confirmation, and/or Appointment activity.

The appointment process is actually two separate steps:

1. Nomination by the appointing authority

You can expect to be notified by the appointing authority if your name will be put forward for nomination. In most cases, you will be asked to fill out and return an Application for Appointment. The application is subject to change.

2. Confirmation through a separate body

A nomination is an honor, but does not constitute an actual appointment. A body separate from the nominating party may confirm nominations in some cases. Once you have been notified of your nomination and submitted your Application for Appointment, if requested, you should begin to contact members of the body who confirm nominations. While email can be used as a last resort, telephone calls are the best way to make personal contact with confirming members. The best way to be prepared for this conversation is to know all you can about the board or commission to which you have been nominated.

You’ll want to know who is in control of each step of the process, be sure to identify this information when researching your preferred board or commission. Send your application packet to the nominating party to begin the appointment process. (or as required based upon your city)

3. Appointment

There can be considerable time between a nomination and confirmation. To learn about the status of your confirmation,

• Check your local newspaper. They often cover local residents who are up for appointments.

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• Contact the city or the county office.

• Wait for confirmation papers in the mail. If appointed, you will likely be notified in writing.

Congratulations!

THE BIG IDEA IS

Make sure you’re pouring new wine into new wine skins!