Board Recruitment 2024

EXTENDED DEADLINE: OCTOBER 15, 2024

About Gender Fucked Productions

Gender Fucked Productions envisions a world where trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming artists are able to thrive and make art that pushes beyond any binary we could imagine. Our mission is to advance trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming equity through creating inclusive spaces, uplifting artists, and coalescing radical community. 

Role of the Board

Gender Fucked Productions seeks 5-9 members for its new board of directors. Board members provide foresight, oversight, and insight: think of them as up in the crow's nest scanning the horizon for signs of storms to avoid or rainbows to explore. Board members are the fiduciaries who steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission. It is most important to us that all of our projects (including the board) center trans joy and create opportunities for growth, experience, community, and showcasing trans talent for TGNC people, always prioritizing those of intersecting oppressions. We specifically encourage trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming and/or BIPOC folks to apply.

Board Members will serve a one-year term (through the end of 2025) to be eligible for re-appointment for additional one or two-year terms. Service on the Board of Directors is without remuneration, except for pre-approved administrative support, travel, and accommodation costs in relation to Board Members’ duties. We anticipate most meetings will be virtual, but that will be decided upon by the board itself (once constituted). 

Board Responsibilities

Stewardship

  • Be informed about the organization’s mission, services, policies, and programs. Review changes to the mission, vision, by-laws, and strategic plan. Assist the board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities, such as reviewing the organization’s budget and other financial statements.

  • Support and evaluate the chief executive. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support they need to further the goals of the organization.

  • Attend at least 75% of board and committee meetings and functions, such as special events. The board will schedule its own meetings, at least 2 per year (and up to 6 as needed).

Action

  • Be a member of one of two working committees: Fundraising or Board Development. The Fundraising Committee will organize at least one sizable fundraising event per fiscal year and otherwise cultivate relationships with donors. The Board Development Committee will create a curriculum of learning sessions for new and experienced board members alike, at least one per fiscal year (preferably 2-4). These committees may also include non-board members at the committees’ discretion. As the board develops, additional committees may be formed by the Board Co-Chairs as needed (ex. Communications/Outreach, Programming, Finance, Strategic Planning, etc.).

  • Bring in $500 annually via solicitation or a personal financial contribution. In-kind donations are greatly appreciated but do not count towards this minimum unless expressly approved by the board.

  • Advocate for the organization. Leverage connections, networks, and resources to benefit the organization’s fundraising and reputation, and/or to influence public policy.

Culture

  • Respect the experiences of all who bring their voices and lived experiences into the boardroom and the organization.

  • Engage in learning opportunities to better understand the community we serve. Suggest possible nominees to the board who can make significant contributions to the work of the board and the organization.

  • Sign an annual conflict-of-interest disclosure and update it during the year if necessary, as well as disclose potential conflicts before meetings and actual conflicts during meetings.

Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

  • Professional experience in arts, business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector. A commitment to and understanding of the organization’s beneficiaries, preferably based on experience.

  • Savvy diplomatic skills and an affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals.

  • Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the lives of the organization’s beneficiaries.

History
Upon its incorporation in 2022, Gender Fucked Productions had an open collective board. This atypical structure was to match and benefit the collective and open nature of our organization, to be held accountable by our community members who could influence the work we do and the decisions we make as a collective. The idea was any trans, genderqueer, nonbinary, or non-conforming (TGNC) person living in the greater Chicago area could join at any time for any amount of time. This drop-in/drop-out structure was meant to allow for a low-threshold of entry, provide ongoing transparency, and also mitigate the burn-out in our communities. Above all, GFP did not want to have a predominantly cisgender board of directors overseeing an organization whose administrators, artistic associates, producers, and audience members are trans, genderqueer, nonbinary, or non-conforming (TGNC). The open collective board structure was meant to find, facilitate, and nurture trans leadership. However, this has made board development and education very difficult. We now seek to install a new more formalized board of directors still with the purpose of nurturing trans leadership.

Complete the application.
Extended Deadline: October 15, 2024