About
Board of Directors
The Board of BCYF is comprised of individuals with a storied and well-documented history of community impact in Baltimore. Interested in joining a future meeting? Visit our Events page.
Zion Chambers
Board Member
Age 23 • Cherry Hill / Edmondson Village / Highlandtown
“A hungry child can’t dream; an anxious child can’t lead.” Zion—licensed therapist, MissionFit strength coach, and founder of the “Voices of Baltimore” podcast—uses that principle to guide his work. He maintains a 25-client caseload with an 84 percent 12-week retention rate and has produced 30 podcast episodes that elevate youth perspectives on resilience. Zion asked BCYF to layer trauma-informed care indicators into application rubrics and to share anonymized well-being data back to neighborhoods. Reviewers described him as a systems thinker who “listens first, leads second.” As a director, he will partner with staff and community reviewers to monitor wellness outcomes tied to funded programs and flag disconnects between reported needs and investments. He brings clinical expertise, data discipline, and a commitment to keep mental health central to BCYF’s accountability framework.
Jordan Drayton
Board Member
Age 18 • East Baltimore
Jordan is a visual-arts senior who believes academic success and creative expression should grow side by side. She founded her school’s National Art Honor Society, mentors ninth-graders, and hosts weekend “Paint & Poetry” sessions that mix tutoring with healing conversations. An Etsy print shop she launched raised $4,300 for sketchbooks at local middle schools. In her application Jordan asked BCYF to create a “Creative Foundations” grant stream that couples core-subject tutoring with arts immersion. She also suggested youth-hosted Instagram Live sessions ahead of each grant cycle so emerging needs reach community reviewers in real time. If appointed, Jordan will translate grant criteria into youth-friendly infographics, track how social-media feedback shows up in public reports, and highlight success stories that reflect Baltimore’s full spectrum of neighborhoods.
Isaiah Gregory
Board Member
Age 19 • Southwest Baltimore
Isaiah calls policy “a story we can film,” and he backs that up with action. As SGA president at Baltimore Design School he gathered 1,500 student signatures and helped secure Kirwan Blueprint funding. He launched Southwest Scholars, pairing first-generation applicants with alumni mentors, and produces short documentaries that spotlight redlined blocks and vacant housing. Reviewers noted his habit of arriving with data in hand—he referenced BCYF’s audited statements and asked detailed questions about program versus admin costs. Isaiah proposes publishing easy-to-read dashboards that map where every BCYF dollar lands, surveying applicants about process pain points, and working with neighborhood “captains” to surface funding gaps for the community review panels. His focus is simple: give young advocates the information they need to hold institutions, including BCYF, accountable.
Tiera Hawkes
Board Member
Tiera Hawkes, Esq. is a native of Baltimore and is a juvenile defense attorney with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. In this role, Tiera represents and advocates for children under the age of 18 in juvenile court and kids charged as adults in criminal court. Tiera has a genuine and instinctive passion to advocate for the most marginalized in our society – those who are often unheard, disregarded, and disrespected by a system that every day fails to see their basic humanity. Tiera serves on the Baltimore City’s newly formed Administrative Charging Committee which reviews complaints of police misconduct and issues discipline. Additionally, Tiera is a member on her church’s leadership board and handles all its finances as well as providing legal guidance to the church and its members. Tiera’s interests include juvenile delinquency and its disproportionate effect on children of color, police accountability and criminal justice reform efforts including bail reform, probation reform and expungements. Tiera is committed to serving Baltimore City youth and engaging with organizations and services who are heavily invested in the overall enrichment of Baltimore City. Tiera’s passion for the work she does comes from values instilled from her social worker mother, her Christian upbringing, and her pure love for Baltimore City and its people. Tiera is a dog mom, who loves traveling with her homegirls, watching crime shows and a good cup of coffee with flavored creamer.
Britt Hayes
Board Member
Britt Hayes is a dedicated communication professional with a passion for making a positive impact through non-profit work and meaningful missions. Focused on leveraging effective communication strategies to amplify the voices of non-profit organizations dedicated to social and environmental causes, she firmly believes in the power of storytelling to inspire action, raise awareness, and drive change.
As a communication professional, Britt has worked for a local mission centric organizations, including the Y of Central Maryland, Somebody Cares Baltimore, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, and Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by non-profit organizations, Britt has developed experience in creating compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. She excels in developing integrated communication plans that encompass various channels, including traditional media, digital platforms, and social media.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Britt remains actively engaged in her community, volunteering her time and expertise to support and advocate for meaningful missions with passion and enthusiasm, including the Down Syndrome Association of Maryland, the Bilingual Christian Church of Baltimore, and her neighborhood association of Ten Hills.
Britt recently celebrated her 18th wedding anniversary and is a mother of four. She and her family are proud to call Baltimore City home.
Chan'nel Howard
Board Member
Chan’nel Williams Howard was born in Baltimore City and is a proud product of the Baltimore City Public Schools. She attended Charles Carroll of Carollton and Harford Heights Elementary Schools, Southeast Middle School and proudly graduated from Western High School as a part of the class of 1995. Chan’nel received her bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University, her Master’s degree from University of Phoenix, and is in pursuit of her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from Walden University.
She is a woman of strong faith and unwaveringly believes and looks for Divine timing, opportunity and placement
Chan’nel heralds her greatest accomplishment as being a mom. She has three beautiful children Jonathan, Benjamin, and Aubree and a host of “band children” from her over 12 years as a band director at Northeast Middle School.
Chan’nel has proudly served Baltimore City Public Schools for 22 years where the bulk of her work was as a middle school band director. During the height of her teaching career Chan’nel’s middle school band had 65 members not including band front. In the latter years of her classroom teaching experience Chan’nel was a general music teacher at Furman L. Templeton Preparatory Academy.
Chan’nel started her service as Coordinator of Fine Arts in June, 2017. Through the development and nurturing of partnerships within the fine arts community Baltimore City Public Schools Fine Arts landscape is flourishing.
Accomplishments to include the finalization and launch of the Baltimore City Public Schools Fine Arts Strategic Plan, the creation and addition of 120 new vacancies within arts disciplines across the district, more focused and intentional curriculum revisions that support culturally relevant teaching strategies implementation, the relevancy of student choice, voice, and agency reflected in artistic processes, and professional development that supports teacher voice and choice presented in true conference style.
Chan’nel has strategically worked to establish more instrumental music opportunities for elementary and middle school students to support and sustain high school band and orchestra programs. She has revitalized a partnership between The Save The Music Foundation and City Schools to help reinstitute general music packages to elementary schools to develop requisite skills in instrument performance that supports middle school specialization and high school depth of study opportunities in that discipline.
Her work to build partnerships that support community efforts as well as fine arts opportunities for City Schools students and to develop curriculum that celebrates the students and families that are serviced by City Schools are the most important aspects of her work as coordinator of fine arts for City Schools.
Kathleen “Kat” Jones
Board Member
Age 23 • Greater Mondawmin
Kat grew up in a Deaf household and sees accessibility as the baseline for equity. She coordinates youth engagement at For My Kidz, created the “STEAM & Sign” camp that blends coding with ASL for 60 Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing youth, and runs a Deaf-pride apparel line whose profits fund college-starter grants. Kat’s interview featured an app prototype that matches Deaf youth with mentors and a call for BCYF to adopt an accessibility scorecard for all grantee events and materials. On the Board she plans to audit public-facing documents for accessibility gaps, co-host sign-language-interpreted info sessions with community reviewers, and publish progress metrics so Deaf and disabled young people can track real change. Her approach is practical, tech-savvy, and rooted in lived experience.
Mark Parker
Board Member
Mark Parker is a Baltimore City native and son of Otterbein homesteaders. His wife, Christine, serves as pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Northeast Baltimore, and he has served as pastor of Breath of God Lutheran Church in Highlandtown since 2009. Their children are 6th and 10th grade students in Baltimore City public schools. Mark is a proud graduate of the University of Baltimore, the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, the University of Maryland, and St. Paul’s School. Mark began service on the City Council, representing the 1st District, in December 2024. He serves on the Education, Youth, & Older Adults Committee; the Land Use & Transportation Committee; and the Public Health & Environment Committee. He has a particular background and interest in community development, early childhood education, K-12 education, youth development, refugee resettlement, and immigrant communities.
Marcus Pollock
Secretary
Marcus Pollack is an experienced advocate for youth development in Baltimore City. He has professional experience in designing processes to achieve youth development. through the creation of a youth standard for program interoperability, integration, and accountability.
He has served as the co-investigator of a groundbreaking study of youth resilience to drugs, violence, and criminality. His work was concentrated in the South Baltimore Youth Center and the Washington D.C. Boys and Girls Club.
Marcus has also previously served as the Chief of Operations for the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, providing executive oversight of Career and Youth Development Centers.
Nellie Power
Interim Treasurer
Nellie Power is a lifelong Baltimore City resident who cares deeply about the local political and social landscape. A clinical social worker whose career started as a child and family therapist, she has held roles of increasing responsibility in the non-profit arenas of mental health, child welfare and disabilities and most recently in grantmaking to early education and family service providers around the state of Maryland. She is interested in serving on the Board of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund in order to contribute to the funds’ goals around racial equity, intergenerational leadership, community ownership and collective decision making. While her employment experiences have included the oversight of programs ostensibly developed to support families and children ‘in need’, she has both been witness to and the professional beneficiary of an inequitable and inevitable distribution of funding and resources to ‘experienced’, often white-led groups, perpetuating and amplifying the very inequities those programs were established to address. She is eager to support BCYF’s efforts which deliberately disrupt structural injustice as well as to bring the wisdom of the BCYF collective to bear in her professional and personal life.
Larry Carlton Simmons Jr.
Chair
Larry Carlton Simmons Jr. is a West Baltimore native and Edmonson Village resident. He has over twenty years of experience in directing youth and community development programs, community organizing, coordinating city-wide services and program initiatives.
Larry managed the multi-million dollar budget of the Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma (ReCAST) grant through Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration(SAMHSA), As a result of his work by building partnerships and a community granting program – ReCast has granted over 2 million dollars to grassroots organizations.
His is the current Board Chair of the Parent and Community Advisory Board (PCAB) of Baltimore City Schools and member of several other boards and organizations.
Robert Turner
Board Member
Rev. Dr. Robert Richard Allen Turner is a millennial who is passionate about his calling to serve this “present age” by speaking truth to power & by following the Word as printed in Isaiah 61 to “preach good tidings to the poor…heal the brokenhearted…proclaim liberty to the captives & the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”
Graduating Cum Laude from the Honors Program at the University of Alabama obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish, Dr. Turner was the first Black Chief of Staff for the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama & was honored as the University’s Most Outstanding Male. He continued his education at Interdenominational Theological Center’s Turner Seminary in Atlanta, GA, acquiring a master’s degree in Divinity, graduating with honors. Shortly after, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. As a bonus, He is a proud lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Turner started his advocacy work early in his career fighting for reparations, leading important movements & missions which led to a struggle over his calling. Dr. Turner turned from pursuing a career in law to full time ministry beginning his journey traveling locally & abroad in support of missions’ work. Through this work he grew closer to God, grasped a greater appreciation for living by FAITH alone & learned key insights on spiritual discipline which he still applies to his ministry today.
Dr. Turner is on fire for Jesus & has led several A.M.E. churches in Alabama, Oklahoma & now Baltimore Maryland. Through his leadership & guidance, each church was able to make essential ministry & building enhancements; increase membership & financial literacy, as well as implement 21st century technological improvements.
Dr. Turner served as Pastor of the historic Vernon A.M.E. Church, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has the only edifice that survived the 1921 Race Massacre on Greenwood. As the Pastor of Vernon, Dr. Turner helped to lead the fight for justice for the victims of the 1921 Race Massacre. His leadership roles spanned across different sectors during his time of ministry as the Academic Dean for Jackson Theological Seminary, National African American Reparations Commission, Board of Trustees for the American Village & Advisory Board of the Blackburn Institute, University of Alabama.
Presently, Dr. Turner is the Pastor of Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, MD where he began serving on September 26, 2021 continuing his passion & work in support of kingdom building, the empowerment of his parishioners & outreach to the community where every month he marches 40 miles from Baltimore to the White House for reparations.
Dr. Turner also serves as a guest lecturer, life coach, trainer, presenter, facilitator & motivational speaker focusing on racism, community development, grassroots organizing, non-profit grant program management, faith-based community involvement & civic engagement.
Pastor Turner has proven to be well rounded in & outside of ministry receiving numerous awards & recognitions including, but not limited to the Tulsan of the Year (Tulsa World), Hometown Hero (Modern Woodmen); Nat Turner Award (African Ancestral Society); Community Service Award (Oklahoma Conference of Churches) Circle of Friends (Links); Fellow of the Year (Blackburn Institute); and the Trail Blazer Award (Tulsa Public Schools). Dr. Turner has also been featured by numerous news media including CBS’s 60 Minutes & Evening News, ABC, BBC, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, LA Times, New York Times, and the Washington Post along with Politico where he continues to ensure his message on social justice is heard.
Dr. Turner is a faithful husband & father. He considers his greatest accomplishments in life to be his union with his lovely wife, Sheree’, of over 16 years & the birth of his sons, Robert Richard Allen Turner II (Deuce) & Malcolm Robert Martin Turner (Bobby).
MINJU ZUKOWSKI
Board Member
Minju is a nonprofit and community investment leader with more than a decade of experience advancing youth development, health equity, and community development initiatives.
Board of Director Position Descriptions
Overview
The Board of Directors is the legal authority for the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund (BCYF). As a member of the Board, a Director acts in a position of trust for the community and is responsible for the effective governance of the organization.
Board Members must demonstrate ethical and professional conduct to maintain the membership and public confidence. This commitment includes proper use of authority and appropriate actions in group and individual behavior when acting as Board Members.
Board Terms & Participation
Each adult director shall hold office for a term of three (3) years. Each youth director shall hold office for a term of two (2) years. Each director shall serve only one term of office.
To become a director, a person shall complete a Board application during the open call for applications. Prospective directors shall be determined by a majority vote of the Board at a regular Board meeting. The determined prospective slate of Board members, shall be referred to City Council and participate in a public hearing with an appointed City Council Committee. The hearing will provide the general public and the Council with an opportunity to learn about and ask questions of prospective Board members. The committee shall votes on the Committee’s recommendation for the candidates. Once the slate is finalized, the new members will be announced and begin BCYF orientation.
The Board meetings will be held quarterly. Additionally, each committee meets quarterly. The meeting schedule is shared in July for the approaching year.
Ten Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities
- Maintain the Corporation’s mission and commitment to ensure that all programs, policy priorities, governance, and operations are developed and conducted using a racial equity lens, as adopted by the Board.
- Select the chief executive. Boards must reach a consensus on the President’s responsibilities and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position.
- Support and evaluate the chief executive. The board should ensure that the President has the moral and professional support they need to further the goals of the organization.
- Ensure effective planning. Boards must actively participate in an overall planning process and assist in implementing and monitoring the plan’s goals.
- The board’s responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization’s mission and monitor their effectiveness.
- Ensure adequate financial resources. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to assist with stewarding adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
- Protect assets and provide financial oversight. The board approves the annual budget and ensures that proper financial controls are in place.
- Build a competent board. All boards have a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and periodically and comprehensively evaluate their own performance.
- Ensure legal and ethical integrity. The board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.
- Enhance the organization’s public standing. The board should clearly articulate the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
From Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards by Richard T. Ingram (BoardSource, Second Edition 2008)
Qualifications for Service
- Be a current resident of the City of Baltimore or a current resident of Baltimore County with substantial and current educational, professional, religious, or other ties to the City of Baltimore.
- Have a demonstrated commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
- Have knowledge and skills in one or more areas of Board governance: racial equity, youth development, community engagement, policy, finance, programs, personnel, and advocacy.
- Serve on at least one committee.
- Regularly attend quarterly Board meetings, assigned committee meetings, and trainings.
- Commit to professional development to support Board growth and development.
- Participate in annual self-evaluation of personal board service.
- Support BCYF special events.
- Understand financial statements or commit to learning about nonprofit financial oversight.
- Ability to easily use email and other technology, such as cloud services.
Note: Service on BCYF’s board of directors is without remuneration, except for administrative support, travel, and accommodation costs in relation to board members’ duties.
Legal Responsibilities Of Nonprofit Boards
Under well-established principles of nonprofit corporation law, a board member must meet certain standards of conduct and attention in carrying out his or her responsibilities to the organization. These standards are usually described as the duty of care, the duty of loyalty and the duty of obedience.
Duty of Care
The duty of care describes the level of competence that is expected of a board member, and is commonly expressed as the duty of “care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise in a like position and under similar circumstances.” This means that a board member owes the duty to exercise reasonable care when he or she makes a decision as a steward of the organization.
Duty of Loyalty
The duty of loyalty is a standard of faithfulness; a board member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization. This means that a board member must avoid conflicts of interest and can never use information obtained as a member for personal gain, but must act in the best interests of the organization.
Duty of Obedience
The duty of obedience requires board members to be faithful to the organization’s mission. They are not permitted to act in a way that is inconsistent with the central goals of the organization.
Responsibilities of the Individual Members of the Board
✔ Understand and support the mission of the organization
✔ Understand and follow the organization’s policies, including conflict of interest and confidentiality policies
✔ Be informed about the organization’s services, policies, and programs
✔ Follow trends and important developments related to this organization
✔ Assist with fund-raising and give a significant annual gift to the organization.
✔ Assist the board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities, such as reviewing and understanding the organization’s financial statements
✔ Review agenda and supporting materials prior to board and committee meetings
✔ Serve on committees and offer to take on special assignments
✔ Attend all board and committee meetings and functions, such as special events
✔ Have a respectful and supportive working relationship with the chief executive
✔ Follow policies and procedures regarding Board member communication and interaction with staff. Respect channels of communication. Refrain from making special requests of the staff.
✔ Act as a good-will ambassador to the organization
✔ Suggest possible nominees to the board who can make significant contributions to the work of the board and the organization
✔ Contribute to making board service a satisfying and rewarding experience for self and for peers.
- Ability to listen, analyze, think clearly and creatively, work well with individual people and groups.
- Willingness to: prepare for and attend board and committee meetings, ask questions, take responsibility and follow through on a given assignment, contribute personal and financial resources in a generous way according to circumstances, open doors in the community, evaluate oneself.
- Willingness to develop certain skills if you do not already possess them, such as to cultivate and solicit funds; cultivate and recruit board members and other volunteers; read and understand financial statements; and learn more about the substantive program area of the organization.
- Possess: honesty, sensitivity to and tolerance of differing views; a friendly, responsive, and patient approach, community-building skills; personal integrity; a developed sense of values; a sense of humor.
No individual board member or officer has the authority to act on behalf of the Board of Directors in any matter concerning the organization or in any manner in regard to any staff member unless given the authority by the entire board.
The Board Chair is responsible for leading the board and facilitating meetings.
Overview
In addition to the member-at-large responsibilities and in accordance with the organizational bylaws, the Board Chair shall lead the Board of Directors, serve as a trusted advisor to the President, and ensure that all meetings are facilitated by a member of the Board of Directors.
Board Terms & Participation
The Board Chair will serve a two-year term. A director of the Corporation shall serve for one year as a member of the Board of Directors before being eligible to serve as an officer.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Provides leadership and direction to the Board of Directors by ensuring the Board adheres to its bylaws and policies, helping guide and mediate Board actions with respect to organizational priorities and governance concerns, and encouraging transparent communication between all Board members.
- Serves as a trusted advisor to the President.
- Ensure facilitation of board meetings after developing the agenda with the President.
- Actively recruits new board members and helps to retain current board members.
- Ensures that timelines are met and that parties are accountable to their responsibilities within the strategic plan.
- Annually encourages evaluation of the board and the performance of the organization and its mission.
- Communicates as needed with committee chairs to ensure that action items are met and that activities are in-line with the mission and vision.
- Discusses issues affecting the organization with the Board and any other relevant parties.
- Represents BCYF as an ambassador for the mission at events and other activities.
- Plays a leading role in revenue generation activities, including cultivation and stewardship.
- Acts as one of the signing officers for checks and other documents, such as contracts and grant applications.
- Acts as an official signer on BCYF paperwork and works with the President, Vice President of Finance & Administration, and Board Treasurer fiscal approvals.
- Chairs the Executive Committee. This may include coordinating the committee’s work, preparing the Board’s agenda, and acting on behalf of the Board in emergencies outlined in the mandate.
- Makes sure that Board Members remain in their governance role. Paid staff and service volunteers implement and manage personnel, programs, and services.
Qualifications for Service
- Extensive experience with significant leadership accomplishments in business, government, philanthropy, and/or the nonprofit sector
- Demonstrated success as a nonprofit or community board member or board chair
- Track record of building credibility in the funding community
- Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
- Excellent written and oral communication skills coupled with a natural affinity for public speaking
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for the youth of Baltimore City
Note: Service on BCYF’s board of directors is without remuneration, except for administrative support, travel, and accommodation costs in relation to board members’ duties.
The Board Vice Chair acts as the board chair’s understudy and second-in-command.
Overview
In addition to the member-at-large responsibilities and in accordance with the organizational bylaws, the Vice Chair shall serve in the Chair’s place in the event the Chair is unable to serve or perform duties delegated to the Chair.
Board Terms & Participation
The Board Vice Chair will serve a two-year term. A director of the Corporation shall serve for one year as a member of the Board of Directors before being eligible to serve as an officer.
Roles and Responsibilities
- In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chair coordinates facilitation of board meetings, ensures agendas and minutes are distributed, and implements the strategic plan.
- Reports to the Board Chair.
- Serves on the Executive Committee to provides leadership and direction to the Board of Directors.
- Makes sure that Board Members remain in their governance role. Paid staff and service volunteers implement and manage program and services.
Qualifications for Service
- Extensive experience with significant leadership accomplishments in business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector
- Track record of building credibility in the community
- Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for the youth of Baltimore City
Note: Service on BCYF’s board of directors is without remuneration, except for administrative support, travel, and accommodation costs in relation to board members’ duties.
The Board Secretary is responsible for monitoring official communications with board members and ensuring documentation compliance.
Overview
In addition to the member-at-large responsibilities and in accordance with the organizational bylaws, the Secretary is primarily responsible for coordinating the recording of board meeting minutes and maintaining organizational documents and records.
Board Terms & Participation
The Board Secretary will serve a two-year term. A director of the Corporation shall serve for one year as a member of the Board of Directors before being eligible to serve as an officer.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Monitor the maintenance of board records and ensure effective management of the organization’s records.
- Monitor board meeting minutes: BCYF, like many policy governing boards, have paid staff who record meeting minutes. Therefore, the Board Secretary has a monitoring Function for meeting minutes and document retention.
- Ensure minutes are distributed to members shortly after each meeting. The Secretary signs the Board meeting minutes to attest to their accuracy before it is forwarded to the Board for review. Minutes should reflect the activities of meetings in an objective manner, without unnecessary commentary. They should include the following information:
- Who is present and absent
- Agenda
- Items discussed
- Key issues raised
- Votes and action items and
- Any other relevant information
- Maintaining sufficient familiarity with legal documents (articles, by-laws, IRS letters, MOU, Ordinance, etc.) to reference when necessary in board meetings.
- Maintaining a chart of starting and ending dates, committee membership, attendance and contact information for each Board member.
- Makes sure members are notified of General Meetings.
- Working with the President to ensure all decisions and documents are consolidated in the Board Handbook.
- Makes sure that there is a quorum at Board meetings.
- Files the annual return, amendments to the bylaws and other incorporating documents with the Corporate Registry.
Note: In the absence of the Secretary at any meeting, a secretary pro tempore shall be appointed by the presiding Officer.
Qualifications for Service
- Extensive experience with significant leadership accomplishments in business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector
- Track record of building credibility in the community
- Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
- Excellent written and oral communication skills coupled with a natural affinity for public speaking
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for the youth of Baltimore City
The Board Treasurer oversees all matters related to the organization’s finances,
property, and budget.
Overview
In addition to the member-at-large responsibilities and in accordance with the organizational bylaws, the Treasurer is primarily responsible for overseeing BCYF’s finances.
Board Terms & Participation
The Board Treasurer will serve a two-year term. A director of the Corporation shall serve for one year as a member of the Board of Directors before being eligible to serve as an officer.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Serves as the chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee.
- Oversees financial operations, internal controls, long-term fiscal health, and compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
- Lead the development of all budgeting, financial planning, and reporting.
- Lead the development of policies and manuals that ensure BCYF’s assets are protected and that policies are being followed
- Works with the BCYF staff and finance committee members to present accurate financial reports to the Board on a quarterly basis.
- Works with the BCYF staff and board to create the budget draft and seeks approval from the board on the annual budget.
- Acts as an official signer on BCYF financial paperwork and works with the President, Vice President of Finance & Administration, and Board Chair on large monetary distributions when necessary.
- Participates in revenue generation activities, including cultivation and stewardship.
- In cooperation with the board officers, accepts responsibility for filing annual tax forms as required by the state or the IRS.
- Provides a full financial report to the public annually.
- BCYF, like many policy governing boards, has a paid staff to manage day-to-day finances. Therefore the duties of the Treasurer do not interfere with the financial accountability of the President and Vice President of Finance & Administration.
Qualifications for Service
- Extensive experience with fiscal accomplishments in business, government, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector
- Track record of building credibility in the community
- A commitment to and understanding of BCYF’s stakeholders and mission, preferably based on experience
- Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
- Excellent written and oral communication skills coupled with a natural affinity for public speaking
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for the youth of Baltimore City
Overview
In addition to the member-at-large responsibilities and in accordance with the organizational bylaws, the Committee Chairperson is primarily responsible for overseeing the work of the assigned committee.
Board Terms & Participation
The committee chair will be appointed by the Chair with the consent of the Board.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Review the terms of reference and mandate of the committee as outlined by the Board.
- Recruits an appropriate number of committee members to carry out the mandate.
- Orients members to the committee’s mandate and position in the organization.
- Works collaboratively with the assigned Staff Liaison to develop the agendas for all meetings.
- Guides the committee through its meetings to fulfill the committee’s purpose while keeping members engaged and participating.
- Ensuring minutes are distributed to members shortly after each meeting. Signs committee meeting minutes to attest to their accuracy before it is forwarded to the Board for review.
- Plans and evaluates the committee’s work with the help of the members.
- Reports the committee’s progress to the Board of Directors and the membership on a regular basis.
Note: In the absence of the Secretary at any meeting, a secretary pro tempore shall be appointed by the presiding Officer.
Qualifications for Service
- Extensive experience cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals
Board Committee Descriptions
Board committees are small groups of individuals who advise the board on a specific area of operations. Committees are groups of board members, staff members, and volunteers who come together to provide expert guidance for the board as a whole.
Board Member Expectations
- Committees recommend actions for consideration and approval of the entire board.
- Committees lead the board in making informed judgments about current operations and the organization’s future.
- Committees evaluate their work annually.
- The committee chair, as the liaison to the board, frequently consults with the board chair and the chief executive
- Committee members commit to participating actively in the committee’s work, including substantive participation in committee meetings and discussions. Members stay informed about committee matters, prepare well for meetings, and review and comment on minutes and reports.
- Committee members volunteer for and willingly accept assignments and complete them thoroughly and on time.
- Committee members get to know each other and build a collegial working relationship that contributes to and enhances consensus.
The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the Officers of the Board of Directors.
The Executive Committee is responsible for the following:
- Expeditious Actions
- manage the affairs and business of the Corporation, when the full Board is not in session, and
- recommend actions for the full Board’s consideration;
- Evaluation of and Succession Planning for the President
- recommend and oversee the evaluation of the President’s job performance; and
- manage succession planning for the President, as needed.
The Finance Committee shall oversee the financial operations, internal controls, long-term fiscal health, and compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Treasurer shall serve as the Chair of the Committee.
The Finance Committee is responsible for the following:
- Budgeting, Financial Planning, and Reporting
- develop an annual operating budget and multi-year operating budgets in coordination with staff;
- review and present the budget, financial goals, and financial reports to the Board; andmmonitor adherence to the approved budget;
- Internal Controls and Accountability
- develop and update, as necessary, policies and manuals that ensure the assets of the Corporation are protected and financial transactions are documented; and
- ensure approved financial policies and procedures are being followed, reviewed on an annual basis and updated as necessary, and presented to the Board on a regular basis.
The Board shall create as a committee of the Board a Race Equity Committee, which shall be composed of members of the Board and non-directors who are stakeholders of the Corporation. The Board shall appoint a Chairperson for the Race Equity Committee charged with the management of this committee.
The Race Equity Committee is responsible for the following:
- Biennial Review and Accountability
- review the Corporation’s policies and practices to evaluate alignment with the Corporation’s values detailed in the Preamble of the Bylaws and Section 7.3;
- produce a biennial report for distribution to the Board and the general public; and
- ensure and advance the Corporation’s core mission of being an equity-focused organization and the Corporation’s race equity accountability framework;
- Board Commitment and Ongoing Learning
- ensure development and implementation of regular Board training on race equity; and
- review and evaluate Board training and support needs to advance the Corporation’s values of race equity, intergenerational leadership, community ownership, and collective decision-making.
The Community Engagement & Communications Committee is charged with Elevation, Community Building, and Innovation.
- Elevation – BCYF is committed to elevating local leaders who are working with Baltimore youth.
- Community Building – Partnering with local leaders and organizations to create networks and opportunities for Baltimore practitioners. BCYF wants to support our community’s ability to provide for young people beyond grants. The Committee will help to create an ecosystem of opportunities that create a more sustainable infrastructure for youth development.
- Communication – Through the committee’s work, BCYF is actively seeking opportunities to give the community more access to the work it is doing with local leaders, along with grants.
This committee is charged with advising on the programmatic direction of BCYF. This committee is responsible for the following:
- Marshall BCYF’s Resources
- evaluate the range of BCYF’s resources of time, technical assistance, grants, networks, etc.
- identify BCYF’s programmatic priorities and work in collaboration with the programmatic staff to support these priorities
- .Alignment of BCYF Mission, Vision, and Values with Strategy & Implementation
- develop strategies for investment of BCYF’s range of resources that reflect and advance the organization’s mission, vision, and values
- evaluate the implementation of those strategies and make recommendations.
Board Events
Events
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BoardLight Fall | Youth Master Plan Solution Session
Baltimore Unity Hall 1505 Eutaw Place, Baltimore, MarylandBoardLight Fall Baltimore's Youth Master Plan is moving forward. Where does your board fit in? Join board leaders across nonprofit, philanthropic, and public-sector organizations for a facilitated cross-sector conversation. Explore […]
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