We are Looking for New Board Members Dedicated to our Mission to Help us Grow

Green Foothills is a local, vocal, and effective nonprofit organization based out of Palo Alto. Our team has helped to permanently protect over 183,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties through over 900 advocacy campaigns since 1962. We are training the next generation of environmental activists through our leadership academy, having graduated over 200 changemakers through our leadership program. Green Foothills is working toward a vision of the region where wildlife thrive, everyone has natural beauty to enjoy, and communities live in balance with nature.

We are seeking energetic people who believe in our mission to apply to serve on our Board of Directors. Our board is currently composed of community leaders from the nonprofit and for-profit sectors who believe in the organization’s mission of protecting open space, farmland, and natural resources. 

Green Foothills is the champion for nature and wildlife in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Advocacy, education, and grassroots action has been our long-standing vehicle for change. 

We achieve this by: 

1. Engaging in local land use issues: Our staff engages early in land use policy, proposals, and planning processes, conducting thorough research to provide science-based recommendations. 
2. Holding decision-makers accountable: We provide the support and information needed for our region’s leaders to be champions for the natural environment and open space protection. 
3. Empowering community members: We mobilize people and help them navigate decision-making processes. We train leaders in environmental activism through our Community Advocates Leadership Academy.

Board Member Expectations

Serving on the Green Foothills Board of Directors is an extraordinary opportunity for individuals who are passionate about protecting open space. Board terms last for two years and members can serve for up to three consecutive terms. Board members are also expected to:

1. Be fully committed to our mission, vision, and values
2. Make board meeting attendance a high priority. Our board meetings are on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7:00pm-9:00pm. Read board materials in advance of meetings and to come prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions. Due to COVID-19, board member meetings are held virtually. 
3. Serve on one or more active committees and actively participate in committee work
4. Approve and monitor the budget to ensure that the organization remains fiscally sound 
5. Make a personally meaningful annual financial donation and actively participate in one or more fundraising efforts. 
6. Responsibly represent Green Foothills to their respective communities and to advocate for Green Foothills mission, vision, values, and programs as appropriate.

Desired Skills and Expertise

We are currently recruiting for leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds and life experience and are particularly hoping to recruit Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Areas of experience and expertise that we are particularly recruiting for include the following listed below through all interested candidates are encouraged to apply! 

• Accounting, Finance Professional
• Legal professionals
• Land Use Professionals
• Equity and Inclusion practitioners 
• Farmers
• Fire resilience experts
• Human Resource Professionals
• Marketing/Social Media Professional
• Experts in life sciences, anthropology, and earth sciences

To express interest in joining our Board of Directors, kindly send Joan Sherlock, Board President an email ([email protected]) with a little background and why you are interested in joining our board of directors. Thank you for your consideration!