Call for Candidates for The Carpentries Board of Directors

If you are interested in translating this blog post please email team@carpentries.org.

Carpentries community leaders are needed! If you have experience in:

• Auditing (i.e., risk management, financial reporting, audit process, monitoring compliance with laws and regulations)
• Finance (i.e., oversight of an annual budget)
• Governance and Personnel (i.e., creation and implementation of sound compensation, personnel policies and practices or Board efficacy, composition, onboarding and recruitment)
• Programs (i.e., Carpentries Lesson Program governance, advising on metrics for programmatic outcomes or making recommendations to strengthen programs and services)

… The Carpentries needs YOU!

The Carpentries is planning our transition to operate as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation. The transition from fiscal sponsorship to independent 501(c)(3) non-profit status requires a shift in our governance structure from Executive Council to Board of Directors.

A nonprofit Board of Directors is a group of individuals elected to govern and oversee the organisation’s operations. The board is responsible for setting the organisation’s mission, strategy, and goals, and ensuring that the organisation operates in compliance with legal and ethical standards. The Executive Council has served The Carpentries in this capacity as an advisory committee. However, fiscally sponsored projects are governed by the Board of Directors of their fiscal sponsor, in our case, the Community Initiatives Board. For more information, read the blog post on the governance of The Carpentries.

The authorised number of directors of The Carpentries is between seven and thirteen. Seven members were onboarded this year - five of which are current Executive Council members (i.e., John Chodacki, Sarah Stevens, Michael Smith, Konrad Foërstner and Yanina Bellini Saibene). The Board seeks four additional members elected directly from the community to serve a three-year term beginning February 2024. Please refer to the bylaws for further explanation of the Board of Directors.

The nomination form accepts nominations for Community-elected seats, for which the community will elect four members this year. Candidates may self-nominate or be nominated by someone else and must be voting members of The Carpentries community. Responses from this form will be collected and published as a blog post to assist the community in making choices for the election. Candidates may also OPTIONALLY record a 2-5 minute video to be shared with the community.

If you choose to submit a video, please include the following information in your video:

• Introduce yourself
• Explain your previous involvement with The Carpentries
• Explain what you would do as a member of the Board of Directors to contribute to the growth and success of the community and the strategic plan for 2020-2025.

Please complete the nomination form and submit your (optional) video to team@carpentries.org before October 27, 2023.

Every member of The Carpentries community is encouraged to participate by nominating themselves or a qualified individual for one of the Board of Director seats. Nominations close on October 27, 2023, Anywhere on Earth (AoE).

Please review the FAQ below before submitting a nomination.

The Carpentries Board of Directors Election FAQ

The Carpentries Board of Directors election process is determined by The Carpentries Bylaws. Below are several frequently asked questions that will help you understand the process.

1. What does the Carpentries Board of Directors do?

The Carpentries Board of Directors is the governance body of The Carpentries organisation. It is responsible for strategic and organisational planning, selecting the Executive Director and evaluating their performance, financial oversight, identifying revenue streams and resource development, approving and monitoring The Carpentries programs and services, and enhancing The Carpentries’ public image. Members of the Board also serve as advocates and ambassadors for the organisation, leveraging their networks to benefit the organisation’s reputation and fundraising. The Board executes these responsibilities through a combination of quarterly meetings and regular correspondence and collaboration via email and online platforms.

2. What expertise does the Executive Council need?

In general, Board of Directors members possess some of the following characteristics:

• Experience with strategic planning for a non-profit or another type of organisation
• Experience with non-profit finances and fundraising, especially concerning sustainability
• Familiarity with non-profit and open-source governance
• Membership in or previous experience working with diverse communities
• Expertise in educational pedagogy
• Understanding and passion for The Carpentries mission and vision
• Time to participate fully in Board and other Carpentries activities
• Previous experience on a Board of Directors.

3. How long is the Board term, and when does it start?

Executive Council members served for 2 years, but the term for Board members is three (3) years, with new terms beginning on February 1st, following the election. Terms are staggered so that community members are elected every three years.

4. How much time would I need to commit to serving on the Board of Directors?

The Board meets online at least four (4) times per year—usually once a quarter—for 60-90 minutes. Members are expected to attend at least 75% of these meetings. The Board meets face-to-face once a year, and members must make themselves available to travel to this event. Ad hoc groups meet in addition to this, and individuals are responsible for taking on work between meetings. The Chair and Treasurer, elected from Board members, spend considerable additional time on Carpentries matters.

5. Are Board members compensated?

Board members are not compensated for their contributions to The Carpentries, except for administrative support, travel and accommodation costs related to their duties on the Board. This generally covers the one in-person meeting per year but does not cover travel to CarpentryCon or other Carpentries-related events.

6. How do I know if I am a voting member?

Only voting members of The Carpentries can vote in the election and self-nominate for community-elected positions. To be a voting member, you must meet one of the following conditions:

• Every individual who has completed Instructor or Trainer certification in the past year (December 1, 2022 - November 30, 2023).
• Every individual who has completed their Instructor certification in the last two years and has taught at least one workshop of The Carpentries (Library Carpentry, Data Carpentry, Software Carpentry) between December 1, 2021 and November 30, 2023.
• Every individual who is a certified Instructor and has taught at least two workshops of The Carpentries in the past two years between December 1, 2021 and November 30, 2023.
• Any individual who has participated on a committee, served as a mentor or Maintainer, or otherwise made a significant contribution to any Lesson Program or The Carpentries organisation in the past year is also considered active in the community and is welcome to apply for Voting Membership by completing the application for voting membership.

7. What is the timeline for the elections?

• September 26, 2023: Nominations open.
• October 27, 2023: Nominations close.
• November 7, 2023: Deadline for candidates to submit statements and videos.
• November 14, 2023: Blog posts and (optional) videos from candidates for community-elected positions are available to the community.
• November 20, 2023: Confirmation emails sent for voting status.
• December 4-10, 2023: Voting is open for community-elected positions.
• December 21, 2023: Announce newly elected positions.

Need Help?

• If you are unsure if you are a voting-eligible member, log in to AMY to see if the records show you are eligible based on the criteria above.
• If you need records updated, help logging into AMY or have questions, please email team@carpentries.org.
• If you have taught workshops that are not registered, please include a link to the workshop website(s) in your email to team@carpentries.org. We will also send out an email to each Instructor with their status before voting opens.