CET is looking for new board members! 

The Center for EcoTechnology (CET) is looking for new volunteer board members with the skills, expertise, and appetite to help govern our growing environmental nonprofit. CET is built on a model of working directly with businesses and residents to reduce waste, increase energy efficiency, and electrify buildings. We are on-the-ground changemakers in the race to decarbonize and we invite you to join us.  

We have several positions opening up and are particularly looking for someone to take over as Treasurer when our current Treasurer’s term ends at the end of 2022.  

About CET’s Board of Directors: 

CET’s Board of Directors was described as follows by an independent consultant in 2021:  

“CET’s Board of Directors is composed of individuals that are deeply passionate about and committed to the organization’s mission, and currently has a healthy mix of deep institutional knowledge and newer perspectives… The board culture can be described as hard-working, highly functional (related to operations and governance), curious, supportive, and aspirational. Board members aim to empower senior staff members, to challenge each other’s thinking through inquisitive questions, and to cultivate a welcoming, “easy going” atmosphere.” 

The CET Board of Directors values the qualities described above and is committed to continuing to work in this manner. We believe that all CET board members must be: 

• Dedicated to CET’s mission. 
• Strategic thinkers. 
• Committed to CET’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals, initiatives, and priorities. 
• Enthusiastic and ready to engage in board meetings, board development, and special requests as needed. 
• Collaborative, open-minded, and nice to work with. 

CET is committed to racial justice and inclusion. Our Board and staff have been formally co-creating and implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Framework since 2020 that spans all internal and external policies, practices, and services. The Board members we seek share this commitment to equity and find fulfillment in building an inclusive culture in a collaborative, non-linear, and continuous learning environment.

CET’s Board of Directors recognizes that its current makeup is not representative of the diverse communities and clientele the organization serves, especially when it comes to racial and generational diversity. Rectifying this situation by becoming more diverse over the next several years as current board members term off is a high priority for the board.

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors: 

• Provide fiscal oversight and risk management to ensure CET’s long-term viability and sustainability. 
• Contribute to the creation of and provide guidance and oversight for CET’s mission. 
• Contribute to the creation of and provide guidance and oversight of CET’s strategic plan.  
• Conduct an annual performance evaluation of the President. 
• Be a resource to CET’s President and Executive Team, as requested, for subject matter expertise, business development, fundraising, operations, public relations, advocacy or other. 
• Act as a good-will ambassador for CET. 
• Contribute to fundraising and/or business development in some capacity.  
• Develop the specific diversity, equity, and inclusion core competencies outlined in CET’s organization-wide DEI framework.  
• Assist with Board development. 
• Agree to all other functions and stipulations outlined in CET’s by-laws. 

Current Board Makeup: 

Based on results of a Board-wide survey of our collective skills, areas of expertise, and demographic and community representation, we have identified the following gaps: 

• Financial/fiscal skills and experience that would be appropriate for our next Treasurer to possess. 
• Knowledge and experience in environmental justice. 
• Engineering, construction and building skills.
• Retail operations (relative to EcoBuilding Bargains, CET’s reclaimed building materials store). 
• Diversity in terms of race and ethnicity, age, geography, representation from the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities.  

While not required to be considered, we are particularly interested in candidates who can fill one or more of the above gaps. 

Current Board Asset/Makeup Survey Results: 

Current Board Member Skills and Areas of Expertise 

Board Recruitment Process: 

Interested candidates will begin with casual conversations with CET’s President and Board Chair to learn more and explore the opportunity. Interested candidates will then be interviewed by CET’s Executive Committee consisting of the President (staff), Chair, Vice Chair, Clerk, and Treasurer. 

A standard set of questions will be asked of all candidates, including the following: 

• Why are you interested in becoming a member of CET’s Board of Directors? 
• What skills, experience and areas of expertise would you bring to CET (feel free to refer to the current board survey results above)? 
• Would you be able to fill any of the gaps that we have identified (listed above)? 
• Would you be able to fulfill all the Board responsibilities listed above? 
• We currently meet (remotely) six times per year on Friday mornings from 8:00 to 9:30, but we may decide to increase the number of meetings to eight or ten. Would this schedule work for you? 
• What else would you like to add and what questions do you have? 

Based on these interviews, the Executive Committee will recommend candidates to the full Board who are an excellent match for CET’s needs. The full Board must vote to formally appoint new board members. 

All new board members will receive an in-depth orientation.  

If you are interested in discussing your potential candidacy as a CET board member, please contact Ashley Muspratt, President (Ashley.Muspratt@cetonline.org).