Friends of WDM Parks & Rec Board Member

Friends of West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Board Member Opportunity

Are you passionate about making a difference in the West Des Moines community? If so, consider joining the Friends of West Des Moines Parks and Recreation as a board member!

As a board member, you'll collaborate with dedicated individuals to support and enhance our parks and recreation programs, expand community outreach, and drive membership growth. We are looking for motivated individuals with leadership goals, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to making a positive impact.

What Time Commitment Should I Expect?

• Monthly Meetings: Board members meet once a month for approximately 90 minutes on the 2nd or 3rd Thursday from 5:307:00 p.m.

• Committee Engagement: Expect approximately 34 hours per month per committee you join. Committee meetings provide working collaborative opportunities to achieve board goals between the monthly meetings.

• Event Volunteering: There are additional (fully optional) opportunities to volunteer at Friends or Friends-adjacent events throughout the year, typically falling on weekends.

What are the Attendance Expectations?

Regular attendance at the monthly board meetings is essential and expected for all Friends of West Des Moines Parks & Recreation board members. Maintaining consistent attendance supports collaboration and ensures progress on key projects. Your commitment to attendance directly contributes to our success and impact in the community.

Each board member is expected to volunteer for at least one committee. The committees include Finance/Executive; Membership Management; Fundraising; Marketing & Outreach; Partnerships & Programs; and other ad-hoc or event-based committees.

Do Board Members Make Personal Financial Commitments?

The Friends of West Des Moines Parks & Recreation board is dedicated to securing financial support for our community programs and funded projects such as Legacy Woods or Athene Bridge. Board members play a vital role in ensuring the financial stability and growth of our parks and programs. Each board members commitment is crucial.

Each board member is expected to make a personal financial contribution within their means, most often by way of a Founding Friends annual membership. While the amount of the contribution has an impact, the act of giving itself is significant, as it demonstrates to others in the community that board members are personally invested in the success of our parks.

What Might I be Doing as a Board Member?

Planning and Executing Fundraising and Community Enrichment Events - Board members plan for several events throughout each year, including Friends fundraisers, community engagement, and environmental and conservation efforts.

Finding Opportunities to Support the West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department - The city-managed department has ample volunteer opportunities throughout its seasonal event programming. Board members will often support the Parks and Recreation department via arranging sponsorships or simply volunteering their time.

Growing Awareness and Membership for the Friends - The Friends of WDM Parks and Rec organization has a big dream to make the West Des Moines Parks system the best it can be. Growing awareness of the Friends and its mission, and finding ways to add new Friends as members is a frequent goal and task.

Identifying Funding Sources and Seeking Contributions - Each board member also helps identify potential funding sources for Friends of WDM Parks & Rec. Your knowledge of the community and connections will support the development of a robust financial support program. Board members should be willing to ask for contributions, as part of a coordinated effort led by the board to ensure we meet our funding goals.

Are There Any Special Skill Sets Needed?

If you have experience in marketing, finance, accounting, law, event planning, volunteer board strategic planning, and/or are passionate about enhancing community spaces for West Des Moines residents, we invite you to consider joining our board. Terms begin in March and extend for three years.

How to Apply

If youre enthusiastic about West Des Moines parks and recreation, ready to bring new ideas to the table, and committed to creating a more vibrant community, wed love to hear from you! Please reach out to our Board President at [email protected] and fill out a volunteer application to help us get to know you.

Join us in making a difference for West Des Moines Parks and Recreation!