Apply to be a CAPLAW Board Member!

The CAPLAW Board is seeking new members!

Applicants must submit the following materials using the form below by March 7, 2025:

Completed application form (below);
Resume;
A letter of recommendation from the Board Chair/President of your CAA; and
A letter of recommendation from the Executive Director/CEO or Board Chair/President of your state or regional Community Action association

Letters of recommendation may be submitted together with, or separately from, the other application materials and must be emailed to CAPLAW at admin@caplaw.org by March 7, 2025.

The CAPLAW Board will notify candidates selected for an interview by March 28. Interviews will take place in person May 28-30, 2025, at the 2025 CAPLAW Annual Training Conference in Boston, MA. Selected Board members will attend and be seated at the Board’s annual meeting in late October.

If you have any questions, please call CAPLAW’s Executive Director Allison Ma’luf at (617) 357-6915 or email her at admin@caplaw.org.

About CAPLAW

CAPLAW’s mission is to eliminate poverty by strengthening the legal and management capacity of community organizations. CAPLAW is the national legal expert for the Community Action network. Through consultations, training and resources we equip approximately 1,000 CAAs across the country with the knowledge and tools to operate as accountable and effective change agents. We also provide guidance to federal, state, and national Community Action partners on legal and financial issues affecting CAAs. We envision a dynamic national network of community organizations that empower individuals to overcome the effects of poverty and thrive.

View a list of current CAPLAW board members here.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of Board Members

Attends and actively participates in Board meetings
Serves on and actively participates in Board committee(s)
Leads or assists, as needed, with special projects (e.g., providing feedback on CAPLAW resources and tools)
Attends CAPLAW’s annual national training conference and participates in execution of the conference as needed (e.g., monitoring workshops, moderating workshops, presenting a workshop, presenting remarks at a general session, facilitating a roundtable discussion, assisting with registration)
Attends other CAPLAW training events (e.g., webinars, national trainings)
Acts as an ambassador for CAPLAW to the Community Action network by conveying information about CAPLAW to the network and soliciting feedback on CAPLAW from the network
Acting as part of a group:
- - Develops and updates CAPLAW’s mission
  - Establishes organizational goals and policies
  - Evaluates and approves CAPLAW budgets
  - Regularly reviews activity reports and financial statements to determine progress and status in attaining objectives in accordance with current and anticipated future conditions and resources
  - Develops revenue strategies that align with CAPLAW’s mission, provides input on and, where appropriate, approval of funding proposals
  - Provides input on CAPLAW’s programs and activities, including its annual national training conference
  - Evaluates the performance of the Executive Director for compliance with established policies and objectives of the organization and contributions in attaining organizational goals
  - Selects new Board members

Qualifications

Each applicant for a CAPLAW board position must currently serve as the Executive Director/CEO, or an equivalent position, of a Community Action Agency that is a CAPLAW member (either by paying dues directly to CAPLAW or by being a current member of an association that is a CAPLAW member). In addition, they must have:

A minimum of five years’ experience as an Executive Director/CEO of a Community Action Agency that is a CAPLAW member.
Demonstrated participation in CAPLAW events (e.g., attendance at the CAPLAW conference, CAPLAW webinars, consultations with CAPLAW attorneys)
Proven interest and involvement with Community Action associations on a state, regional and preferably national level for a minimum of three years
An ability and willingness to travel throughout the U.S. to attend at least one in-person Board meeting per year, with reimbursement for transportation, meals and lodging provided by CAPLAW
An ability and willingness to attend and participate in CAPLAW’s annual national training conference
An understanding of the legal context in which CAAs operate: the interconnectedness of legislative, legal, and political needs of CAAs; legal issues involved in the management of a CAA and of programs traditionally operated by CAAs (e.g., CSBG, LIHEAP, Head Start, Weatherization)
Demonstrated leadership capabilities
An ability to work productively on a team with a diverse group of people
A sense of humor

The CAPLAW Board encourages applicants from federal Regions 3 and 5.

Click here for a PDF version of the CAPLAW Board Member job description.

Name*

Title*

Organization*

Address*

Phone*

Email*

Name, title, organization, phone number, and email address of each individual submitting a letter of recommendation on your behalf. (May be submitted separately and emailed directly to admin@caplaw.org by March 7, 2025)*

Number of years served in current position*

Number of years served in the Community Action network*

Are you able to attend at least one in-person CAPLAW Board meeting per year in different parts of the country and participate in Board and committee meetings via zoom?*
YesNo

Please note the number of years and briefly describe the capacity or capacities in which you have served in the Community Action network at the state, regional and national levels.*

Please briefly describe your participation in CAPLAW training events (e.g., CAPLAW conference, CAPLAW trainings at Community Action network events, webinars) and/or use of CAPLAW resources (consultations with CAPLAW attorneys, CAPLAW toolkits, online training modules, news alerts, etc.) over the past five years.*

Why are you interested in serving on the CAPLAW Board?*

What are the biggest challenges currently facing Community Action Agencies?*

How might CAPLAW assist individual Community Action Agencies and the Community Action network in meeting those challenges?*

What special qualities and experience would you bring to the CAPLAW Board that would assist the CAPLAW Board and staff in furthering CAPLAW’s mission of providing legal, governance, and grants management resources necessary to sustain and strengthen the national Community Action network?*

Resume*
(pdf/doc/docx - 2MB max)

Letter of Recommendation from the Board Chair/President of your CAA
(pdf/doc/docx - 10MB max)

(May be submitted separately and emailed directly to admin@caplaw.org by March 21, 2024)

Letter of Recommendation from the Executive Director/CEO or Board Chair/President of your state or regional Community Action association
(pdf/doc/docx - 2MB max)

(May be submitted separately and emailed directly to admin@caplaw.org by March 21, 2025)

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