Seeking Action Fund Board Members

Submitted by wahousingaction on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 13:29

Representative Image: 

Rachael Myers, Executive Director

The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, and the Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund are seeking passionate, diverse, and experienced board members.
Housing Action Fund Job Description
For Housing Alliance Job Description click here.

The Housing Alliance is a 501(c)(3) that develops and advocates for public policy solutions to the crisis of affordable housing and homelessness in Washington. Our organizational members include housing and service providers across the state and we mobilize those organizations plus a broad base of individuals to advocate for solutions.

The Housing Action Fund is the political voice in Washington for expanding access for affordable homes and solutions to homelessness. We are a 501(c)(4) that supports the Housing Alliance’s policy priorities through lobbying, electoral work, and organizing residents of affordable housing. Electoral work includes candidate endorsements, mobilizing volunteers for campaigns, and candidate contributions through our connected PAC.

Combined, we have a small but mighty staff of ten, 140+ organizational members, and an online action network of 7,500+ individuals. Our boards provide governance and ensure we have the financial resources to sustain and grow our influence.

PUBLIC POLICY

  • We advocate at the state and federal levels for expanded funding for affordable homes. This includes advocacy for the state Housing Trust Fund, the National Housing Trust Fund, and more.
  • We advocate for tenant rights and protections to make the private housing market more accessible for low-income people.
  • We advocate for funding for services that move people out of homelessness, provide safety for people experiencing homelessness, and for services that prevent people from becoming homeless.
  • We advocate for policies that prevent people from losing their homes to foreclosure and protect the rights of manufactured homeowners.


KEY PROGRAM AREAS

  • Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day: Every year, we organize 650+ people to gather in Olympia for one of the state’s largest lobby days of the year.
  • Board Advocacy Project: 5,000-10,000 community leaders serve on the boards of housing and homelessness organizations in Washington. Those board members could be a powerful force for change and we work with our organizational members to engage them in advocacy.
  • Emerging Advocates Program and Resident Action Project: We are building power for our movement by organizing and providing leadership development opportunities for low-income people and people who live in affordable homes.
  • Conference on Ending Homelessness: We organize an annual conference to bring together homelessness service providers, housing providers, government officials, and advocates to expand their knowledge and skill in the effort to end homelessness. Last year’s conference included more than 800 people.
  • Candidate recruitment and support: The Housing Action Fund endorses and supports candidates for public office who are champions for our priorities and we are developing a recruitment and training effort to identify and help potential champions win public office.
     

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT? 
We are the only organization in Washington that brings together the expertise of housing and service providers with the power of a broad base of individual advocates to fight for solutions. We are the go-to organization on housing and homelessness policy in Washington and have the ear of lawmakers and the media. Our policy expertise is backed by people speaking up in communities all across the state. With the creation of the Housing Action Fund, we utilize every tool in the advocacy toolbox. Even in the most difficult political environments, we’ve made progress every year. We are building a movement!

WE NEED YOU IF:

  • You are passionate about ensuring that everyone in Washington has the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home.
  • You can spend 5-10 hours per month attending board meetings, participating in committee work, and being an ambassador for the Housing Alliance and Housing Alliance Action Fund in your community, and you will joyfully make a personally meaningful financial gift to the organization.
  • You are motivated to become a great fundraiser and prepared to learn new skills to succeed in this role.

We are especially interested in talking with you if:

  • You have experience serving on a nonprofit board and are ready to bring your skills to another organization.
  • You are part of a community that is overrepresented among people struggling to afford a home: people of color, LGBT individuals, people with disabilities. 
  • You live or work in Eastern Washington, Northwest Washington, Southwest Washington, or South King County.
  • You bring a perspective from outside the housing and homelessness field (e.g., education, healthcare, private sector experience.)


​NEXT STEPS

We are seeking several new board members to serve on either or both the Housing Alliance and Housing Action Fund boards. Contact us at board@wliha.org for more information and an application. Applications are due no later than April 11.