Appreciation Committee
Creates and distributes certificates of appreciation as appropriate on behalf of Yes I Can Unity Through Music & Education, including (but not limited to) letters of appreciation to donors, sponsors, and volunteers, awards/recognition to both outgoing board members and those who choose to reapply and continue their service through to the next board year. May also be involved in creative planning for ways to acknowledge these groups and individuals in other ways. (workload: low/medium)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN
Blog Committee
Resource and information page with upcoming events, latest Yes I Can Unity Through Music & Education news, printable materials, testimonials, event recaps, and other helpful materials geared toward our students, their families/caregivers, and our community. Board members are encouraged to contribute as guest bloggers, when applicable. Blog will be attached to our main website and/or a dedicated Tumblr account - if added to our social media sites. (workload: medium)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION OPEN
* If Tumblr is the platform decided upon for this purpose, Chair would be the Tumblr Committee Chairperson.
E-Newsletter Committee
Gathers dates/times for all events, fundraisers, important information, testimonials, solicitations for sponsors/donors/board members (at the end of each board year) and special announcements for Yes I Can Unity Through Music & Education. Arranges this information into a monthly electronic news format that is distributed to all subscribers - signup is located on website. (workload: medium)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION OPEN
Executive Committee/Executive Board
Meets prior to monthly board meetings. Manages the general operation and maintenance of the organization Descriptions of each position can be found in the organization’s bylaws. (workload: high)
Chair of the Board (Chief Executive Officer): Bret Lieberman
Vice Chair of the Board: POSITION OPEN
President (Deputy Director): Kirsten Fitzpatrick
Secretary: POSITION OPEN
Treasurer: Thomas Dvorak
Financial Committee
Typically comprised of all Executive Board members with exception of the Secretary. Ensures that finances are being handled according to California and Federal nonprofit law and approves emergency expenses. Approves/denies reimbursement expenses as provided to the committee by the Treasurer (Note: Committee members seeking reimbursement for items they’ve submitted must recuse themselves from voting). Expenses requiring total Board of Trustee approval will be discussed and disseminated to the Board as necessary. Yearly independent financial audit (as required by law) will also be arranged and managed by this committee. (workload: high)
Fundraising Committee
Think tank for development and implementation of new fundraising ideas. Manages both passive fundraising endeavors (Amazon Smile, GoodShop, CoinUp App, Network for Good, etc.) as well as other fundraising activities throughout the year, assisting with the Summer Meltdown Festival as well. (workload: low to high – depending on ideas/follow through, number of active committee members.)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN
Grant Writing Committee
Actively seeks new grant opportunities throughout the year (each grantor has different deadlines for submission and frequency with which grants can be submitted, i.e., annually, etc) that are appropriate to the structure of our organization. Using each grantor’s templates, drafting “ask letters” and drawing from available list of grantors, writing for grants to fund our administrative costs and/or programs. All information needed to complete grants will be provided - grant writers simply fill in the blanks and provide information according to the grant they’re writing for. Committee members should possess good writing skills, a basic knowledge of our organization (including our mission statement, history, and Board of Trustees), and be available for at least one grant writing meeting per board year. Many grantors require followup/progress reports, which this committee would also be responsible for, in collaboration with the Appreciation Committee. *Important Note: This is THE most effective form of fundraising we have aside from corporate sponsorships, Regional Center/DOR vendorships, the annual Summer Meltdown Festival, and is the source of some of the most easily attainable revenue* (workload: low to high, depending on the amount of grants you actively seek or choose to write, and the followup to these grants, if approved by the grantor.)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN (the more, the better!)
Nominating/Elections Committee
Scouts for new potential board members that can fill essential/key roles within the Board. Distributes nomination/welcome packet to each potential board member, including list of Board responsibilities, committee descriptions, and Board of Trustees Application. Follows up with any potential board member who may have questions. This committee serves at the initial “vetting” process for Board membership, and will decide which candidates are suitable for placement on the slate of potential incoming board members for the annual Board of Trustees Election, held at the end of each fiscal year. Sends invitations to the election meeting to all candidates that meet the qualifications of Board membership, according to the specific needs of the Board at that time. Any Board member can nominate a person for Board membership, but all applications and outreach is handled by the Nominating Committee. Final slate of candidates must be submitted to the Board no later than 30 days prior to the election meeting. All official correspondence will be in the name of the committee chairperson. (workload: medium)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN
Social Media Committee
Posts information about all of our events, fundraisers, and other calls to action. Helps disseminate relevant information to the local autistic population and community via social networking. Must be briefed on proper social media etiquette/protocol already established and adopted by the Board of Trustees. (workload: medium/high, lower if we have individuals posting to a dedicated platform - i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
LinkedIn Committee: POSITION OPEN
Facebook Committee: Kirsten Fitzpatrick
Instagram Committee: POSITION OPEN
Spanish Facebook Committee: POSITION OPEN
Twitter Committee: POSITION OPEN
Tumblr Committee: POSITION OPEN
YouTube Committee: POSITION OPEN
Sponsorship/Donations Committee
Engages in cold calls and other methods to gain high end donors, and both corporate and individual sponsors for the organization. Focus is on networking, building partnerships and other relationships with interested parties, and actively seeking these opportunities within the community. (workload: medium to high)
Committee Chair: Bret Lieberman
Committee Members: Kirsten Fitzpatrick, POSITION(S) OPEN
Summer Meltdown Festival Committee
Responsible for the biggest event of the year for Yes I Can Unity Through Music & Education, and the culmination of the hard work our students have put in all year long. There will be an official meeting for the Meltdown Committee involving all members to decide and plan this event in its entirety. Every Board member is expected to contribute in some way to this event. Will work closely with sponsorship committee, volunteer committee, and other relevant committees to ensure that the event will continue to grow and be successful. (workload: low to high, depending on level of involvement)
Committee Chair: Bret Lieberman
Committee Members: Kirsten Fitzpatrick, POSITION(S) OPEN
Volunteer Committee
Recruits and maintains database of all persons within the community that are interested in volunteer opportunities within our organization. Uses sites like volunteermatch.com to seek volunteers for projects like the Summer Meltdown Festival and other larger events, and sites like sixdegrees.org to locate potential celebrity volunteers to assist us with our endeavors. Members of this committee must know the key components and mission of Yes I Can Unity Through Music & Education, and be able to articulate them to potential volunteers. Will work closely with Appreciation Committee to follow up with volunteer recognition. (workload: low to high, depending on number of committee members and needs of the organization)
Committee Chair: POSITION OPEN
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN
Technology Committee
Regularly monitors and maintains all IT functions within the organization and ensures functionality and HIPAA HITECH compliance within all systems. Regularly checks webpage for errors and passes on the information to our website designer. Makes recommendations/reports to the board as appropriate. Publishes information to the main website as applicable. (workload: low/medium for committee members, high for chair)
Committee Chair: Kirsten Fitzpatrick
Committee Members: POSITION(S) OPEN
* Each board member should check website periodically and report to chair if they notice any errors/omissions.