Board Positions 2011

President

The Gerber/Hart board president will:

1. Preside over board meetings and ensure conformity with current bylaws.
2. Represent the organization to those both inside and outside of the LGBT community.
3. Devote a significant portion of his/her time to fundraising, particularly cultivating significant donor relationships.
4. Supervise any employees the organization may employ.
5. Oversee the negotiation of contracts with independent contractors.
6. Oversee and evaluate financial donations to the organization from members of the board of directors.
7. Oversee the development of a budget proposal for the next year beginning in the fall of the current year.

Treasurer

The Gerber/Hart treasurer will:

1. Maintain records of the finances of the organization.
2. Present a report of finances at board meetings.
3. By January 10 of each year, oversee the change of signatures on all bank accounts.
4. Begin developing a budget proposal for the next fiscal year in the fall of the current year.
5. Be responsible for the timely filing of tax returns and receipt by employees and independent contractors of their wage statements.
6. Conduct a quarterly budget review and make appropriate recommendations for any changes.
7. Deposit monies received in the bank and pay bills in a timely fashion.
8. Keep track of financial donations to the organization from other members of the board of directors.
9. Keep track of income from fundraising events.
10. Have prior experience in these duties.

Secretary

The Gerber/Hart secretary will function as both a recording and a corresponding secretary. He or she will:

1. Take minutes at meetings of the board of directors.
2. Type minutes and send them by email before the next board meeting.
3. File appropriate registrations with governmental agencies.

Chair, Finance Committee

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Finance Committee shall:

1. Advise the board on optimal ways to manage the funds of the organization.
2. Develop one-year and three-year business plans.
3. Research investment opportunities for the organization.
4. Work with the President and Treasurer to ensure financial stability.
5. Educate fellow board members about fiscal management.
6. Assist the President in negotiating contracts with independent contractors and vendors.

Chair, Fundraising Events

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Fundraising Events Committee will:

1. Supervise all fundraising events throughout the year.
2. Supervise the Booksale Coordinator.
3. Develop and schedule one fundraising event in each quarter of the year except the quarter in which the annual benefit takes place.
4. Provide information concerning events to the chair of the communications committee.

Chair, Annual Benefit

The chair of Gerber/Hart's annual benefit committee will devote his/her activities during the entire year to the implementation of a successful fall fundraising event. Such activities will include but not be limited to: securing a venue for the event, contracting with vendors to supply food and drink, assembling a program booklet, securing entertainment and a guest speaker, devising a plan to sell tickets, disseminating publicity, and all other duties attendant to the planning and production of such an event. The annual benefit chair shall present to the board for discussion and approval important decisions pertaining to the event such as the choice of an honorary chair, venue, and ticket price. The annual benefit chair will provide information concerning the event to the communications chair.

Chair, Development

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Development Committee will:

1. Revitalize a donor recognition society.
2. Cultivate relationships with individuals who have the inclination and ability to support Gerber/Hart with large long-term capacity.
3. Oversee twice-yearly fundraising appeal letters in the spring and fall.
4. Oversee monthly membership renewals, a membership renewal drive, ideally in March, and National Library Card Sign-Up Month in September.
5. Develop and implement a program of planned giving.
6. Supervise the development of the donor database.

Chair, Grants

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Grants Committee will:

1. Identify foundations, corporations and governmental agencies that will fund activities pertaining to the library, special collections, archives, and professional staff.
2. Apply for grants from such institutions.
3. Provide required follow-up reports and paperwork to active granting agencies.
4. Prepare a timeline for grant application and renewal deadlines.

Chair, Corporate Fundraising

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Corporate Fundraising Committee will:

1. Identify corporations that may be amenable to supporting an organization such as Gerber/Hart.
2. Contact the LGBT employee group affiliated with that corporation, if any, to make those individuals aware of Gerber/Hart's services.
3. Work to develop a relationship with individuals both in the corporation and in the affiliated employee group.

Chair, Communications

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Communications Committee will:

1. Advise the media of upcoming program and fundraising activities through the issuance of press releases.
2. Supervise the production of the monthly e-flyer and hard copy flyer for upcoming events.
3. Supervise both the webmaster and voice mail coordinator and supply those individuals with information on a timely basis.
4. Oversee the production, maintenance, and distribution of Gerber/Hart literature; develop flyers and brochures as needed.
5. Supervise outreach to the listservs of other organizations.
6. Provide information about all activities to operations staff so they may be able to respond to inquiries.

Chair, Programming

The chair of Gerber/Hart’s Programming Committee will:

1. Supervise the coordinators of all book groups.
2. Supervise the coordinators of all film series.
3. Coordinate the activities of artists, photographers and sculptors who wish to exhibit at Gerber/Hart.
4. Serve as the referral person for all who come to Gerber/Hart with an idea such as a theatre or film festival, poetry reading, slide show, concert, etc., to be presented as a program of Gerber/Hart.
5. Plan an event for National Library Week (April), Banned Books Week (September) and LGBT History Month (October).
6. Coordinate Gerber/Hart’s participation in City of Chicago cultural initiatives such as "One Book, One Chicago," Chicago Book Month, and Chicago Artists Month.
7. Develop other programming initiatives that fulfill the needs of the community.

Chair, Special Events and Outreach

The chair of Gerber/Hart's Special Events and Outreach Committee will coordinate the following events:

1. Gerber/Hart's Pride Parade and Dyke March entries (June).
2. Gerber/Hart's appearance at the Lambda Literary Awards (May or June), in the years that the event is held in Chicago.
3. Events held at Gerber/Hart at the request of an outside group or individual, e.g. a fundraiser/reception for the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, a kick-off party for the Lambda Literary Awards.
4. Events in which Gerber/Hart is asked to participate by an outside group, and which are not held at Gerber/Hart, e.g., co-sponsoring a film in Reeling: the Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival.
5. Coordinate information tables at off-site non-fundraising events.
6. Supervise the Scheduling Coordinator.

At-Large Member

An at-large member of the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives board of directors will have the same overall responsibilities as other members of the board of directors. During the year, he or she will work on at least one specific project that furthers the goals of the organization.

There are two at-large positions available.

This page was last updated May 29, 2011.