Young Women’s Alliance & Young Women’s Alliance
Foundation
2015-2016 Committee Chair Application
Applications are being accepted for the positions of:
Au40
Events Sponsorship Chair
Events
Holiday Party Chair
Spring Fundraiser Chair
Foundation Development
Donor Relations Chair
Fundraising Campaign Chair (FFC)
Foundation Giving
Higher Education Scholarship Chair
Marketing
Blog Chair
Operations
Dashboard Chair
Website Chair
(Developer–Experience required)
Programs
General Meeting Chair
Sponsorship’s Chair
Thank you for your interest in a Committee Chair Position with the
Young Women’s Alliance (YWA) and/or the YWA Foundation.
Please complete and return pages 4-7 of this application
by Wednesday July 22, 2015 at 5:00pm to
President-Elect, Jessica Sager at president_elect@youngwomensalliance.org
Applications will be reviewed, and interviews will be conducted by the Incoming
2015-2016 VPs during the month of May. Members of the Executive Committee as
well as current VPs may be included in interviews. Once interviews have been
completed, the 2015-2016 Board of Directors will review the applicants at the Board
Retreat in early June. All applicants will be notified shortly thereafter of selections.
If you have any questions, please contact President-Elect,
Jessica Sager at president_elect@youngwomensalliance.org
What is the Leadership of the YWA and YWA Foundation?
The Board of Directors is the representative body of the Young Women’s Alliance
composed of women who take part in the administration of the organization’s affairs.
The Board of Directors has the power to conduct, manage, and control the affairs
and/or business of the Young Women’s Alliance in conformity with applicable federal
and state laws.
A separate Board of Directors governs the Young Women’s Alliance Foundation;
however, several Vice President positions sit on both boards.
Vice Presidents share their work with a committee, including several chair positions
with defined responsibilities.
What is the Young Women’s Alliance Purpose?
The Young Women's Alliance (YWA) is a women’s organization devoted to the
professional and personal development of business and civic leaders in our community.
Through training, education, mentoring, community organizing and resource
leveraging/sharing, YWA strives to develop women’s leadership skills, create long-lasting
friendships, build support systems and participate in meaningful community events.
The YWA Foundation is the 501(c)(3) non profit organization of the YWA. The Foundation
awards scholarships to young women in undergraduate, graduate school, or their junior or
senior year of college. Recipients are chosen based on demonstrated financial need,
commitment to community service and academic achievement.
The YWA and YWA Foundation seek a diverse group of women, with regards to race,
age, backgrounds and industries, who are active in their communities and possess a
strong commitment to advancing and supporting women.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIR POSITIONS
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Possess high standards of personal integrity and accountability
Willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to serve the
organization as indicated in the commitment section
Membership status must be current by payment of your $150 annual
dues
Sign the Chair Commitment (see below)
DESIRABLE SKILLS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIR POSITIONS
 Communication Skills
1.
Ability to consistently communicate with VP
 Ability to contribute ideas, thoughts and concerns with VP
 Ability to speak in Committee meetings regarding action items
and Chair position responsibilities
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Organizational Skills
1.
Maintain control of tasks and projects delegated by VP
2.
Timelines in completing projects
2.
Uphold a sense of personal responsibility
Interpersonal Skills
1.
Ensure work style is collaborative with fellow Committee Chairs
and Committee members
2.
Create and maintain relationships internally and externally that
are vital to role
3.
Represent YWA/F positively in the community
GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD POSITIONS
 General
 12 months of service to the organization
 Fulfillment of membership requirements
 Tolerance for a diversity of opinions and communication styles
 Committee Meetings
 Attend 80% of Committee meetings, arriving on time
 Notify VP if unable to attend Committee meeting
 Complete monthly re-caps for Committee meetings
 Succession
 Create and maintain document processes and procedures for
succeeding Committee Chair
 Active participation on Committee transition
Personal Information
Last Name:
First Name:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Member Since:
Employment Information
Company/Organization:
Job Title:
Business Mailing Address:
Office Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Preferred contact information?
Personal
Committee Chair Position(s) Applying For:
Work
Please refer to Committee Chair Position Descriptions in Appendix A for clarification
on roles and responsibilities.
If you are interested in applying for a Committee Chair Position, please indicate all
the Chair Position(s) that you are interested in serving: (1 = first choice, 2 = second
choice, 3 = third choice, etc). However, each applicant can only accept two (2)
Chair positions.
Due to the strength of the applicant pool, some Committee Chair applicants who
might otherwise meet the prerequisites may not be chosen. Such Committee Chair
applicants are strongly encouraged to serve as Committee Members.
Committee Chair applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview.
Au40 Event Sponsorship Co-Chair
Events Holiday Party Chair
Events Spring Fundraiser Chair
Finance Chair
Foundation Development Fundraising (FFC) Chair
Foundation Development Donor Relations Chair
Foundation Giving Higher Education Scholarships Chair
Marketing Blog Chair
Operations Website Chair (Developer)
Operations Dashboard Chair
Programs General Meetings Chair
Programs Sponsorship’s Chair
Short Answer Questions:
Please answer all of the following questions.
You may attach additional pages if needed.
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What is your interest and motivation for serving in a Committee Chair position
with YWA/F? What do you hope to accomplish personally and/or
professionally?
Briefly highlight what qualifications and skills you would bring to YWA/F while
serving in a Committee Chair position.
Please list three of your personal strengths.
What (if any) leadership positions do you currently hold in other
organizations?
Describe the role that you see YWA/F plays in the Austin community.
Annual Committee Chair Commitment
The Committee Chair Position requires 12 months of service. (June 1, 2015 through May
31, 2016).
If selected, each Committee Chair is required to:
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Fully participate in the Young Women’s Alliance and support the Young
Women’s Alliance Foundation.
Abide by the Committee values established by the Board of Directors at the
June Board Retreat.
Attend the following events, as well as any other key events for both YWA/F.
Monthly Committee Meetings
Beginning June 1, 2015; YWA/F Committee meetings are held once a month;
location may vary in and around the downtown area; date may vary due to
holidays. (Only 2 absences allowed with advance written notice to VP).
Monthly General Meetings
Beginning in June 17, 2015; YWA general meetings are held the 3
Wednesday of every month generally in the evening from 6:308:00pm. Occasionally a lunch meeting is held instead. (Only 2 absences
allowed with advance notice to VP).
rd
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Set up a Foundation Fundraising Campaign page. Fundraise a yearly goal of
$250 per service year. Goal can be attained through various fundraising
opportunities available throughout the year.
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Assist with Chair transition at the end of the service year.
If I am unable to comply with any of the above at anytime, I will notify the Vice
President as soon as possible to discuss how to continue service, or voluntarily
withdraw from my placement and assist to fill the position.
The above commitment statement and the information submitted with this application
are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Signed:
Date:
APPENDIX A
YWA COMMITTEE CHAIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS
&
YWAF COMMITTEE CHAIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS
2015-2016
Current YWA and YWAF Structure (subject to change):
YWA
Non-Committee:
President
Immediate Past President
President-Elect
Committee:
Community Service
Events
Finance
Marketing
Membership
Operations
Programs and Events
YWAF
Non-Committee:
President
Immediate Past President
President-Elect
Committee:
Austin Under 40
Events
Finance
Foundation Development
Foundation Giving
Marketing
Operations
Open Committee Chair Positions (alphabetically by Positions):
Austin Under 40 Committee
This committee is responsible for the coordination of the organization’s participation in
the annual Austin Under 40 (Au40) event co-hosted with the Young Men’s Business
League (YMBL).
Committee Responsibilities include:
 Acting as YWA liaison for event and managing YWA participation
 Maintaining all financial and operational tasks to accomplish goals
 Monitoring and recommending to the Board of Directors when areas of
Au40 are not in accord with the best interest of the group
 Cultivating relationships with current and prospective sponsors, members,
trustees, and other industry professionals; stimulating their interest and
involvement in the Au40 Gala
 Maintaining relationship with YMBL counterpart as it relates to the event
 Acting as adviser for each sub-committee within the Austin Under 40
event
 Recruiting committee members throughout the year
Event Sponsorship Chair
Secure sponsors for the AU 40 Gala. Create and maintain sponsor database, draft
pitch documents, execute pitches. Manage sponsor benefits by ensure sponsors at
each level receive proper benefits and sponsorship placement. Track sponsorship
sales and revenue. Coordinate with Event Fundraising chair on in-kind donations.
Events Committee
The Events Committee is responsible for the planning, organizing, and completion of
both member-only, and public events.
Committee Responsibilities Include:
 Annual Membership Appreciation Party
 Annual Holiday Party
 Annual Spring Fundraiser
Holiday Party Chair
Assist in coordinating the holiday party. Duties include purchasing decorations,
securing a venue, set up and break down of event, chairing a committee of
volunteers for the night of event, organizing food, drinks, music.
Spring Fundraiser Chair
Assist in coordinating the Spring Fundraiser. Duties include, working cohesively with
the Foundation VP’s to reach the goals for funds needing to be raised, secure a
venue, organizing food, drinks, music, etc.
Foundation Development Committee
The Development Committee works to raise donations for the YWA Foundation
through sponsorships, and member campaigns. They also thrive to develop each
member’s different skills they’re trying to develop or improve.
Committee Responsibilities Include:
 Coordinate all fundraising events and committee meetings
 Develop a plan for increased donations at the individual and corporate
level
 Solicit individual and corporate donations to meet development goals
 Maintain a database of donors
 Provide letters of appreciation and necessary tax documentation to
donors
 Provide donors with updates on how their donations have been used (i.e.
scholarship and grant recipients information
Donor Relations Chair
Identifies, builds, and fosters relationships with members, individual donors, and
corporate sponsors, in cooperation with similar chair positions on other committees,
including Programs and Events
Foundation Fundraising Campaign (FFC) Chair
Spearheads the fall FFC, including page setup, outreach, and outcome reporting
Foundation Giving Committee
The Giving Committee awards Foundation funds through three types of scholarships and
one community grant each year. In addition, the committee manages the marketing and
application process for scholarships and all communication with previous scholarship
recipients.
Committee Responsibilities include:
 Developing relationships with local nonprofits through community outreach so
as to encourage these organizations to apply for the YWAF Community Grant
 Refining grant and scholarship applications, scoring measures, and scoring
guidelines to ensure up-to-date, effective application documents are
produced each year
 Collaborating with Marketing and Operations Committees to promote YWAF
recipients in monthly newsletters, YWA blog, YWA facebook account, press
releases, and website features
 Engaging YWA members in the selection of grant and scholarship recipients
through in-person and virtual scoring sessions
 Maintaining communication with past and current YWAF recipients
 Responding to grant and scholarship inquiries
 Ensuring grant and scholarship payments are processed in a timely and
accurate manner
 Planning and hosting an annual Foundation Brunch to award current year
YWAF scholarship and grant recipients
Higher Education Scholarship Chair
Coordinates the annual YWAF Higher Education Scholarship. Reviews and updates the
scholarship application and scoring guidelines. Creates marketing content to publicize
the scholarship to qualifying applicants, manages outreach list for scholarship
marketing. Manages the collection and review of applications, YWA scoring sessions,
and semi-finalist interviews. Key skills developed in this position include: project
management, marketing, outreach, written and verbal communication, and interviewing.
Marketing Committee
The Marketing Committee is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the
organization’s brand and promoting awareness of both YWA and the YWA
Foundation.
Committee Responsibilities include:
 Change management marketing and communication
 Collateral material development
 Public relations
 Event promotion
 Monthly newsletter creation
 Maintenance of the organization’s social networking platforms, including
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
 YWA Blog design and content generation
Blog Chair
Responsible for maintaining the YWA blog by overseeing the coordination and
development of content for the blog. Monitor and deliver statistics monthly to VPs on
number of posts, highest traffic day, average duration of visit, and traffic sources.
Operations Committee
The Operations Committee is responsible for managing the administrative duties
within the organization as well as the youngwomensalliance.org website as a whole.
Committee Responsibilities include:
 Collecting board reports and distributing information at each board
meeting
 Keeping attendance at board meetings
 Acting as a parliamentarian at meetings, enforcing “Roberts Rules of
Order”
 Recording and publishing all meeting minutes and meeting notices in a
timely fashion
 Distributing phone list to Board of Directors
 Updating YWA bylaws document when necessary
 Reporting new members on a regular basis to Membership Committee
and Buzz Chair
 Acting as Moderator for the YWA Buzz
 Collaborate with other committees to promote events, newsletters, blog
posts, social media, press releases and other notables on the website
 Project management and implementation of website updates, including
content creation, revisions, SEO and site development.
Dashboard Chair
Collect monthly YWA statistics from board of directors for monthly and year-overyear reports. Publish statistics for use at board meetings.
Website Chair 2 (Developer) - experience required
Manage versioned hosting environment, strategize on code changes with existing
outside contractors and perform minor CSS updates. Document changes to siterelated information, including website host, email provider, project management
software, etc.
Programs Committee
The Programs Committee is responsible for the planning and logistics of monthly
General Meetings, YWA Connect, and networking events.
Committee Responsibilities include:
 Creating personal and professional development and networking
opportunities through monthly General Meetings
 Hosting networking events to strengthen the connection between the
organization’s members and those of other organizations in the Austin
community
 Managing the YWA Connect mentor program.
 Securing sponsorships to cover the costs of Programs events.
General Meeting Chair
Assist the VP of Programs with all logistics pertaining to monthly General
Meetings. Duties include:
1. Promote monthly event (i.e. via YWA LinkedIn group)
2. Track and report RSVP’s and attendance to VP of Programs
3. Coordinate General Meeting setup, check-in and “breakdown” (recruit
committee members to help)
Sponsorship Chair
Assist VP of Programs with securing sponsorships for General Meetings and other
networking events. Duties include:
1. Research prospective sponsors
2. Work with the VP of Programs to manage sponsor relationships