Animal Welfare Professionals

Good Home Pet Adoptions

Board of Directors Candidate Information     

Thank you for your interest in helping animals through serving on the board of directors for Good Home Pet Adoptions.

The Good Home Pet Adoptions Nominating Committee is conducting a search for individuals to serve on the board of directors. The information below explains the goals and process for this search and the appointment of new board members. 

Humane Network is assisting Good Home Pet Adoptions with this recruitment effort. If you have any questions, please reach out to Diane Blankenburg at info@humanenetwork.org.

About Good Home Pet Adoptions

Good Home Pet Adoptions, located in Central Brooklyn, New York, is a 501(c)(3) animal welfare group that re-homes kittens and friendly adult cats we encounter during trap-neuter-return (TNR) projects. To support these efforts, we maintain a small trap bank, have a growing network of foster homes, and run a strong adoption program that focuses on matchmaking. We also accept a small number of owner surrendered cats, depending on the circumstances.

All of our cats, including kittens, are vaccinated, SNAP tested, spayed or neutered, and microchipped before “graduating.” They also receive any specialized medical care they may need, such as dental work. Behavioral issues are treated with the same attention and care as medical needs.

We believe that every animal is sentient and possesses unique characteristics that are worthy of our respect, understanding, and recognition.

Our Mission

The mission of Good Home Pet Adoptions is to:

·       Help and support unwanted animals in need of rescue from suffering, abandonment, abuse, and/or euthanasia by responsibly fostering them and facilitating their adoptions into loving and committed forever homes.

·       Educate the general public and promote awareness about these issues.

·       Help and support other organizations with a similar mission.

About the Board of Directors

The board of directors is tasked with:

·       Ensuring the financial health of the organization to create sustainability and growth.

·       Keeping the organization on track to fulfill its mission.

·       Helping evolve the mission towards the possibility of opening up a spay/neuter and wellness clinic.

Serving on the Good Home Pet Adoptions Board of Directors is only one of several meaningful ways to get involved with the organization and support animals. In addition to a commitment to helping animals, board members are expected to participate in ensuring that adequate financial resources are available for the organization to do its work and that it becomes financially sustainable. This includes making personal contributions as well as helping with fundraising in a meaningful way.  

Recruitment and Selection Process

The board recruitment and selection process is a planned effort with specific steps designed to help ensure the organization attracts and maintains a high level of volunteer leadership.

The board member recruitment and selection process is as follows:

·       The nominating committee has defined the needs and selection criteria for board members – laid out in this document.

·       The committee will promote the opportunity broadly to the public as well as recruitment through other contacts in the community.

·       Candidates will submit responses to questions in the board application by Diane Blankenburg at info@humanenetwork.org with Good Home Pet Adoptions Application in the subject line

·       Applicants will receive a prompt email response when applications are received followed by an update on their application’s status within four weeks.

·       The nominating committee will review each application to see if the candidate’s skills match the pre-determined criteria and the organization’s need for varied skills and experiences on the board.

·       Applicants who are identified as candidates will be asked to participate in a phone interview. 

·       Top candidates selected through the phone interviews may be asked to meet in person with the committee members.

·       Selected board members will be required to sign the Good Home Pet Adoptions board contract and conflict of interest policy.

·       Applicants who are not selected for board service may be asked to assist Good Home Pet Adoptions in other ways.

Criteria for Selection Good Home Pet Adoptions Board Members

While the following criteria are not the only factors that will be considered in the selection of board members, they are some of the most significant ones. While every candidate is not expected to possess all of these skills, the goal is to create a team of board members that together possess the skills necessary to successfully lead Good Home Pet Adoptions.

·       Ability to make the commitment of time, both in terms of duration and frequency.

·       Professional skills or experiences related to needed functions, including but not limited to marketing/communications, finance/accounting, legal expertise, HR, management of people, facilities management, and other business and professional skills.

·       Business and personal contacts/connections that will be valuable to Good Home Pet Adoptions.

·       Strong interpersonal skills.

·       Ability to work well and cooperatively with others, while also being willing to speak up about issues or concerns.

·       Diversity of experience and background.

·       Past board experience.

·       Fundraising experience and successes.

·       Compassion for animals and commitment to the cause.

Primary Functions of the Board of Directors

The primary functions of nonprofit boards are:

·       Establishing the direction of the organization and setting high-level policy.

·       Ensuring the legal, ethical, and financial wellbeing of the organization, including protecting assets and providing fiscal oversight.

·       Evaluating the executive director’s performance, supporting the executive director, and hiring a new executive director when needed.

·       Monitoring standards of operation and the strength and effectiveness of programs and results.

·       Functioning as an ambassador for the organization in the community, assisting with raising funds, and enhancing the organization’s public standing.

·       Building a competent board of directors.

Board Expectations

Each board member of Good Home Pet Adoptions is expected to:

·       Commit to serving a two-year term.

·       Attend at least 75% of board meetings, meetings of committees on which they serve, and special Good Home Pet Adoptions events. The Good Home Pet Adoptions board of directors will typically meet monthly. In the event of an emergency, board members may be asked to meet more frequently.  Additionally, board committees often meet monthly. Attendance via conference call may be acceptable for some meetings. Time commitment,

·       Interpret the organization's work and values to the community, represent the organization, and act as a spokesperson when called upon.

·       Make a personal financial contribution at a level that is meaningful to them, with a minimum annual commitment of $300. This could be accomplished in monthly installments.

·       Actively participate in one or more fundraising activities (e.g. grant/sponsorship solicitation, event planning, high donor connections, etc.) and agree to help raise at least $3,000 annually.

·       Sign a board member contract and conflict of interest policy and abide by these agreements.

·       Stay actively engaged and informed about what's going on in the organization; ask questions, participate in discussions, request information, and take responsibility for making decisions on issues, policies, and other board matters.

·       Work in good faith with staff and other board members as partners towards achievement of Good Home Pet Adoptions goals.

·       Serve on a voluntary basis. Board members will not be compensated for service, transportation, or other costs associated with serving on the board. 

If you are interested in serving on the board, please complete the Good Home Pet Adoptions Board of Directors Application and email it to Diane Blankenburg at info@humanenetwork.org.

Other volunteer leadership opportunities: If the board commitment is greater than you are looking for right now, there are other opportunities for volunteer leadership within the organization. We would be happy to plan a call with you to discuss this further in the near future. To request this call, please email Diane Blankenburg at info@humanenetwork.org.