Opportunities From: HandsOn Twin Cities

Board of Directors Information

Nominees for the Clouds in Water Zen Center Board of Directors shall:

Have a strong interest in, and commitment to, the overall vision and goals of Clouds in Water Zen Center. We participate in all the activities associated with developing the vision. We volunteer to help the executive director and guiding teacher in executing goals. We promote the vision by talking about it with the larger community. When we have energy to work in specific areas, we embrace that. We don’t let working in specific areas put us out of touch with the center’s broader goals. We offer ideas to help realize the vision. Demonstrate commitment to ongoing spiritual practice within the sangha. We have participated in classes, retreats, sesshins, or receiving the precepts, either at Clouds in Water or in another Buddhist We see board service as spiritual practice, and we also continue our practice within the community’s forms to keep ourselves grounded during our service as board members. There will be times, however, when our organizational needs make it relevant for a board member to serve who is neither a member of the Clouds community, nor a Zen student. Demonstrate qualities of independence of thought and leadership. We initiate policies, not merely react to staff initiatives. If we are a student of a Clouds in Water teacher, we are able to manage the complexities of being a student while holding the teacher accountable for the performance of the organization. We keep ourselves informed on what makes excellence in governing and visibly challenge ourselves to learn and improve. Have the time and energy to perform Board duties. We show up for meetings and miss no more than three meetings per year (meetings are held each month, usually Sunday from 11 – 1, plus one day-long planning session). We arrive at meetings on time and prepared. We contribute our ideas and opinions and help keep meetings focused and effective. We follow through on the commitments we make to do things. We volunteer to do the work the Board needs to do, such as serving on committees and taking leadership on special projects. We make a one-to-three-year commitment to our service on the board. Average time commitment: 8 hours per month. Note: currently in this rebuilding phase in 2022, we are accepting members on the board who may only have time to prepare for and attend board meetings. Thus, the average time may be closer to 4 hours/month. Be interested in and capable of working with others to further the overall vision and goals of Clouds in Water. In addition to being good leaders, we are also good listeners and respond to the ideas of others with an open mind. We enjoy the close interaction and relationships with other board members and the knowledge that we are contributing to the cause and the success of Clouds in Water and the Dharma. Will be in agreement with the board that we live in a racist society and that Clouds in Water is a predominantly white institution working toward racial equity. We understand that to effectively dismantle the white supremacy that’s embedded as a matter of course in this society’s institutions we must be actively anti-racist. This is a process of ongoing education and continual work. There may be specific training organized for white and BIPOC board members to attend separately and/or together in order to better equip us in our sustained efforts toward racial equity. Will be in agreement that we live in a patriarchal society and that those who are not cis-male enter institutional spaces at a social disadvantage; often being condescended to, patronized, or presumed less competent. We understand that to effectively dismantle patriarchy we must actively promote and provide a platform for the voices of those marginalized by patriarchy and cissexism. This involves a conscious effort on the part of cis-males on the board to be aware of how much space they are taking up in dialogue, wait their turns to speak, receive the gift of constructive feedback and, when necessary, to give social priority to others. Will be in agreement that we live in a heteronormative society and that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and asexual people have been historically marginalized and unwelcome in many institutions, especially religious ones. We understand that in order to be a true refuge we must actively dismantle heterosexism and divest from heterosexist assumptions. This includes noticing and not using heterosexist language or jokes that promote heteronormativity. We also offer our pronouns upon introduction, and we honor the pronouns of others. We are open to correction from our peers regarding pronouns and we offer the gift of correction freely. Be willing to be visible in the community, as in attending Sunday services and community events. We get to know community members, help educate them about our vision and activities, and invite them to participate actively with the community. We show up for services, councils, classes and Sangha events. (Note: This does not apply to board members recruited from outside the organization). Show leadership in fundraising. Participate in all aspects of fundraising in accordance with our financial circumstances, including contributing to and helping with all major fundraising activities. Have a basic knowledge of governing documents, financial records, and budgets. We attend an orientation on the board manual within a month of joining the board. We are familiar with Clouds in Water Zen Center’s budget and financial records. We are aware of what the financial records disclose and make sure that regular audits are conducted, or at least that proper internal controls are in place. We take on the duty to protect, preserve, invest and manage Clouds in Water Zen Center’s property consistent with donor restrictions and legal requirements. Avoid conflict of interest, including: disclosing involvements that might give rise to a conflict of interest, and absenting oneself from participating in decisions about an issue that poses a conflict of interest. Become familiar with the Clouds in Water Ethical Guidelines and Grievance procedure. Uphold ethical standards for leaders outlined there. Represent un-conflicted loyalty to the interests of Clouds in Water Zen Center. We respect the confidentiality of board business regarding sensitive issues.

Additional responsibilities of Clouds in Water Board Members

Each board member is expected to assume additional responsibilities, such as board officer position, board committee membership or ad hoc board work. Board officers are elected by the board at the October meeting.

Board Officers

The Chair shall convene regularly scheduled Board meetings, shall preside or arrange for other members of the Executive Committee to preside at each meeting in the following order: Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Chair shall appoint all committee members and chairpersons.

The Vice-Chair will chair committees on special subjects as designated by the Chair and shall exercise the office of Chair in the Chair’s absence or as delegated.

The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of Board actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and agenda to each Board member, sending meeting summaries to the membership and assuring that corporate records are maintained.

The Treasurer shall chair the finance committee; assist in the preparation of the budget; oversee fundraising plans; keep accurate financial records for the corporation; oversee cash management and investments; conduct financial planning, reporting and analysis needed to support the board; and make financial information available to Board members and the public.

A List of Clouds in Water Committees that contain Board members, report to the Board, or have members appointed by the Board:

Executive Committee

Members are the four Board elected positions and two ex-officio Board members: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Guiding Teacher, and Executive Director Acts as interim board between board meetings when necessary Sometimes meets prior to board meetings to plan agenda

Executive Review Committee(s)

Reviews executive director and guiding teacher

 Finance Committee

Executive Director, Treasurer, plus two other members (one board, one non-board) Develops and reviews fiscal procedures, a fundraising plan and annual budget Submits quarterly financial reports to board

Nominating Committee

Includes the Board Chair (unless the chair is up for re-election), two other board members and at least one member from the community at large. Handles recruiting and publicizing for board member elections

Strategic Planning Committee

Proposes and implements processes for evaluating mission and for setting goals and direction for the Sangha Plans annual board retreat

Development Plan Committee

Drive the development plan process, implementation, updates and evaluation.

 Ethics and Reconciliation (EAR) Committee

Pro-Actively works to ensure healthy relationship across the organization Responds to complaints and grievances while acting in accord with the ethical guidelines Board acts as grievance committee in the absence of a working EAR committee

We value the great diversity of our culture, including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, creed, religious background, ability, income, family status, and level of practice.

We intend that there be no exclusion from our community or its training opportunities on the basis of arbitrary cultural factors. When it becomes apparent that there is an issue, we will address it.

We place a high value on community as an expression of our interdependence.

Following the Bodhisattva way, we nourish a community with a shared commitment to conscious, wise and virtuous action for the benefit of all beings.

We value our inter-relatedness with communities of the larger world.

We understand that our Bodhisattva vow commits us to actions that benefit the common life of the larger community. This includes the neighborhoods we practice in, other Zen centers, and the civic communities of which we are a part.