Green Thumb NOT Required: How to Become a Board Member

When you're at Raleigh City Farm (RCF), you can’t help but marvel at carefully manicured rows of vegetables, flowers teasing you to be plucked, or the sounds of volunteers in boisterous conversation. What’s the magic that puts all of this together like a well-oiled machine?

It’s the RCF board working in collaboration with the RCF Farm Team!

The board is the lynchpin that governs the non-profit organization and volunteers their “time, talent and treasure” in addition to defining the mission, values, and strategy. You may be surprised to learn that a green thumb is NOT required to be a board member.

Case in point is Jamie Ousterout, board member and Marketing/Communications Committee member. Jamie is the first to point out that she’s not a farmer, doesn’t have a degree in horticulture or work in the agricultural industry. Jamie grew up in Denver, Colorado but like many Triangle transplants, considers herself a converted Southerner. She joined the board at the prompting of her realtor to be better connected with her community.

This is Jamie’s first board service. What began as an innocent foray into volunteering on the Marketing/Communications Committee eventually grew into joining the board in 2018 and becoming a board officer serving as secretary in 2020 and co-chair in 2021-2022. During her time on the board, Jamie supported RCF through the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a strategic and major pivot (Read more about this pivot and RCF’s refreshed mission, vision, and values in a blog Jamie wrote to mark RCF’s 10-year anniversary).

Originally, RCF rented the space to a farmer who then distributed what was grown through a community supported agriculture (CSA) model. This wasn’t the best model and was sometimes confusing to community members and donors. In addition, the majority of donations came from just two events, which is dangerously undiversified for a non-profit organization. The farm has since successfully pivoted to hiring a farm manager, donating or selling produce in a pay-what-you-can model and overwhelmingly expanded its donor base.

Jamie enjoys being on the board because she believes in the mission of connecting and nourishing the community, through programs such as Farmshare and Pay-What-You-Can Farmstand. While board service is unpaid and requires a time commitment (monthly 90-minute board meetings and work between meetings), there are some tangible benefits beyond just doing good for the community and reducing food insecurity.

First, it’s a solid, proven way to get leadership experience. Learning how to motivate people without monetary incentives can be a downright challenge. You can leverage this experience to springboard your career or advance educational goals. Second, you can be extremely creative. Who knows, you might formulate the next strategic pivot. Finally, being on the board gives you the opportunity to make a visible, direct impact because you're either formulating and championing an idea or implementing it.

Ready to explore whether a board seat is right for you? Or do you want to dip your toes into water by volunteering on a committee such as Event Planning or Marketing/Communications? Learn more and apply here.