Welcome to KFW!
THE KENTUCKY FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN CALL FOR NEW BOARD MEMBER APPLICATIONS
Return Applications to KFW by Friday, July 31, 2009.
Download Board Member Application
The Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW) invites applications for up to three new Board members to serve three-year terms beginning September 15, 2009. Applicants for the Board should first and foremost be committed to the mission of the foundation, which is to promote positive social change by supporting varied feminist expression in the arts.
In addition, applicants should be comfortable identifying as a feminist or womanist, compatible with collaborative decision making, dedicated to acting in the best interests of KFW, open to new ideas, and willing to work with diverse points of view. Previous board experience is not required. Since KFW is a private independent foundation, Board members do not conduct fundraising activities.
As a statewide organization, the foundation strives to reflect Kentucky’s full cultural and ethnic diversity in its membership. The KFW Board especially encourages applications from women who meet one or more of this year’s designated priorities: women between the ages of 35 and 50 and those over 65; women from Congressional Districts 1, 2 or 5; and women of color. (If you aren’t sure which Congressional District you're in, click here to find out.)
The responsibilities of KFW Board members include:
- attending and actively participating in four Board meetings per year, usually held at the KFW office in Louisville;
- reviewing the investment policies and performance of the foundation’s assets and annual expenditures;
- overseeing KFW’s operating policies and programs, including the grants program and its residency and retreat center;
- building coalitions and partnerships throughout the state;
furthering the understanding of feminism in Kentucky and exploring the relationship of feminist art to systemic social change.
The KFW Board is active and meets quarterly. In addition, members are asked to serve on committees and lead Board activities. Since KFW is committed to collective decision-making, Board members must be willing to participate in a nonhierarchical manner, sharing information, power, and responsibility. Willingness to communicate across differences and ability to express differences with respect during Board meetings and in all communications with staff and constituents are crucial.
KFW Board membership offers exciting opportunities to support positive social change in Kentucky, to develop new areas of expertise and friendships, and to further the development of feminist arts and related concerns. Board members serve as volunteers, but KFW pays mileage and other travel costs to attend Board meetings and to participate in other foundation activities. No Board member or any member of her immediate family may, however, receive a grant from the foundation during her time of service.
The feminist-led, arts-centered movement for social justice is growing in Kentucky!
Find out what is happening here and how you can be involved.
The mission of the Kentucky Foundation for Women is to promote positive social change by supporting varied feminist expression in the arts. When women and girls advance, so does Kentucky.
KFW carries out this mission through:
Two Grant Programs: Each year the Foundation awards $200,000 to feminist artists and social change organizations in Kentucky through two grant programs: Artist Enrichment and Art Meets Activism.
Residencies and Retreats for women and girls: Hopscotch House Retreat and Residency Center is a KFW program that serves women and girls in Kentucky by providing a supportive setting for feminist artists and activists to create, connect, and convene.
The KFW Hot Flash: E-News for Everyone: Weekly and Special Edition emails include announcements, opportunities, and action steps.
Creating and sharing resources about feminism and social change: Check out the KFW Feminist Timeline. Have fun taking the Women’s History Quiz to test your knowledge. If you don’t know all the answers, don’t worry, see the Answers to the Women’s History Quiz, and learn more about our foremothers. If you visit Hopscotch House, be sure to spend time in the Library there, which offers a wide variety of websites, books, articles, and artwork on feminism and activism.
Although KFW focuses on Kentucky, you can participate in feminist art and social change wherever you live!
Here are a few examples of what you can do:
SUPPORT feminist artists in your community by attending their readings and performances, visiting galleries showing their work, and purchasing their art.
WRITE a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about how feminist artists contribute to the advancement of women and girls.
LEARN more about the history of feminism and activism in your hometown by interviewing wise women, like grandmothers, mothers, and aunts.
READ books and articles about feminism and activism. Feminism is for Everyone by Kentucky author bell hooks is a great place to start.
SHARE your favorite story about the positive power of feminist art with a friend.
START a blog highlighting your ideas on feminism, art, and social change as a catalyst to further discussion and understanding of these important topics.
