Join the LondonFuse Board of Directors

We are looking for volunteers to join our Board of Directors! 

Our volunteer board of directors is the backbone of our organization, giving strength to our mission and supporting our contributors’ pursuit to promote arts and culture in London, Ontario and beyond. We are looking for an Editorial Director and a Fundraising & Sales Director to join our board.

Who You Are

You are active in your community and appreciate good storytelling. You want to help to define London’s culture and lead a group of active community members. You have experience with not-for-profit organizations. 

For those interested in the Editorial Director position: You are interested in telling the lesser told stories of London, Ontario. You are passionate about helping others develop creative skills. You are communicative, patient, and detail-oriented. You have a keen eye for editing, and you understand how to shape articles that are bold, engaging, and tailored for the web. You are comfortable working with WordPress or are willing to learn. 

For those interested in the Fundraising & Sales Director position: You have experience with fundraising or are interested in learning more about fundraising, including grant writing. You’re good at coming up with creative ways to meet organizational needs. You’re comfortable doing outreach to new clients or partners. You’re good at keeping on top of administrative tasks and meeting deadlines. 

Who We Are

LondonFuse New Media Collective (LondonFuse) is a registered not-for-profit organization that serves as a treasure map for London, with a focus on documenting and spreading the word about London’s unique culture and arts scene.

We are made up of a Board of Directors and a group of fierce volunteers. LondonFuse has seen many contributing members come and go… and many times come back again. All of our projects and events are truly a community endeavour, which makes what we do so exciting and rewarding. 

What LondonFuse Does

LondonFuse produces written and visual content that has three main mediums intended to promote community engagement:

• LondonFuse.ca is our online publication.
• Our Contributor Program fuels our online publication and provides an outlet and experience for community members.
• LondonFuse Directory highlights the must-see places to eat, shop, or visit in London.

The Board

We’re currently seeking community-minded individuals to join our Board for a two-year term. 

The LondonFuse Board of Directors is a working board, overseeing the fiscal responsibility and strategic vision of the organization. The commitment of a LondonFuse Board member is typically 8-10 hours per month, including two hours in preparation for meetings, with one mandatory Board Meeting each month (except for August and December) and voluntary committee meetings. At this time, due to COVID-19, our meetings are held virtually. When it is safe to gather, they are held at Innovation Works in downtown London. 

All are welcome to indicate their interest or nominate others they feel might be appropriate. 

Duties Include: 

For the Editorial Director:

• Shape the larger content direction of LondonFuse.ca, painting a bigger picture of what types of content LondonFuse should focus on according to the response of the community and the mission of LondonFuse
• Act as the editor-in-chief of the LondonFuse.ca Digital Publication produced by LondonFuse New Media Collective
• Work closely with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director to embed equitable approaches to LondonFuse’s mission
• Brainstorm and share ideas for content with the LondonFuse Contributor Committee, attend Contributor Committee meetings and maintain strong communication with the Volunteer Director
• Communicate with Contributors with regard to pitches and articles, helping shape pitches to meet the mission of LondonFuse
• Edit submitted drafts from Contributors for clarity, correctness, and style, according to the LondonFuse Style Guide
• Annual review and update of the LondonFuse Content Strategy and Style Guide
• Prepare and publish LondonFuse articles and photo galleries on LondonFuse.ca using LondonFuse’s implementation of the WordPress platform
• Connect with the LondonFuse Board Marketing Director to ensure a flowing pipeline from publishing content to marketing the content on LondonFuse social media channels 
• Attend all Board and Committee meetings prepared
• Participate as a decision-making Board Director

For the Fundraising & Sales Director:

• Collaborate closely with the Board to seek out funding opportunities and grants 
• Work with Marketing Director to help promote fundraising initiatives
• Take the lead in writing grants and other funding requests 
• Regularly present the status of fundraising programs to the Board
• Create materials for fundraising efforts, including a case for support, donation campaigns, and corporate sponsorship requests
• Manage sales for online ads and sponsored content
• Coordinate the LondonFuse online merch shop
• Help create and manage fundraising events 
• Seek out new partnerships in the community to bring in funding
• Attend all Board and Committee meetings prepared
• Participate as a decision-making Board Director
• Participate in contributor programming and content creation
• Promote LondonFuse and represent the organization positively

Benefits

• Gain experience editing a web publication and working with SEO plugins (Editorial Director)
• Support emerging writers in building a portfolio of excellent content they can use to gain employment and creative fulfillment (Editorial Director)
• Develop skills related to fundraising, grant writing, event planning, and sales (Fundraising & Sales Director)
• Access opportunities to further develop professional and interpersonal skills
• Meet a team of volunteers who are passionate about their city and pretty fun, if we do say so ourselves 
• Learn more about the Forest City and contribute to its vibrant arts and culture scene
• Build your local network of young professionals and creatives 
• And more!

Expressions Of Interest

We’d love for you to express your interest in any way that feels most natural to you. Please submit your expression of interest by January 17, 2022.

Your expression of interest could include: 

• Your current (if any) involvement with LondonFuse or other community organizations
• Your interests and passion in the work being done (or that can be done) in London’s arts and culture community
• Your relevant skills and expertise 
• Any prior experience that is relevant to the role
• Any unique perspectives, viewpoints, or experiences that you may have
• Anything else that will help us get to know you better

Feel free to submit your expression of interest in any format you like via email to admin@londonfuse.ca. Accommodations will be made for those candidates requiring additional accessible methods. 

Once we’ve received your expressions of interest, they will be reviewed by our current board members. We commit to being transparent through the process.

If you’d like to learn more about the Board and our work, feel free to reach out.

LondonFuse strives to foster a welcoming environment for all members of the London community, without regard to race, gender, age, colour, national origin, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Feature photo by Carrie Freele.