Volunteers Needed for Education and Workforce Training Advisory Committee at Community Foundation

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM)

CFWM seeks to enrich the quality of life of the people of our region by encouraging philanthropy; developing a perpetual, flexible endowment; assessing and responding to emerging and changing needs; serving as a resource, catalyst, and coordinator for charitable activities; promoting efficiency in the management of charitable funds.

Strategic Vision: We are committed to increasing equity and opportunity so that all residents of Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties have access to a satisfying quality of life.

CFWM volunteers support our community by serving as reviewers, committee members, Advisors and Trustee/Directors who are invested in our community, have a commitment for advancing equity in our region, interest and/or experience in community or educational engagement, fundraising, investments, financial audits and budgeting, and/or nonprofit work.

Intersectional equity is a cornerstone of the Foundation's work. We are committed to aligning our staff and volunteers through our shared organizational values including community wisdom, collaboration, equity, integrity, and justice.

In alignment with CFWM’s strategic priority to advance equity in Western Massachusetts, the Foundation seeks volunteers who collectively reflect the diversity of the region—across gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability, and geographic representation from Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire counties.

Education and Workforce Training Advisory Group

The Education and Workforce Training Advisory Group provides strategic advice and guidance to support the development of strategies to advance completion of post-secondary education and workforce development at CFWM. Committee members are expected to attend quarterly meetings, during which they will review and evaluate scholarship, loan, and grant applications. Members will be asked to champion CFWM educational and training initiatives throughout Western Massachusetts at community events, convenings, and additional outreach opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Education and Workforce Training Advisory Group members:

• Attend and actively participate in advisory group meetings, offering both personal and professional guidance to inform CFWM’s grantmaking, outreach, and community input, bridging the gap to help identify unmet educational/workforce training needs and barriers to completion
• Learn about and champion CFWM’s programs, serving as ambassadors within the community.
• Review grantmaking recommendations with curiosity, fairness, and a commitment to equity; thereby supporting the development of recommendations to the Community Impact Committee.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding all information reviewed as part of committee work.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest to ensure transparency and integrity in the decision-making process.
• Serve as a connector, collaborator and thought partner for CFWM’s Education & Workforce related initiatives

Members will be invited to participate in grant review activities, learning sessions, or community conversations that deepen understanding of local issues.

Time Commitment

• The committee meets approximately 4 times per year (throughout the year), in a mix of in person and virtual formats.
• Members will be expected to participate in scholarship and/or grantmaking application review held throughout the year, generally requiring about two hours per review cycle.
• Members may be asked to attend convenings, tabling, community outreach events promoting related opportunities at CFWM
• Members will participate in a voluntary capacity, and will not have voting responsibilities on behalf of CFWM

CFWM may also offer optional learning opportunities or community events that volunteers can attend as their schedules allow.

Experience and Skills

In alignment with CFWM’s strategic priority to advance equity in Western Massachusetts, the Education and Workforce Training Advisory Group seeks volunteers who collectively reflect the diversity of the region—across gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability, and geographic representation from Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire counties.

Volunteers may bring a variety of lived, educational, and professional experiences. Advisory Group members often include:

• Nonprofit professionals
• Current and/or previous experience working in Education and/or Workforce training (early education, K-12, post-secondary education, workforce/career training)
• Grantmaking or philanthropic professionals
• Individuals with lived experience or passion for educational access, retention, and completion
• Western Massachusetts stakeholders and employers

Experience related to CFWM’s strategic priorities—education, nonprofit capacity building, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion centered on racial equity—is particularly welcome. However, these are examples, not requirements; the committee benefits from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives.

Strong volunteers are:

• Curious, open to learning, and ready to discuss educational initiatives
• Collaborative and community minded
• Committed to equitable, mission driven work
• Willing to engage in thoughtful dialogue with fellow volunteers and stakeholders

Additional information and timeline

CFWM is currently recruiting volunteers who will serve on the Education and Workforce Training Advisory Committee beginning in Fall 2027. We will need 7-10 members, preferably from across all three counties. We hope to confirm volunteers in time to learn more about our work by participating in our annual scholarship review process in Spring 2027.

For more information and submit a request to volunteer please visit: https://communityfoundation.org/contact/volunteer-with-your-community-foundation/

If you need help completing the form in the link above please contact Briana Wales-Thaxton at bwales@communityfoundation.org