Take an active role in your community and serve a non-profit organization’s board which provides invaluable support to young adults with disabilities striving to live independently.
Integrated Living Opportunities (ILO) is a nonprofit organization based in DC and Maryland that provides services and supports adults with Down Syndrome, Autism, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (self-advocates) to live independently.
ILO is a coalition comprised of Self-Advocates, Participating Families, ILO Staff, Executive Director, and a Board of Directors. Together we create supportive communities of peers and caring people who help self-advocates transition to independent living.
Our goal is the utmost independence and self-reliance possible, with a safe network of support when it’s needed for our self-advocates.
If you have an interest, previous experience serving on a board or experience in disability advocacy, business development, fundraising, human resources, finance, affordable housing or any other talents or abilities you feel would be useful to our organization, please contact us at info@ilonow.org. We need your help!
The Board of Directors of Integrated Living Opportunities is responsible for:
- Actively partnering with the Executive Director in long-range and strategic planning for the organization, including: a. upholding the vision for Integrated Living Opportunities on behalf of the participants families; and, b. determining goals and strategies necessary to achieve the organizational vision.
- Providing programmatic oversight by periodically assessing the organization’s progress toward achieving its mission and vision.
- Exercising fiduciary oversight to ensure that the resources of the organization are used in furtherance of its tax-exempt purpose, including: a. establishing an annual operating budget for the organization; b. arranging for the financial statements of the organization to be audited annually by an independent certified public accountant; c. regularly monitoring the financial performance of the organization in comparison to the operating budget.
- Providing policy direction and guidance for the organization through the review of position statements, advocacy agendas, and similar documents.
- Help raise financial resources and contribute other resources necessary to operate the organization.
- Provide for the executive management of Integrated Living Opportunities by supervising and regularly evaluating the Executive Director.
- Managing its own affairs, including the education, training, evaluation. and development of board members and the assessment of board performance.
- Commit to serve on the Board for a 3-year term.
- The board members have the right to ask a family to leave ILO if the family is not abiding by the commitment agreement signed when asked to join.
Individual Responsibilities of Board Members:
Individuals serving on the Board of Directors of Integrated Living Opportunities are responsible for:
- Upholding the mission, vision, core values and guiding principles and position statements of Integrated Living Opportunities.
- Attending and participating in regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors. The failure to attend three consecutive board meetings shall be grounds for removal.
- Staying informed about the business and activities of Integrated Living Opportunities, including the nature and extent of its programs and services.
- Actively participating on a board committee and in activities of importance to Integrated Living Opportunities.
- Abiding by Integrated Living Opportunities’ Conflict of Interest policy, including completing and signing an annual Conflict of Interest statement.
- Annually providing a meaningful personal charitable contribution to Integrated Living Opportunities. This meaningful contribution will be $1000 a year for the first three years of ILO.
- Participating in Integrated Living Opportunities’’ fundraising efforts by: a. for board members that are employed by businesses or corporations that engage in charitable giving, assisting in obtaining a corporate or corporate foundation contribution or other support from the board member’s employer; b. for all board members, identifying any personal or professional contacts the board member may have with individuals, foundations or corporations that may be prospects to support Integrated Living Opportunities and, in consultation and coordination with Integrated Living Opportunities’ Executive Director, assist in cultivating relationships with those individuals and organizations.
- Participating in recruiting and retaining organizational, business, and individual and family members.
- Serving as an advocate and ambassador for Integrated Living Opportunities and for the interests of the self-advocates and their families.
- Providing counsel and advice, upon request of management, in areas of the board member’s expertise.
- For new board members, attending a Board Orientation.
