Board Search Open Call

The Independence Public Media Foundation is looking for four to six new board members in the greater Philadelphia region, who are eager to bring new and different perspectives, experiences, and skills to our organization in 2025. 

We are a private philanthropic foundation focused on moving resources within the Philadelphia region toward community-owned media and internet, and catalyzing movements for justice through narratives that educate, inspire, and encourage action toward a more liberatory future. You can read all about our incredible community partners here.

If you share our passion and vision for a local media ecosystem fueled by communities who produce and distribute their own stories, and you want to be part of an organization that is working hard to fully embody our values of courage, equity, justice, belonging, and joy, we hope you will consider applying. 

Click here to fill out the online application. The deadline is June 14, 2024 at 5pm (EST). See more instructions in "How to Fill Out and Submit Your Application" section below.

If you’re interested but maybe also a little unsure if you really have the qualifications to be a board member of a foundation, let us assure you. You do not need a degree or a salary. And you will not be asked to fundraise or contribute your personal funds to anything. Our board and staff come from all walks of life. What unites us is our dedication to grassroots media, and to shifting our power to communities by sharing IPMF's funds, time, and connections with them, amplifying their voices and knowledge, and supporting their self determination. If that sounds good to you too, read on for more info.

We are committed to enhancing the diversity of our board to better reflect the demographic makeup of the greater Philadelphia area. We value a broad range of skills and experiences and welcome individuals from all backgrounds.

We particularly encourage those who may bring perspectives that are currently underrepresented on our board to apply, including Indigenous peoples, people of color, trans/nonbinary individuals, immigrants, young people, formerly incarcerated individuals, and people with disabilities.

Additionally, we are seeking individuals with expertise in digital equity, and impact investing and/or community development experience, who can offer valuable insights into our initiatives and help us address the unique challenges and opportunities facing our organization. We also encourage current grantees to consider applying.

Even if none of the specific criteria above applies, your unique perspective and experiences can be valuable to us as we work to address the needs of the communities we serve.

Some Board Member Basics

• Board members live in the region (loosely defined as Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware)
• The board meets four times a year for half day meetings
• Each board member participates actively in one or two board + staff collaborative committees (we call them “Teams”), which tend to meet virtually monthly or every other month, depending on the team, and often require some participation between meetings. We have teams focused on learning, governance, and investments, as well as other teams on an as-needed basis, such as our audit team, and a team to lead the search for new board members
• IPMF does not currently compensate board members; however, to honor board members’ time and energy spent with the foundation, each board member has the opportunity to donate $5,000 a year to the nonprofit(s) of their choice.
• Board members serve three-year terms, up to a maximum of three terms (nine years total).
• Board members are not expected to fundraise on behalf of the organization or make donations.

How the Open Call Process Works

• We will review all applications and respond to all applicants. Depending on the volume of resumes we receive, it may take us a while to respond to everyone.
• The process includes an initial quick interview (20 minutes) to narrow the pool of applicants, then a first interview (virtual, 60 minutes), and if selected, a second interview (virtual or in-person, 60 minutes). The two 60-minute interviews are with a group of board and staff members. 
• We anticipate the following schedule for this process:
  • Applications due - June 14, 2024
  • Brief initial interview - June / early July
  • First interviews - July and September (we do not anticipate interviews in August)
  • Decisions made on candidates for 2nd interviews - early October
  • Second interviews - October and November
  • Final decisions made - early December
• We recognize this is a long timeline, particularly for the first round of interviews. It is designed to align with our quarterly board meetings, so that we have time for thoughtful discussion and decisions at those meetings.

The deadline to apply is June 14, 2024, 5pm EST.

How to Fill Out and Submit Your Application

Please fill out the application below and submit it using one of the following methods:

1. Google Form: Fill out the application online by clicking here.
2. Printable PDF: Print the application, fill it out, and email a scanned copy to board@independencemedia.org . Long answers may be written or typed on a separate sheet of paper if necessary. 

3. Mail-in Application: Print the application, fill it out, and mail it to:
   Independence Public Media Foundation 
   1800 JFK Blvd, Ste 300
   PMB 95002
   Philadelphia, PA 19103. 

   Long answers may be written or typed on a separate sheet of paper if necessary. 

Application must be received by June 14.

If you require accommodations or need to submit the application in a different format, please reach out to IPMF at board@independencemedia.org. We will do our best to accommodate your needs within reason of our capacity.

Thank you for your interest in joining the board of IPMF.

About Independence Public Media Foundation
Formerly known as WYBE Channel 35, Independence Public Media Foundation was founded in 2018 when WYBE sold its broadcast license as part of the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadcast Incentive Auction and received a one-time payment of $131.5 million. With these funds, IPMF supports community-owned and -led media and internet projects in the Greater Philadelphia area. The foundation envisions a local media landscape that truly reflects the diverse and complex lived experiences of its residents by moving resources to communities historically harmed by systems of oppression and media erasure.