Join our Board of Directors
Blog | October 1, 2025
Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance are currently accepting applications for their Boards of Directors!
We encourage you to apply if you’re passionate about protecting and advancing reproductive rights, increasing access to reproductive health care — especially abortion care — pursuing policy changes that support abortion access, and value reproductive justice and autonomy for communities across our state.
What do you need to know about joining the Abortion Forward or the Abortion Forward Alliance board?
Abortion Forward, a 501(c)(4) organization, and Abortion Forward Alliance, a 501(c)(3) organization, are grounded in the principles of reproductive justice. We are working to maintain and expand abortion access in Ohio. We are looking for board members who are interested in engaging in this strategic work and support this next phase of our work. If you’re interested and willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work, we need you!
The boards and their members have specific roles and associated responsibilities as the two organizations’ governing bodies. Learn more about this in the position description below.
We welcome applications from all who are interested in supporting Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance through board service. It is helpful for us to have board members with a variety of specific skills, expertise, and lived experience. If you have any expertise in these areas, please include this information in your application: HR, accounting, fundraising, PR and media, business and financial planning, organizing, advocacy, electoral politics (ideally in the reproductive health, rights, and justice sector but any and all social justice expertise is welcome). We are also committed to the inclusion of people who are deeply connected to the following communities: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, people in rural communities, and those in Southwest Ohio and Southeast Ohio.
Ready to apply? Please fill out this application form and have two reference forms completed on your behalf. We are accepting rolling applications through October 31, 2025 with the goal of onboarding new Board members in January 2026 with the expectation of attending the March board meeting.
If you have any questions, please email board@abortionforward.org.
We hope that you’ll consider applying to join one of our boards and thank you for your continued support for Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance!
Abortion Forward/Abortion Forward Alliance
Board of Directors Position Description
Board members shall:
● Be committed to the missions of Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance.
Attend four 4-hour board meetings per year (2 virtual and 2 in person), monthly planning meetings (1 hour), and other committee meetings and training as necessary.
● Assist in developing policies and understand their responsibility to help carry out the agreed upon goals.
● Be accountable to and supportive of other board members enabling one another to fulfill board commitments.
● Be a spokesperson in the community for Abortion Forward and/or Abortion Forward Alliance as needed.
● Approve and monitor the annual budget and monthly financial reports and ensure adequate financial resources.
● Help with the fundraising efforts for Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance fundraising efforts. This can include donating or raising money, helping solicit other gifts or identifying potential donors, participating in fundraising events and volunteering time to the organization. Overall, we ask for our board to be a high priority in your charitable giving.
● Participate in and monitor strategic planning.
● Participate on at least one committee: Current committees include Governance, Board Development, Human Resources/Personnel, Finance, Fundraising/Development, and Political Action Committee.
● Promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization.
● Nominate/supply names of prospective new board members.
● Recruit new supporters and volunteers.
● Represent the organization with a values-aligned approach.
● Build supportive working relationships with staff.
● Participate in hiring and firing the Executive Director.
● Participate in supporting and evaluating the Executive Director.
● Ensure legal and ethical integrity.
● Adhere to the conflict of interest, confidentiality and other policies of the organization.
Board Expectations
Board Members can expect to spend approximately 3-5 hours per month on board work including active participation in meetings, calls, and committees. Additionally, board members are expected to communicate their ability to attend meetings, calls, and committees to the Board President.
Board terms are three years. Each Board Member is expected to serve a minimum of one full term.
As a governing board, the board of directors is not involved with the day-to-day operations of Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance. That work is overseen by the Executive Director and executed by staff. Board Members at Abortion Forward and Abortion Forward Alliance are expected to be responsive to and provide strategic guidance to the Executive Director, and assist with fundraising, raising visibility, and deepening community connections to the organization.
Accountability
Missing more than two quarterly board meetings, without communication to the Board President, annually for any reason may be grounds for dismissal from the board.
Board Officer Roles and Responsibilities
Each board has officers: a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Both the Secretary and Treasurer sit on both the c3 and c4 boards. Officer Terms are one year.
Board President
The President is responsible for calling for and presiding over board meetings, executive committee meetings, and overseeing the Board of Directors and board policies and actions. The President serves as the primary contact for any board issues that may arise and sets goals and objectives with the Board and ensures that they are met. Additionally, the President is the board’s official spokesperson and serves as an ex-officio member of any ad hoc board committees.
Vice President
The Vice President is responsible for assuming the President’s duties in their absence. Additionally, they are tasked with working with the Executive Director for all Board at-large and officer nominations and elections.
Treasurer
The Treasurer serves as the primary financial officer of the organization and, in collaboration with the Executive Director or another designated staff person, is responsible for reviewing monthly financial reports, providing timely financial reports to the Board of Directors, ensures the submission of tax and legal compliance reports to the appropriate government entities, and oversees the annual audit and budget processes.
Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for recording, maintaining, and disseminating the organization’s records, such as Board meeting minutes and other relevant organizational documents. Additionally, the secretary is responsible for conducting all votes taken (mail, email, verbal) during board business, and sharing this information with the Executive Director.
