We are a young media organization transitioning into a phase of sustainable growth.

The John Brown Project launched as a community art project in 2022, and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2024.

While we are very much a scrappy startup, we are maturing into a national organization who can rise to the challenges in today’s world.

In our short existence, we have built a solid foundation, including a digital infrastructure, a financial base, award-winning documentary film, email distribution list, online store, and strong national partnerships.

The sky is the limit to where we can grow, and the current crises engulfing the world creates a vacuum of truth and a unique opportunity. Public media has been upended, trust in legacy media is withering, and history is actively under attack. We intend to fight back with scholarship, media professionalism, and by linking arms with like-minded individuals and organizations. To do that, we are recruiting a world-class leadership team.

OPEN POSITIONS

We are looking for dedicated professionals to fill vital officer, committee, and skills-based roles as we scale our impact:

• Board Chair (Executive Leadership): We are seeking a seasoned leader with prior nonprofit governance or executive management experience to step into the role of Board Chair. This individual will partner directly with our Executive Director to guide strategic vision, facilitate board meetings, and champion our mission in the community.

• Treasurer (Financial Expertise): Looking for an accounting professional, CPA, or financial executive to oversee our annual budget, ensure audit readiness, and help transition our startup bookkeeping into sustainable financial forecasting.

• Secretary (Legal & Compliance): Looking for an attorney (corporate, contract, or nonprofit experience preferred) to manage our official records, review partnership agreements, advise on organizational risk, and ensure our governance and bylaws evolve with our scale.

• Fundraising Chair (Development Expertise): Looking for a development professional to help us diversify our revenue streams by identifying grant opportunities, cultivating private donations, and building corporate sponsorship packages.

• Skills-Based Volunteers & Committee Members: Not ready for a Board seat, but fired up by our mission? We still want you in our corner. As a growing media organization, we are always looking for skilled professionals—writers, researchers, marketers, video editors, and community organizers—to join our working committees or help with specific projects. If you have a specific skill you want to contribute, email us at the address below and let us know how you’d like to help us build.

The Commitment:

• Time: We expect you’ll need to invest 8-10 hours per month in order to build the organization into a world class media brand. This includes preparing for and attending one 90-minute virtual board meeting per quarter.

• Culture of shared investment: The John Brown Project thrives because of the deep commitment of its leadership. To ensure we all share a sense of ownership and stewardship over our mission, we ask for 100% board participation in our annual resourcing efforts through the following:

  • An annual financial contribution: We ask every board member to make a personal financial contribution that feels meaningful and comfortable within their own budget. These contributions are typically used to seed our annual crowdfunding campaigns, providing vital early momentum.

  • Professional in-kind services: We highly value specialized professional skills. Pro bono legal, financial, or technical services that directly offset our operating costs are recognized as major contributions to the organization's health.

  • Network advocacy: We ask board members to act as ambassadors, leveraging their personal and professional networks to share our annual campaigns, secure partnerships, or attract in-kind resources.

Our commitment to inclusive leadership: The John Brown Project is actively committed to building a Board of Directors that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We believe that lived experience is just as valuable as professional accolades. We intentionally and enthusiastically encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, young professionals stepping into their first executive board roles, and folks from non-traditional leadership backgrounds to apply. If you have the skills to build and a passion for our mission, there is a seat at the table for you here.

How to apply: If you are interested in exploring one of these roles, or if you have executive leadership experience and want to help guide our next chapter, we would love to hear from you.

Please email Dan Morrison directly at dan(at)johnbrownproject.org with a brief note about your background, your resume or LinkedIn profile, and which area of expertise you would bring to the board. We look forward to connecting!