Board Member

ABOUT SAN DIEGO CIVIC YOUTH BALLET:

Founded in 1945, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet (SDYCB) has been the resident classical ballet school in Balboa Park for 80 years. SDCYB offers affordable, year-round, high-quality classes to 425+ dancers ages 4 to 18 in the beautiful Casa del Prado, provide offsite classes to an additional 350+ elementary school students throughout the city, reach students with disabilities through our “Ballet for Me!” program, and offer a class for adults.

We engage students and the public by producing four major productions annually at the Casa del Prado Theatre, reaching 10,000+ patrons. The 2025 season includes The Firebird, The Nutcracker, Spring & Outreach Showcase, and Fairy Tales in the Park. School & Scout group performances reach 1,200 youth per year.

A nonprofit corporation with an annual budget of approximately $1,200,000, the work of SDCYB is led by an active Board, a dedicated 32-member staff of full and part-time professionals, and more than 300 committed volunteers.

You can learn more about us at https://www.sdcyb.org/

Board of Directors

Overview

SDCYB’s Board of Directors is the governing body, overseeing vision, mission, and internal operations of the organization including but not limited to: fundraising, strategic planning, governance, and supporting the Executive Director in leading the organization.

Job Responsibilities for Board Member

Leadership
• Support and evaluate the organization’s Executive Director (ED). The Board ensures the ED has the professional support they need to further the organization’s goals.
• Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. The board assists in developing and approving the annual budget and ensuring proper financial controls are in place.
• Assist ED and other board members in identifying and recruiting additional board members
• All board members serve on at least one committee. All Board Officers chair a committee as necessary. Regularly attend and prepare for monthly Board meetings, committee meetings and other important related meetings, review and comment on issues of importance.
• Participate in the creation of a strategic plan and conduct an annual review of the strategic plan.
• Agree to a three-year board term with the option of renewal for two consecutive terms.
• Attend the annual board retreat.

Stewardship
• Play a key role in networking and partnership building for SDCYB. Primary responsibilities include: fundraising, resource generation, and elevating the profile of our work.
• Enhance the organization’s public standing. The board should clearly articulate the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
• Utilize contacts to increase SDCYB’s audience, including increasing access to major donors and high-profile personalities that could benefit SDCYB’s visibility. Such as corporate/business partners, members of the media, academic communities, and/or other nonprofit and government leaders.
• Give: Contribute $250 in direct contributions per year or Get: Work with prospects to secure a minimum of $250 in fundraising support per year.

Qualifications for Service
• Minimum work experience of 5 years in one or more - nonprofits, for-profit, public service, higher education, government organizations, or as independent skilled professionals like lawyers, accountants, and management consultants.
• Broad understanding of work and experience including, but not limited to, topics related to personnel/human resources, finance/accounting, governance, fundraising, technology, marketing and communication.
• Board governance experience is a plus. High-value donor connections are a plus.
• A passion for the arts (theater, dance etc.) and an interest in increasing the accessibility of ballet to students from underserved communities.
• Availability to participate in events, annual campaigns, and activities of the organization.
• Virtual presence at monthly Board meetings and committee meetings.
• Integrity, collaboration, sound decision-making ability, sensitivity and awareness, initiative, creativity, communication, and planning skills.
• Give: Contribute $250 in direct contributions per year or Get: Work with prospects to secure a minimum of $250 in fundraising support per year.