The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) is seeking board members to fill our vacant positions!
If you are interested or know of an outstanding elder representative or professional who can represent your area, please provide them with this information. You are qualified to apply if you are 55 years old or older, an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, and a current dues paying voting member of NICOA.
Board members must be 55 years of age or older and an enrolled member of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe. New board members are voted in by regional caucuses at NICOA’s biennial conference, and all board members elect the executive board.
NICOA is governed by a 13-member board of directors composed of American Indian and Alaska Native elders representing each of the 12 Bureau of Indian Affairs regions, as well as a representative of the National Association of Title VI Grantees.
The regions are Alaska, Eastern, Great Plains, Midwest, Navajo, Northwest, Eastern Oklahoma, Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southern Plains, Southwest and Western. Your region is based on where you live, not on the location of your tribe.
Each position, except for Title VI, holds a four-year term that is up for election every two years during our biennial conference. If a position becomes available, a person may apply for the open position, and NICOA’s board of directors will determine if they can hold the position until the next scheduled election.
The roles and responsibilities of NICOA board members include:
- Ensuring the organization’s mission and purpose are realized.
- Supporting and evaluating the executive director’s performance.
- Ensuring the organization has adequate resources through fundraising to carry out its mission.
- Monitoring the allocation of these resources and ensuring the legal and ethical integrity of the organization.
- Representing the organization at local, regional, and national events.
- Avoiding conflicts of interest between the work of NICOA and other organizations to which you belong.
- Working cooperatively with fellow board members and the NICOA executive director to proactively represent the elders from the area that elected you.
- Attending bi-monthly board meetings. These meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every other month, at 12 p.m. MST. There is usually a face-to-face meeting three times a year at the Albuquerque office. If funds are available, NICOA will pay for your travel, per diem, and hotel accommodations.
NICOA’s board members also serve on elder committees such as the National Congress of American Indians and National Indian Health Board. When considering whether to serve as a board member of NICOA, you must evaluate the time you have to devote to fundraising, advocacy, and the governance responsibilities required of each board member.
It is truly an honor to represent and serve fellow elders, but it is also a substantial time commitment that should be considered very carefully. Board members are not allowed to be paid for the services they provide on behalf of NICOA, a nonprofit organization.
(NOTE: It is a requirement to have access to a computer and have some basic computer skills to access meeting materials online and attend the Zoom video meetings, or conference calls. If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact Billie Tohee at [email protected] or call (505) 292-2001.
