Congratulations! Its exciting to know you're interested in starting your own local Advisory Board. You can help spread the magic of books and a love of reading to children in need within your community and create lasting change by volunteering with First Book.
Seeing the excitement of children as they receive their first new books to take home and keep is unforgettable. Children often get this look of wonder and ask, “Is this for me to keep?” First Book creates and builds home libraries for children who have no books to call their own.
Through our Advisory Board model, First Book supports the hardest to reach children and elevates the quality of programs that serve them. Comprised of volunteers with distinct roles and objectives, every First Book Advisory Board is assisted and managed as a partnership with the Board's members to yield success within your own community on behalf of First Book's mission and vision.
If you are interested in helping to form an Advisory Board, one key element to consider is your role within the board structure. Are you hoping to fulfill a leadership role or are you planning on general membership? Typically, individuals interested in the Chair positions or in a specific leadership role are best to help develop the initial stages of an Advisory Board. Assuming you are considering yourself for one of those roles, read on.
In order to begin to develop a First Book Advisory Board in your local community, we ask volunteers to read, review and meet the following requirements, complete the required documents, and follow the next steps listed below:
Getting Started
- First, locate and recruit 3-8 interested volunteers to join your early Advisory Board efforts and to assist you develop the board's local objectives and planning.
- Second, complete the First Book Starter Package. The Starter Package will help you better understand the need in your community and develop strategies to become an effective local Advisory Board.
- Third, conduct 3 initial meetings with your interested volunteers and begin to discuss board structure, leadership roles and general local objectives within First Book's mission and vision.
- And finally, submit these required documents to .
The First Book national office will notify you once the package is approved and will follow-up with necessary phone calls and next steps to get your Advisory Board on the move.
In the meantime, please visit the Planning Your Meeting and At Your First Meeting sections to help you start to plan and visualize your initial volunteer meetings and Advisory Board efforts.
If you have questions or want additional information before starting the build of your Advisory Board, please contact your Community Development Representative at the First Book national office who is available for any additional guidance.