Tips for Organizing A Leadership Team

A group of 12 people stand inside a bike shop, smiling and facing the camera. Several bicycles are visible in the foreground. The store's walls are lined with various biking accessories, reflecting their passion for organizing. The atmosphere appears friendly and welcoming, showcasing strong leadership.
Leadership can take a lot of different forms, but many Friends Groups opt to create a Board of Directors or a Leadership Committee. This page includes resources for groups just starting on this journey, including position descriptions and a list of places to conduct outreach.

Leadership can take a lot of different forms, but many Friends Groups opt to create a Board of Directors or a Leadership Committee. This group is responsible for the overall function of the group, day-to-day activities, and long-term planning. The Board of Directors usually consists of 3-12 people, depending on the size of the Friends Group, and should be made up of people with different strengths and skillsets.

As you put together your leadership team, you can refer to the role descriptions listed below and the linked resources as guidance. There are certain standards for leadership roles in a nonprofit context, but the exact form that your group takes may vary according to your own unique needs and capacity.

A group of eleven people sit around a long conference table in a meeting room with a whiteboard at the back. Papers and folders are spread out on the table, and everyone is smiling at the camera. Demonstrating strong leadership, most are wearing casual attire, while one person is in a suit and tie.
Typical Primary Roles
Optional Secondary Roles
  • Chair or President
  • Vice Chair or Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Event Organizer
  • Membership Chair
  • Fundraising Chair
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Volunteer Coordinator
Creating an outreach plan

Depending on your circumstances, your Friends Group may want to conduct public outreach to secure people to fill these roles. Figure out where to start on this can be daunting – here are a few ideas for where to start:

  • Share the posting(s) in your newsletter
  • Share to your email list
  • Post on your social media platforms
  • Arrange a piece to be published in your local newspaper
  • Ask your land management agency to share it with their networks
  • Network with people at events (be sure to have printouts of role descriptions available for this!)
  • Post on a nonprofit platform (Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Propel Nonprofits, for example)
  • Email the position description to friends@parksandtrails.org – the Friends Group Program Manager will post it to P&TC’s website.
Additional Resources
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Propel Nonprofits
Want to join a Friends Group Board?

Find open board member positions here.