Background
The non-profit Center for Amazon Community Ecology (dba Amazon Ecology) was founded in 2006 to create sustainable livelihoods for forest peoples, build strong communities and establish resilient forests in the Amazon region. Our main strategies are helping artisans from 18 indigenous and campesino communities in the Peruvian Amazon to make innovative fair-trade handicrafts, form effective associations to market their crafts, and promote the sustainable management of chambira palm trees used to make woven crafts.
Amazon Ecology is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and sells its Peruvian partners’ crafts in the US at retail stores, special events and online. We reinvest part of our net sales to support health, education and conservation needs in our partner communities in Peru. We collaborate closely with our NGO partner Amazon Ecology (Peru) to conduct our artisan training and reforestation programs and cooperates with our sister company Garza Viva to manage craft purchases, sales in Peru and craft exports from the country.
Qualities and commitments for Amazon Ecology board members
Amazon Ecology is seeking new board members to create a sustainable enterprise in the US to continue supporting our program work in Peru and grow the market for our artisan partners’ crafts in the US and beyond.
Below are some areas of experience and skills we seek to find in new members. We do not expect that every board member will have experience in all of these areas.
- Experience with environmental, social, or development issues in Peru, the Amazon region, other parts of Latin America and/or other developing countries.
- Experience with fair-trade, ethically-based commerce, e-commerce, social media marketing, photography, videography, and/or wholesale marketing.
- Experience with non-profit grant writing, donor management, strategic planning, accounting and/or other aspects of finance, fundraising and administration.
Below are our expectations for new board members
- Understand and advocate for Amazon Ecology's mission and programs.
- Embrace and observe Amazon Ecology's policies about non-discrimination and conflict of interest.
- Treat fellow board members, organization personnel and partners with respect.
- Represent CACE to others with integrity and positivity.
- Financially support CACE to the best of your ability.
- Connect CACE when possible, to potential new sources of income through grants, donations or product sales
- Participate regularly in CACE Board of Directors meetings (remotely or in person) – usually four times a year. Typical terms are three years which can be renewed.
- Actively support CACE priorities in fundraising, marketing, administration, and/or strategic planning. This will typically mean devoting an average of six hours or more per month to relevant tasks.
Process for joining the Amazon Ecology board
- If this opportunity to help Amazon Ecology create sustainable livelihoods, strengthen forest communities and promote forest conservation in the Amazon resonates with you, please follow these steps.
- Contact the board President and Executive Director Campbell Plowden by email (AmazonEcology.USA@gmail.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your interest in joining the board.
- If you and Dr. Plowden feel you would be a good match for the board, he will invite you to prepare a letter expressing your interest in joining the board that includes a brief summary of your background and the ways you could support CACE’s work in the US and/or Peru. Please reference to the extent possible the kinds of experience, qualities and commitments referenced for prospective board members above.
- Email your letter of interest and an updated resume/CV that summarizes your educational background, relevant work and other life experiences and interests to Campbell Plowden at AmazonEcology.USA@gmail.com for distribution to the board.
- The board will review your materials in less than one month and get back to you with their response and any relevant follow-up information.
Thank you very much for your interest.
