Area residents who want to support the development of the Homewood Community Science Center have a new opportunity — and an approaching deadline.
The next formal step in developing the Homewood Community Science Center will be the formation of a nonprofit organization to guide the development and operation of the center, and village officials are seeking volunteers to serve on the first board of directors for the new 501(c)3 corporation.
The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, Nov. 16.
The village committed to developing the science center at the end of 2014 when it purchased the former Ryan’s Funeral Home at 18022 Dixie Highway and hired the Exploratorium to develop a conceptual plan for the project.
The conceptual plan was presented to the village board of trustees in August, and the board approved a second contract with the Exploratorium to continue developing the plan.
An advisory board was formed earlier this year during the first stage of the project, and most of its members are in science- and technology-related fields. The organization’s board will not replace the advisory board. The village is hoping the board of directors will have members with a wide range of experience and expertise, including:
- education
- fundraising
- grant writing
- law
- museum planning
- science
- technology
- engineering
- mathematics
- nonprofit management
- marketing
- public relations
The board “will be responsible for directing the affairs of the Homewood Science Center in accordance with its mission,” according to the application on the village website.
The board’s early tasks will be to hire an executive director and help seek funding for the project, according to Rachael Jones, project coordinator for the village.
Getting a director on board is a key step, she said, because that person will lead the fundraising efforts and will be the liaison to local schools, libraries and the park districts, which she sees as important partners in the development of the center.
The village will appoint five members to the first board.
“We are looking for board members who believe in our mission and are willing to be active in their governance roles,” Jones said.
Homewood Community Science Center board of directors application
Related stories:
Homewood trustees OK pursuit of science center development, agree to purchase Ryan’s Funeral Home (HF Chronicle, Dec. 23, 2014)
Homewood community science center project moves forward (HF Chronicle, Feb. 11, 2015)
Residents tinker with community science center idea (HF Chronicle, April 22, 2015)
First phase of Homewood science center development finished, trustees vote to start next phase (HF Chronicle, Aug. 4, 2015)