The Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council (SBUCC) is a grassroots, 501c(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and restoring the watersheds of coastal Santa Barbara County. Our work includes collaborating with diverse public and private partners on creek restoration projects, educating the community about the values and protection of creeks, leading outings, tours, and creek cleanups, and advocating for a balance between growing the built environment and preserving riparian habitat for species.

 

We are in search of enthusiastic, self-driven, and detail-oriented volunteers, located in Santa Barbara County, to join our board in the following roles.  To apply, please introduce yourself and send your resume to Anne Burdette at info@sburbancreeks.org.

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Board Member at-Large

Board members of our working board fill a variety of roles.  The essential function of the Board is to set and carry out the mission and goals of the organization.  Board members contribute to this by joining and actively participating in one or more committees, which include:

• Governance (strategic planning and growth of the organization)

• Policy and Public Advocacy (advocating for better governmental creek protections and a responsible balance between growing the built environment and restoring the functioning of watersheds)

• Education, Outreach, and Stewardship (planning and carrying out public educational events and directing our Neighborhood Creek Stewardship Program)

• Media, Communications, and Technology (maintaining the online presence of the organization)

• Coastal Resource Information Center (governing the use of our public outreach office in Goleta)

• Creek Restoration (identifying sites and planning restoration projects that incorporate community involvement)

Fluency in Spanish and ability to conduct bilingual public outreach is a plus, but not required.

Minimum time commitment is approximately 5 hrs/month.  

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Board Secretary/Member at-Large

The Secretary, in addition to fulfilling the role of a Board Member at-Large, is also the custodian of the records of the organization.  This includes writing, distributing, and filing board meeting minutes.  Minimum time commitment is approximately 6 hrs/month.

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Board Member at-Large Focused on Education and Outreach

We are looking ​to expand our Education, Outreach, and Stewardship Committee with more board members at-large who bring enthusiasm and experience in engaging with the public.  One specific area of priority is youth education, including at schools and community events.  Another focus is the expansion of our creek stewardship program by developing relationships with community members who live near creeks, actively listening to their concerns and curiosities about the creeks, and working with them collaboratively to monitor and protect the creeks in a way that is meaningful to both the creek and the community.  (See our Creek Stewardship page for more info).  Bilingual English/Spanish fluency, experience working with historically underrepresented communities, and experience with youth education are all desirable, but not required, qualifications for this role.

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Legal Advisor/Board Member at-Large

We are seeking a board member who can contribute a legal perspective to discussions of board governance, public policy, and the organization's programs- ideally a current or retired attorney with a basic knowledge of nonprofit and environmental law.  This board member would also fulfill the general functions of a board member at-large.​

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What We Expect From Our Board

As a working board, we value time, talent, wisdom, and enthusiasm.  Board members have the opportunity to be leaders and shape the organization.  Therefore, we expect all board members to be engaged and work as a team with the board and its committees to support the organization’s needs.  This includes attending and conscientiously participating in monthly board meetings and continuing to learn about the organization’s mission, policies, programs, and needs.

 

What You Can Expect from Us

By joining our board, you are joining a community of people who value the diverse benefits healthy creeks provide and the need for preserving those creeks for future generations.  We value having board members with a variety of backgrounds and skillsets so that we all can learn from each other’s perspectives.  On our board, you will gain valuable experience in multiple aspects of environmental conservation, and the satisfaction of helping out the local community and its creeks.  Additionally, this is a great long-term community service opportunity if you are looking for hours!