Cancer Patient Support Foundation
Overview of Organization
The Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF) serves Vermont cancer patients and their families by providing financial assistance and support during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. The Emergency Fund program helps patients access their care and pay for their basic needs such as transportation to treatment, housing, home heating, utilities, food, prescriptions, and out of pocket medical expenses. Since 2001, CPSF has supported over 13,000 patients and serves an average of just over 500 each year.
Mission Area: Human Services (children/youth/adult/senior)
Size of Organization: $250K – $500K
Position Overview
The Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF) Board of Directors is comprised of up to 15 elected members all of whom serve in a voluntary capacity. Board members serve an initial three-year term and then may be re-elected to serve an additional three-year term for a total of six consecutive years of service. Each Director assumes the general responsibility of providing oversight; professional expertise and general participation in a CPSF committee.
Nominees the Board are recruited for their personal characteristics and experience, professional skills, and their personal and/or business relationships they maintain in our community. Experience in finance, healthcare, development, law, marketing, event planning, strategic planning, technology, and business are all areas of expertise particularly valued by CPSF.
The CPSF board is a governing board. Directors are active participants in the support, management and promotion of CPSF. Directors serve on no less than one committee. Current committees include Development and Marketing, Executive, Finance, Governance, and Events.
More specifically, the responsibilities and expectations of individual CPSF board members are as follows:
• Believe in and actively support the CPSF vision, mission, goals and policies and publicly support Board decisions and maintain confidentiality of Board business.
• Serve actively on committees as appointed and actively recruit and recommend potential Directors and Committee members whom can make material contributions to advance the mission and strength of the Program.
• Attend no less than 85% of the meetings each year. Meetings are held monthly in the late
afternoon. Suggest agenda items for board and committee meetings to ensure that significant
strategic, visionary and policy related matters are addressed.
• Understand that they have legal, fiduciary, financial and moral responsibilities as a Director and exercise these responsibilities faithfully. Read and understand the Program’s budgets, financial statements and other reports.
• Avoid conflict of interest, and disclose any possible conflicts to the Board in a timely fashion.
• Strive to secure financial support from others by proactively identifying, cultivating, and soliciting prospective donors and stewarding donors.
• Place CPSF among his or her highest philanthropic priorities, making an annual contribution, securing of event sponsors, or solicitation of donors; support and attend special fundraising initiatives.
In return, each Director may expect:
• Orientation and continuing education
• Materials in advance of each meeting so he or she may be prepared to participate knowingly in meeting discussions.
• Meetings of the Board that begin and end as scheduled.
• Access to Board officers and staff to discuss concerns and recommendations regarding programs, policies, goals and objectives.
Desired Skills: General Board Governance, Nonprofit Financials, Fundraising/Development, Marketing/Communications, Technology
Additional Information
Current # of Board Members: 13
Carries liability insurance?: Yes
Carries D&O liability insurance?: Yes
Time Expectations: 3-4 hours per month
Meeting Frequency: Once a month
Meeting Location: Chittenden County
Length of Term (in years): 3
Financial contribution required?: Yes
Service on committee required?: Yes