Vermont Asylum Assistance Project Member, Board of Directors

Vermont Asylum Assistance Project

Overview of Organization

Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP; www.vaapvt.org) exists to raise Vermont noncitizens’ awareness of and access to critical immigration legal help and support. We achieve our mission through statewide pro bono coordination, direct service delivery, community education, and administrative and legislative advocacy. Serving as a bridge between immigrant service providers and regulators across the state and region, VAAP educates the public on immigration issues and advocates for policies and practices that advance immigrants’ rights.

Founded as a volunteer-led project in 2021 and incorporated as a 501(C)(3) in 2023, VAAP is staffed by four legal advocates and a contract comptroller and is supported by dozens of legal and lay volunteers. To “meet the moment” of a majority anti-immigrant federal government in 2025, we have expanded our initial focus from coordinating affirmative asylum pro bono legal assistance to broader humanitarian immigration defense and systems-wide technical assistance. Similarly, we have expanded our website into an accessible clearinghouse of reliable information and self-help materials, and have grown a substantive newsletter subscriber based exceeding 900 readers.

Mission Area: Arts/Culture/Humanities
Size of Organization: $250K – $500K

Link to Website

o champion the work of our staff, VAAP’s dynamic board of directors seeks to recruit four to five mission-aligned directors to join us next year for one- to three-year terms. We seek individuals with volunteer, professional, and/or lived experience that would advance VAAP’s mission—particularly including experience with law, nonprofit management, fundraising, community outreach, Information Technology, and legislative or administrative advocacy.

VAAP’s directors commit to meeting as a full board for about 90 minutes every other month (six times per year) and to devoting about five hours per month to active committee service, which may include work with our fundraising, finance, governance, or other ad hoc committees. Reimbursement is available for costs incurred incident to board service such as necessary and childcare and travel during board activities. Vermont residence is not a requirement, but passion for Vermont immigrants’ access to justice is!

To learn more or to apply for a position, please visit https://forms.gle/trsp13UY4paXC8998. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until positions are filled.