Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP)
Overview of Organization
VAAP is a resource center that recruits, trains, and mentors pro bono advocates to provide free immigration legal services to humanitarian status seekers in Vermont. The need for free immigration legal services is urgent in our relatively under resourced and rural state, particularly for unaccompanied minors facing deportation without guaranteed legal representation. VAAP is working to address their unmet needs by advocating to expand state-level legal protections and providing direct immigration legal services – which studies show will exponentially increase their likelihood of short and long term stability, safety, and success. VAAP was founded in 2021 a volunteer-led legal project to expand access to justice for asylum seekers and grew with support and fiscal sponsorship from the Community Asylum Seekers Project (CASP) in Brattleboro, VT. In late 2023, VAAP incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization and is now staffed by four highly skilled multilingual advocates and a contract comptroller, the majority of whom are LGBTQ+ people, women, and people with lived experience.
Mission Area: Legal/Civil Rights/Advocacy/Crime
Size of Organization: $250K – $500K
Position Overview
Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP; www.vaapvt.org) seeks to provide access to justice for asylum seekers in Vermont by offering pro bono legal services and promoting the rights of the Vermont immigrant communities. Founded as a volunteer-led project in 2021 and incorporated as a 501(C)(3) in 2023, VAAP is now staffed by four legal advocates and a contract comptroller, and supported by dozens of volunteers.
This fall, VAAP’s dynamic board of directors seeks to recruit a mission-aligned finance professional or financially literate volunteer to undertake the role of Board Treasurer. Responsibilities include assisting the Executive Director with the annual budgeting process and financial compliance; assisting the board with financial oversight; and advising both the Executive Director and the Board on financial risk and cashflow assessment. VAAP’s active board members commit to meeting quarterly and devoting about 5 hours per month to active board service. To learn more, please email Jill Martin Diaz at [email protected].
Desired Skills: General Board Governance, Nonprofit Financials, Fundraising/Development, Strategy/Business Planning
Additional Information
Current # of Board Members: 7
Carries liability insurance?: Yes
Carries D&O liability insurance?: Yes
Time Expectations: The VAAP board meets six times per year and dedicates about five hours per month to committee work.
Meeting Frequency: Once a month
Meeting Location: Remote
Length of Term (in years): Other
Financial contribution required?: No
Service on committee required?: No