Board member application

Overview

In selecting members for the Health Forward Board of Directors, rigorous candidate consideration is given to ensure that selected candidates meet the qualifications outlined below and align with Health Forward’s purpose, mission, and values.

Candidates who have expertise or sincere interest in improving the health of resilient communities are encouraged to apply. Health Forward defines health broadly and recognizes it’s shaped by social, economic, and environmental conditions. Accordingly, to improve health outcomes, we apply three key levers – leadership, advocacy, and resources.

Important and mandatory interview dates

April 1 – May 31, 2026
Open application period

July 7, 2026
First round of in-person interviews with the Community Advisory Council nominating committee

August 26, 2026
Final candidate interviews with the Health Forward board 

September 4, 2026
Notification to newly elected board members

January 1, 2027
Start of board term 

Terms

Health Forward directors are uncompensated and serve for up to three terms of three-years in each term. 

Conflict of interest

Health Forward has a strong commitment to integrity. All who join the organization as associates or board members are asked to declare any conflicts that would compromise the ability to be objective in decision-making. While we welcome members of the community who have ties to our grant work, there will be restrictions on those board members’ ability to vote on or discuss any items that would constitute a conflict of interest. Please note, affiliation with a current or future grantee of Heath Forward neither helps nor harms that organization. No board member can personally benefit financially from any grant or contract work with Health Forward Foundation.

Public officials are not eligible to serve as directors. For purposes of this exclusion, public official means any elected or appointed officer or employee (other than those who serve without compensation) of any city, county, state, or federal government, or has governmental policy-making authority. Any director who chooses to run for election to public office must resign as a board member upon filing documents declaring his or her candidacy.

All board members are required annually to complete and submit an attestation and statement of personal interests, which is outlined in the conflict of interest policy, that will be shared during orientation upon election to the board.

Meetings and attendance

Board meetings are held quarterly at Health Forward Foundation. A virtual attendance option is always provided.

Board members are invited to serve on at least one committee, most of which also meet quarterly in addition to the regular full board meetings.

It is customary for board members to spend approximately 6 hours each quarter attending board and/or committee meetings. In addition, board members also spend time reading material in preparation for these meetings.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and/or the following three counties in Missouri (Cass, Jackson, or Lafayette) or a Kansas resident, taxpayer, property owner, or business owner in one of the following three counties in Kansas (Johnson, Wyandotte, or Allen). These six counties constitute the Health Forward Foundation service area.
• Each director will be expected to contribute perspective in one or more of the following areas: promoting community wellness, institutional asset management and investment management, finance, philanthropic administration, delivery of health care services, improving the health of the communities of focus served by the Corporation, public health, and the practice of diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism
• Must have a commitment to racial equity and economic justice.
• Must have demonstrated core leadership attributes.
• Must have a recognized reputation for integrity and competence.
• Must have demonstrated an ability to devote the time necessary to fulfill board responsibilities and regularly attend meetings.
• Must understand and appreciate the role and responsibility of a public health philanthropic foundation and the need to balance various constituency interests.

Application deadline

Qualified candidates are asked to complete the online application below. Applicants must also submit a PDF document of their most current résumé (no more than 5 pages). You may upload your résumé at the end of the application using the “Choose file” button.

All materials must be submitted on or before May 31, 2026.

For questions or concerns, contact Health Forward Chief Operations Officer Brenda Calvin at bcalvin@healthforward.org