Community Advisory Board Application for Abortion Care Tennessee

Abortion Care Tennessee is a 501C3 nonprofit that provides abortion funding and reproductive resources for Tennesseans seeking care. This application is for ACT's inaugural Community Advisory Board 2025-2026. It is open to ACT's clinic partners, community partners, Tennessee's Reproductive Justice movement leaders, folks who have utilized ACT's abortion funding, and ACT volunteers. The Community Advisory Board is to ensure that our work aligns with the needs and values of the communities we serve by allowing us a consistent opportunity to garner feedback from those seeking to help drive our mission forward in new, creative ways. Through this initiative, we aim to create an inclusive space for dialogue, collaboration, and feedback, enhancing our programs and outreach. The Community Advisory Board meets quarterly (September, December, March, June). Each meeting is one hour and completion of a Feedback Survey is required after each meeting. Onboarding consists of a one-hour "Ambassador Training" where members will learn about ACT's current services, our funding model, our merger with Mountain Access Brigade, our volunteer programs, and our strategic goals for organizational growth. Please note that applying does not guarantee your participation. Applications are due by July 31st, 2025.

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone Number *

Pronouns *

Where do you live? (City and State) *

About ACT's Community Advisory Board

Purpose:
The primary purpose of the Community Advisory Board is to provide valuable insights and feedback that will help shape our policies, programs, and initiatives related to reproductive health care and access. While this Advisory Board operates separately from our Board of Directors, it serves an equally crucial role in guiding our work in the community.

Goals:
Inclusivity and Representation: By bringing together diverse voices, we aim to involve individuals who are directly impacted by our services and those who advocate for reproductive justice across Tennessee. This diversity will enrich our ACT’s services and programs, ensuring that firsthand perspectives about our community’s needs are centered in our organization’s goal-setting.

Feedback Mechanism: Members of the Advisory Board will play a vital role in evaluating our existing services and programs and suggesting where we could make improvements. Their unique experiences and expertise will guide our decision-making processes.

Strengthening Community Ties: The Community Advisory Board will foster collaboration among various stakeholders in ACT’s work, including clinic staff, movement leaders, and our volunteers. By encouraging open dialogue and robust opportunities for feedback, we aim to strengthen our connections within the Reproductive Justice community.

Education and Raising Awareness: Onboarding for the Community Advisory Board will consist of a one-hour informational session about ACT’s current work, our strategic plan for organizational growth, our clinic funding models, our merger with Mountain Access Brigade (our sister fund), and our current volunteer opportunities and emerging programs.

Expectations of Community Advisory Board Members:
Meetings
All Community Advisory Board members are expected to actively participate in discussions, share their insights and experiences, and commit to a collaborative approach that prioritizes the needs of our community. Upon acceptable to the Community Advisory Board, each new member is required to attend one one-hour ACT Ambassador training. After training completion, attendance at one quarterly meeting (four meetings per calendar year: September, December, March, June) is crucial, and Advisory Board members should come prepared to engage thoughtfully with the agenda items after reviewing the quarterly newsletter that ACT staff send out ahead of time.
Feedback Survey
Ahead of each quarterly meeting, each member of our Community Advisory Board is expected to complete ACT’s feedback survey so that we may have a consistent place for gathering feedback from our community leaders.There are two feedback surveys–one is specific to clinic partners and the other is specific to community partners and volunteers. You can review each of them below.
Photo/Media/Quote Release
Upon acceptance to the Community Advisory Board, members will be expected to complete an agreement outlining the expectations of Advisory Board members, as well as a Photo/Media/Quote Consent Release Form. ACT would love to highlight the feedback given through the Feedback Surveys on our website and social media platforms. We may also add a summary of our Community Advisory Board members to our website. Including a personal photo for this section of our website will be entirely optional to prioritize the safety and privacy of participating members.
Values Alignment
ACT's organizational values are as follows:

Accountability: We are committed to transparency, compassionate and direct communication, and being open to receiving constructive criticism to drive our individual and collective growth.
Accessibility/Inclusivity: We strive to make our spaces, services, and advocacy accessible to everyone and to center the needs and leadership of the most marginalized.
Centering the Reproductive Justice Framework: We see all oppression as interconnected and strive to dismantle all forms of oppression, especially white supremacy, by engaging in cross movement power building and shifting.
Southern Liberation: We are committed to uplifting our community in Tennessee and to building autonomy and collective power in the South.
Sustainability: We strive to support each other in this work to ensure the sustainability of each of us and the continuity of the fund.

What Members Can Expect from ACT:
Members can expect a few things from ACT as a thank you for your participation:

- Inclusion of Community Advisory Board Members on our website, social media, and in our newsletters to our donor base. We will include name, pronouns, your organization/volunteer status, and your role. Photos are not mandatory in order to prioritize members' privacy.

- Free ACT merch and products. Each member of the Community Advisory Board will receive one free item of each of ACT's swag items. Any time ACT has a new product available for purchase, Community Advisory Board members will receive one of the items for free. This could include our annual cookbook, signed copies of books that have been gifted to us, our digital print products (zines, magazines, etc), and any new swag we may create throughout the year.

- Professional connections to other members of the Community Advisory Board.

- A quarterly newsletter specific to the Community Advisory Board to provide members with updates about the latest happenings at ACT.

- Features in our 2025-2026 Annual Report.

- A letter of recommendation from our Executive Director if requested.

- A quarterly stipend upon completion of each Feedback Survey of $50 per survey (4 surveys total).

Help Us Get to Know You

Please share what clinic, community partner, fellow abortion fund, or role you hold within the community for Reproductive Justice in Tennessee. We ask that you provide the organization/clinic you are with, as well as your position title. If you are an ACT volunteer or a Tennessee patient who has utilized ACT's abortion funding services before, please indicate so here. *

Please provide all *public* social media handles. This is sensitive work - we need to see who you are! Type "N/A" if you do not use the platform or would not be able to make your account public for any period of time.

Instagram (please make sure your profile is public before applying!) *

Linkedin *

Facebook *

Twitter *

Other (this could include TikTok, Red Note, Substack, Medium articles, etc).

How did you hear about the Community Advisory Board? *

Are you already affiliated with Abortion Care Tennessee or Mountain Access Brigade in any way? *

Yes

If yes, how?

Share What Makes You a Great Fit

Please share a statement of interest explaining your motivation for joining the Community Advisory Board.
*

Alignment with ACT's organizational values is incredibly important to us when considering Community Advisory Board members to provide feedback for us and act as informal ACT ambassadors in our community. Please read through our values listed below, and share a little about what they mean to you in your current work or in your prospective commitment to your role at ACT.

1). Accountability: We are committed to transparency, compassionate and direct communication, and being open to receiving constructive criticism to drive our individual and collective growth.
2). Centering the Reproductive Justice Framework: We see all oppression as interconnected and strive to dismantle all forms of oppression, especially white supremacy, by engaging in cross-movement power building.
3). Accessibility: We strive to make our spaces, services, and advocacy accessible to everyone and to center the needs and leadership of the most marginalized.
4). Sustainability: We strive to support each other in this work to ensure the sustainability of each of us and of the continuity of the fund.
5). Southern Liberation: ACT is committed to uplifting our community and to building autonomy and collective power in the South.

What do these values mean to you? *

Please indicate below that you have reviewed the Community Advisory Board Member Expectations above and that you understand that new member Onboarding Training, quarterly meeting participation, and completion of the Feedback Survey is required in order to be a Community Advisory Board Member. *

I have reviewed and understand the Community Advisory Board Member Expectations. I understand that my place on the Community Advisory Board requires my participation in Onboarding training, quarterly meetings, and feedback surveys.

Please indicate below that you read and understand that participation requires you to complete and sign a Photo/Media/Quote Release Form so that ACT may highlight your participation on the Community Advisory Board and direct quotes from your Feedback Surveys on our website, socials, and in our newsletters.

Please Note: checking this box does not give ACT permission to use your photo or your likeness without your express permission. *

I have reviewed the expectations around completion of a Photo/Media/Quote Consent Release form and I understand that this is required in order to participate in the Community Advisory Board. I understand that this does not give ACT permission to use my photo or likeness without my express permission.

Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about joining the Community Advisory Board that ACT staff should be aware of? Please note that ACT's Executive Director, Jules Edwards, will be in touch with you about anything indicated in this section.

Abortion Care for Tennessee

Community Advisory Board Application for Abortion Care Tennessee

Help Us Get to Know You

Share What Makes You a Great Fit

Thank you for your interest in getting involved with Abortion Care Tennessee.