We’ll start answering this by discussing what the Board as a whole does, and then what its individual members are responsible for.

Collectively, the Board:

• Does strategic planning and decision-making in areas which include OTW’s mission, annual budget, projects, and priorities.
• Maintains long-term focus without getting too caught up in day-to-day running of OTW (as that is the job of the Committee Chairs and the Volunteers).
• Monitors the organization’s progress towards strategic goals. Adjusts resources and goals accordingly.
• Complies with legal frameworks. Establishes policies and procedures to ensure that the organization also complies.
• (Optionally) delegates some powers, while remaining ultimately responsible for the resulting actions.
  

The only elected position in the OTW is membership in the Board of Directors. All members of the Board are elected by the paying members of the OTW in annual elections. Since the term of service is three years, 1/3 of the board’s seats are up for election in any given year. Candidates do not run for specific seats (see "Do specific seats have specific requirements?"). Instead, the entire pool of candidates is competing for the entire group of open seats, and the top vote-getters out of all the candidates will occupy those seats. For a more in-depth explanation of the voting method, see "How will the votes be counted?".

This FAQ is designed for people who are considering becoming a candidate for the Board of Directors of the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW), and for members who want to understand how the organization’s elections will be run. It describes the requirements for candidates, the election process, and sources for additional information. Following the Election Timeline, the FAQ will be provided to all eligible candidates in advance of the election, as well as being publicly available at all times.