MFM board members, volunteers, and staff visiting Katie and Tayne (far left) at Fiddlehead Farm, photo by Patrick Hart
The Montavilla Farmers Market exists because a group of Montavilla community residents and
business owners got together and made it happen. In fact, that is still how it works! The
Montavilla Board of Directors and the amazing MFM Staff and volunteers work hard to bring
our community the market each week. We would love for you to join our Board of Directors. I’d
like to answer some common questions about serving on the board to help you decide if it’s
right for you.
My Experience
I joined the Montavilla Farmers Market Board in December 2017. For the last year or two, I had
been looking for a way to serve and engage my community. I went to the Montavilla Farmers
Market’s November stock-up and saw the market’s commitment to making local, fresh food
accessible through the Everybody Eats Program. This mission aligned with my passion for
community service, food justice, and local farmers. I saw that the board was looking for new
members, but I had doubts – I questioned whether I had the right skills and experience to serve
on a board. As it turns out, I did, and so do you!
Who is on this board?
The Montavilla Farmers Market board is made up of Montavilla and nearby neighborhood
residents who love the farmers market and the community. Our professional backgrounds
include non-profit project managers, designers, engineers, scientists, City of Portland staff,
consultants, real estate agents, and a marketing and development director. The diversity of our
professional backgrounds makes the board strong, but the passion that each of us brings to the
table is what makes the board effective.
What qualities make a good board member?
Board members should be passionate about the market, willing to pitch in, and able to follow
through on commitments. If you are worried that you don’t have specific professional skills to
bring to the table, then bring organizational skills, a can-do attitude, and energy!
What’s in it for me?
Being on a board is about serving the community, but it’s also an opportunity. Being on the
board enables you to: connect with the community, learn new professional skills, try new
things, and apply your professional skills in a fun, new way. Personally, I am learning about non-
profit operations, how farmers markets work, grant writing, design, and marketing – all skills
that I do not use a project manager in the private sector. Plus, it’s fun to make new friends and
get to know Montavilla in a new way.
What’s the time commitment?
The Board meets monthly in Montavilla. We are a working board, so members spend an
average of eight to twelve hours a month working on projects. If you decide being on the Board is
too much of a time commitment, then consider joining one of our committees or volunteering
on market day. Also, there is no financial commitment required of board members.
Please consider where you fit in and contact Board Member Craig Milliken at
craig_milliken[at]hotmail.com for more information. Include a brief note indicating the skills
and areas of expertise you feel you can bring to the market so we can begin to get to know your
interests and intent. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
–Lynne Fenley, Treasurer, MFM Board Member since December 2017.