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Volunteer

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Make a bigger impact for seniors in Northeast Indiana.

Council on Senior Services (COSS) is powered by people who care about strengthening services, support, and access to resources for older adults. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to give back, volunteering with COSS is a great place to start.

Once you become a COSS member, you can take an active role in the organization through open officer and committee positions.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE A VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
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Volunteer Opportunities

COSS offers volunteer leadership opportunities for members who want to serve behind the scenes and help guide the work of the council. We encourage members to consider stepping into an open role as it becomes available—and to bring ideas, energy, and collaboration to the table.

Volunteering may include participating in officer roles or supporting the planning and execution of meetings, initiatives, and organizational priorities.

Officer Responsibilities

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President

The President helps provide leadership and direction for COSS, supporting board operations and ensuring the organization stays aligned with its mission and goals.

Typical responsibilities include:

  • Leading general and board meetings

  • Creating meeting agendas

  • Serving as an ex-officio member of standing committees

  • Supporting overall board direction and strategy

  • Acting as the primary point of contact for the organization

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Vice President

The Vice President serves as the second in line to support and back up the President and stay closely involved in leadership conversations and decisions.

Typical responsibilities include:

  • Attending key steering committee and leadership discussions

  • Supporting continuity and “backup” leadership preparation

  • Assisting with board recruitment

  • Helping with special projects and additional needs as they arise

Committee Responsibilities

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Secretary

The Secretary plays a key role in keeping COSS organized, accurate, and compliant.

Responsibilities include:

  • Taking and maintaining meeting minutes for both the Council and the Executive Committee

  • Keeping an up-to-date copy of the COSS bylaws and providing copies to officers (and others upon request)

  • Serving as the custodian of all official and “legal” records, excluding Treasurer’s reports

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Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for overseeing COSS financial records and ensuring accurate reporting and accountability.

Responsibilities include:

  • Maintaining all funds and accounting records in accordance with commonly accepted accounting principles

  • Preparing and presenting financial reports for the Council and Executive Committee

  • Coordinating the annual audit process through the Foundation

  • The Grants Committee supports and manages the COSS grant process from promotion through award follow-up, ensuring a clear, consistent, and accountable process.

    Responsibilities include:

    • Sharing periodic announcements about the grant process at COSS meetings

    • Encouraging participation in Senior Resource Guide advertising to help fund the grant program

    • Requiring all grant applicants to request a receipt for their application to confirm it was received and available for board review

    • Collecting submitted grant applications and distributing a list of applicants to board members prior to the October board meeting

    • Providing copies of grant applications to each attendee at the October board meeting

    • Facilitating the October board discussion of requests and available treasury resources for award decisions

    • Recording board decisions, including award amounts and any denials

    • Notifying all grant applicants of the board’s decision via email or postal mail

      • For denials, including the reason for the decision

      • For approvals, including award amount, an invitation to the November meeting for check presentation, and grant follow-up requirements

      • Including instructions that the grant evaluation form is due by May 1 and an invitation to share an oral report at the May meeting

    • Sending award recipient details and amounts to the Treasurer in advance so checks can be prepared for the November meeting

    • Coordinating grant announcements and check presentations at the November meeting

    • Retaining awarded grant documentation for listing in the next Senior Resource Guide and posting on the COSS website

    • Providing awarded grant information to the PR Chairperson for inclusion in a press release

    • Sending reminders to grant recipients about the May 1 evaluation form deadline and the opportunity to give an oral report to the membership at the May meeting

  • The Marketing & PR role supports communication, visibility, and digital engagement for COSS.

    Responsibilities include:

    • Managing COSS social media accounts (Facebook), including posting COSS-related events and updates and responding to messages

    • Assisting with website updates and basic website management

    • Serving as a liaison between members and the board for social media and website-related needs

    • Managing the COSS PayPal account for membership payments, advertising, and related transactions

    • Supporting additional website or web development needs as they arise

  • The Programs Chair coordinates educational content and networking opportunities for COSS members throughout the year.

    Responsibilities include:

    • Scheduling one program speaker for each membership meeting

      • Programs are 15–20 minute educational presentations relevant to professionals serving seniors in the Fort Wayne area

    • Coordinating two member infomercials for each membership meeting

      • Infomercials are 3–5 minute marketing opportunities for members to share updates, new initiatives, or organizational news

    • Securing one membership meeting host for each meeting

      • Hosts provide food and drinks and help welcome attendees at the start of the meeting

      • Hosting offers visibility for the organization and supports a warm, hospitable environment for networking before and after the meeting

    After-Hours Events

    The Programs Chair also organizes COSS After-Hours events to encourage relationship-building in a relaxed setting.

    Responsibilities include:

    • Securing one host for each After-Hours event

      • Hosts provide the facility, food, beverages of choice, and a flyer to share with membership

    • Supporting event planning and communication

      • After-Hours events are typically held from 4:00–6:00 p.m.

  • The Membership Chair helps keep COSS connected, organized, and informed by managing member records and communication.

    Responsibilities include:

    Member Database Management

    • Maintaining an up-to-date member database using Excel, including:

      • Organization name

      • Member name

      • Address

      • Phone number(s)

      • Email address

    • Receiving membership payment updates from the Treasurer and/or PayPal reports

    • Recording paid membership status in the COSS database

    • Providing an updated copy of the membership database to board members monthly via email attachment

    Renewals & New Member Support

    • Sending annual membership renewal notices to all members via email

    • Sending follow-up renewal reminders to members with outstanding dues

    • Sending membership information to individuals or organizations interested in joining COSS

    Membership Meeting & After-Hours Communications

    • Sending membership meeting reminder emails to all members 7–14 days prior to each bi-monthly meeting

    • Sending After-Hours event emails to all members a couple of weeks prior to each event

    Bi-Monthly Membership Meeting Responsibilities

    • Attending bi-monthly membership meetings

    • Greeting members as they arrive and ensuring they sign in

    • Checking attendees against the membership list to confirm paid vs. unpaid membership status

    • Providing completed sign-in sheets to the Secretary following the meeting

  • The Special Projects role supports the long-term strength and smooth operation of COSS by ensuring strong governance, clear processes, and well-organized member experiences.

    Responsibilities include:

    Bylaws & Governance

    • Performing a bi-annual (every other year) rolling audit and update of the COSS Bylaws

    • Serving as parliamentarian to ensure COSS business, meetings, processes, and documentation follow the current governing Bylaws

    • Proposing Bylaws updates to the general membership in consultation and agreement with the COSS Board of Directors

    • Presiding over major action items (including proposals and votes) during general membership meetings

    Meeting Logistics & Organizational Support

    • Coordinating general membership meeting locations, logistics, and technology to align with COSS mission, values, and member preferences

    • Supporting additional “ad hoc” responsibilities for the good of the organization when needs arise outside of officer roles and standing committee duties

COMPLETE A VOLUNTEER APPLICATION