Become a Board Member

From this page you can apply to be a part of the State Farm Youth Advisory Board. The YAB is one of the nation’s most exciting opportunities for youth empowerment and development. The board is comprised of 30 youth from around the country who serve as equal members on the board. The board is given responsibility over $5 million dollars to grant service-learning and community impact projects that seek to solve important domestic issues.  Board Members are selected through a competitive application process, and all applications are read and reviewed by at least two members of an internal review team at Corporate.  Please read all of the information carefully.

2013 YAB Board Member Applications Timeline

• October 4th, 5pm Central    Applications due
• Week of November 12th      Finalists will receive notification about setting up phone interviews
• Week of November 26th      Selected Board Members will be announced via Facebook

Commitment expected of the Board Members

The Board’s work is handled through three in-person meetings at State Farm’s Corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois or at other locations within the U.S. Primary commitment to the board and time working is through virtual communications between meetings. The expectation is that all associate and board members will commit 15 hours per month to board activities. 

All Youth Advisory Board meetings are mandatory for all board and associate board members. Previous boards felt that board meetings are critical to understanding the mission, helping develop processes and to get to know fellow board members before working online to develop the grant proposals. The funding meeting is where the board makes all its decisions on grants to be funded. IF you cannot make these meetings, your candidacy as an applicant will be affected. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account.

Youth Advisory Board meetings beginning with the term that begins January 2, 2013 and ends January 2, 2014 will take place on:

• January 7-10, 2013 - Bloomington, IL
  • Key Events
    • Orientation of associate board members
    • Associate board members move to board status
    • Board members rotate to alumni status
    • Development of new board’s mission, goals and issue areas
    • Outlining of the Cause An Effect program
• March 13-16, 2013 – National Service-Learning Conference – Denver, CO
  • Key Events
    • Presentations at conference
    • Board meeting
• August 1-6, 2013 - Bloomington, IL
  • Key Events
    • Funding meeting for grants
• January 2-6, 2014 – Bloomington, IL
  • Key Events
    • Orientation of associate board members
    • Associate board members move to board status
    • Board members rotate to alumni status
    • Development of new board’s mission, goals and issue areas

Youth Advisory Board Members’ Expenses

All travel, lodging and meal expenses of Board and Associate Board members are covered for all meetings initiated by State Farm relative to Board activities. Board and Associate Board members will not be compensated for their time other than through expense reimbursement. There is no personal financial cost associated with board and associate board membership.

Applications have closed.  2013 application will open in early August.