Board Director

The Narwhal  

Board of Directors

Call for nominations (open July 15, 2025 to November 1, 2025) — anywhere in Canada

The Narwhal is an award-winning online magazine that publishes in-depth and investigative journalism about the natural world in Canada. Think of us as part newsroom, part non-profit and part startup. As a non-profit, reader-funded news organization, our goal isn’t to sell advertising or to please corporate bigwigs — it’s to bring evidence-based news and analysis to the surface for our readers. We’re part of a revolution in public-interest journalism that is reinvigorating the relationship between readers and the journalists who work on their behalf.

As a nonprofit organization, The Narwhal relies on the support of an active and engaged Board of Directors. Serving on the board, first and foremost, means believing in our mission and pledging to contribute time, knowledge, skills and guidance to support our work. Board positions at The Narwhal are unpaid and voluntary.

Why join our board?

Serving on the Board of Directors is an opportunity to:

• Make a meaningful impact in independent Canadian journalism and support award-winning environmental reporting
• Collaborate and build relationships with thought leaders from across Canada with expertise in journalism, communications, audience-growth, science and Indigenous rights
• Provide strategic guidance and governance for an organization at the helm of public-interest, non-profit journalism in Canada
• Support both the growth and sustainability of The Narwhal
  
  

Who we’re looking for

We welcome nominations from individuals who:

• Are willing to support to The Narwhal’s commitment to ethics and independence
• Bring skills or experience in areas such as nonprofit governance, fundraising, finance, media and journalism, business, communications, legal expertise, human resources, policy advocacy or diversity and inclusion initiatives
• Are willing to actively participate in board meetings, committees, trainings and fundraising efforts
• Can serve a term of three years, with a possibility of a one-term extension, and dedicate approximately five hours per quarter for regular board members and five to ten hours per quarter for additional volunteer commitments (e.g. committee participation)
  
  

Term length & time commitment

• Board terms are three years, and directors can serve up to two terms 
• Board term runs from February 2026 to February 2029
• The Board of Directors meets quarterly via video conference, with occasional in-person meetings 
  
  

Responsibilities

• Attend and actively participate in board meetings, committees and special events
• Engage in strategic planning and organizational oversight to support long-term sustainability
• Provide financial oversight, including approving the annual budget and monitoring its adherence
• Support the organization’s policies and ensure alignment with The Narwhal’s mission and values
• Advocate for The Narwhal by promoting our mission and work within your networks and communities
• Assist with outreach and governance to strengthen the organization’s impact
• Assist with fundraising
• Respond to occasional staff requests for support in a timely manner
• Commit to ongoing learning in equity, anti-racism and inclusion practices
• Commit to aligning leadership and behaviour with the highest journalistic standards, include editorial independence
• Collaborate thoughtfully with fellow Board Members, and contribute to a leadership culture of inclusivity, accountability and support
  
  

How to apply

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and your CV here by September 1. If you have any questions, please contact hiring@thenarwhal.ca.


More about The Narwhal

The Narwhal was founded in May 2018 by Victoria-based journalists Emma Gilchrist and Carol Linnitt with a goal to publish stories about the natural world in Canada that readers can’t find anywhere else. Our vision is to harness the power of journalism to bridge divides, inspiring a diverse and growing chorus of people to hold power to account. 

The Narwhal is a leader in non-profit journalism in Canada and is supported by more than 7,200 members and about 15 philanthropic foundations. In March 2021, The Narwhal became Canada’s first English-language registered journalism organization, which means all of our donors receive donation tax receipts and we are a qualified donee under Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. The Narwhal is also a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News, recognizing our adherence to strict standards of editorial independence and financial transparency.

Since launching seven years ago, The Narwhal’s budget has grown nine-fold and is projected to surpass $3.6 million in the next fiscal year. We now count 27 staff members. In 2024, The Narwhal’s articles were read nearly four million times on our website and more than 2.1 million times on Apple News, while our newsletter list has grown to over 100,000 subscribers.

The Narwhal’s reporting is frequently cited and republished in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Toronto Star, CBC and others. We have collaborated with the Toronto Star, VICE World News, Chatelaine, The Weather Network and The Globe and Mail, while our Manitoba reporter produces stories as part of an innovative partnership with the Winnipeg Free Press. In 2024, we launched a partnership with The Canadian Press wire service to bring more environment and climate change stories to the surface for readers across the country.

The Narwhal was the co-recipient of the 2024 Michener Award, Canada’s most prestigious journalism prize. Our organization also took home six 2024 Digital Publishing Awards, two National Newspaper Awards, one award from the Canadian Association of Journalists and a Jack Webster Award.