RAISE THE BAR COFFEE INC.
Get involved
with RTB.
We've been building quietly. Now we're opening the doors and we'd love for you to walk through.
There are three ways to get involved with RTB right now. They are genuinely different in scope, time commitment, and responsibility. We've laid them out clearly so you can figure out where you belong.
Whatever the level, there's a seat for you. Read everything before you apply.
And thank you, truly, for wanting to be here at all.
Every time we've put out a call, whether it's been for tickets, instructors, mentors, or volunteers, the response has completely overwhelmed us. We feel so lucky that our vision is also your vision. That means everything.
We will respond to every application, regardless of outcome, within 2-3 weeks of receiving it. Applications are open now and we're leaving them open a bit longer because we know it's a busy season for all of us. We're working to get onboarding started as quickly as possible while giving folks enough room to actually see and respond to the call.
3 ways in
Not sure which one is right for you? Read the cards. Read the linked materials. If you still have questions, email us at board@raise-the-bar.coffee before applying.
Option 01
Board of Directors
The legal, strategic, governing layer.
If you want to shape the organization itself, hold fiduciary responsibility, and help RTB build the infrastructure that makes the whole thing possible long-term: this is where you belong.
Board service is real governance work. Directors hold legal and fiduciary responsibility for RTB as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. You vote on budgets, approve policies, oversee the founding team, and help recruit the next generation of leadership. It is a working relationship, not a resume credential.
We're looking for people with specific skills: finance, fundraising, governance, law, education, workforce development, and yes, coffee industry expertise too. Our goal is for at least 25% of our board to come from outside the specialty coffee world.
~ 4-6 hours / month
2 year term
Legal Responsibility
6 meetings / year
Skills-based recruitment
Option 02
Committees and Working Groups
Where the building actually happens.
Not looking for a governance seat but want to contribute your skills, perspective, and energy to what we're building? Committees are exactly the right place.
RTB's community working groups are open-application, non-fiduciary, and focused on doing: social media and community management, Level Up programming input, event operations and logistics, and mentorship program design. You don't need board experience or formal credentials to contribute meaningfully here.
These are volunteer roles. We're working toward a model where consistent contributors get a free or discounted ticket to a future Level Up event, and committee members are the first pool we draw from when paid project work becomes available. Neither is a guarantee, but we are working to make both options real.
~ 2-8 hours / month
Volunteer (ticket pathway)
Skill-matched roles
Non-governing
Rolling review, open now
Option 03
Level Up 2026 Instructor, Panelist, or Cafe Mentor
September 18-20, 2026
Not looking for a governance seat but want to contribute your skills, perspective, and energy to what we're building? Committees are exactly the right place.
RTB's community working groups are open-application, non-fiduciary, and focused on doing: social media and community management, Level Up programming input, event operations and logistics, and mentorship program design. You don't need board experience or formal credentials to contribute meaningfully here.
These are volunteer roles. We're working toward a model where consistent contributors get a free or discounted ticket to a future Level Up event, and committee members are the first pool we draw from when paid project work becomes available. Neither is a guarantee, but we are working to make both options real.
~ 2-8 hours / month
Volunteer (ticket pathway)
Skill-matched roles
Non-governing
Rolling review, open now
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