Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Board

Authorization and Accountability

Authorized by the 1976 Delegate Assembly, PACE is a Trust established in the District of Columbia on August 11, 1976, and amended and extended on June 30, 1986. The Trust is governed by seven to 13 Trustees. The Board of Trustees is accountable for the activities of the Trust and reports to the NASW Board of Directors on an annual basis.

Purpose

The purposes of the Trust are:

  1. To help elect candidates to public office who support legislation and policies consistent with the goals of the social work profession and those who are served by the social work profession.
  2. To promote NASW legislative policies through political action and/or through support of candidates.
  3. To promote political education and full participation among members of the social work profession.
  4. To take such other and further action as may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

Time Frame

The PACE Trust is an ongoing subsidiary of the Association subject to termination by a majority vote of Trustees.

Members, Terms and Criteria

There shall be seven to 13 Trustees administering this fund all of whom shall be members of NASW and who shall be appointed by the President of NASW with the approval of the NASW Board of Directors. Two Trustees shall be members of the Board of Directors of NASW. One Trustee shall be from each of the following geographic regions: Pacific Coast, Southwest, Midwest, South, Northeast.

Trustees who are not NASW Board members shall be appointed for a full 4-year term unless appointed to fill an unexpired term of a previous Trustee. Trustees who are NASW Board members shall serve 2-year terms.

No Trustee shall serve as such for more than one unexpired term plus one full term. The Chairperson and a Secretary/Treasurer shall be selected by the Trustees annually from among their number by a majority vote.

Specific Responsibilities

  1. Trustees may endorse or oppose candidates for public office, promote lawful political action on behalf of the social work profession and its constituencies.
  2. Trustees may authorize the expenditure of funds for the support of candidates for public office, for opposition to candidates for public office, or for activities promoting political activism among social workers.
  3. Trustees may formulate and issue such rules and regulations, as they, in their sole discretion, may deem proper or necessary for the sound and efficient administration of the fund.

Questions about the PACE Board?


Contact Dina Kastner, Senior Field Organizer, at: dkastner.nasw@socialworkers.org