In my previous life, I ran a Bed and Breakfast and spent a lot of my time baking.
Recruiting the right Board members is like baking croissants. It all comes down to the quality of ingredients and making the time commitment. The strength of your Board of Directors depends on the time you devote and the quality of the people you recruit.
As a nonprofit leadership coach with over 20 years of experience, a recurring complaint I hear from my clients is they don’t have enough or the right Board members to get the work done.
Let’s demystify how to recruit the right people to serve on your Board of Directors.
Why Mission-Aligned Board Recruitment Matters
1. Recruitment is a Board Responsibility:
The primary responsibility for recruiting new Board members lies with the Board itself. As the Executive Director, your role is to guide them by sharing recruitment best practices, helping to identify the types of people to target, and providing essential information about your agency.
2. Mission-Driven Recruitment:
Successful Boards consist of individuals who are passionate about the organization’s mission. They are willing to devote their time and resources because they care about what the agency does. They can be counted on to represent your cause and your organization.
3. Values-Driven Recruitment
If your organization values diversity, inclusion and equity, Board membership should reflect these values. If client empowerment is important, there should be client representation on your Board. Agency values should drive recruitment.
Identifying the Potential Board Members
1. Brainstorming Necessary Board Skills & Attributes:
Engage your Board in a brainstorming session to list the skills and attributes which ideally are represented on the Board. These attributes should align with your organization’s values and mission.
Attributes to Consider:
- Demographics: Ensure diversity in age, gender, and race, especially if your organization is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Community Connections: Identify the areas where your organization needs connections, such as business, media, local politics, philanthropy.
- Resources: Be clear about what resources you need from Board members, whether financial contributions, access to donors, or the ability to cultivate resources.
- Expertise: Determine the skill sets needed, such as management, accounting, public relations, strategic planning, fundraising, legal, HR, etc.
- Personal Style: Consider the mix of personalities needed for a cohesive Board—bridge builders, visionaries, strategists, collaborators, etc.
2. Mapping and Filling Gaps for a Diversely Skilled and Representative Board
Create a matrix to map the attributes and skills of your current Board members. This will help you identify gaps that need to be filled. A deliberate strategy focused on these gaps will lead to a stronger, more effective Board.
3. Prioritizing Gaps:
Once gaps are identified, prioritize those needed skills through Board recruitment Develop a list of potential Board members. Sitting Board members should agree to approach the potential candidates. Ideally, a Governance or Nominating Committee should lead this effort, but all Board members should contribute to identifying potential Board members.
Where to Find Potential Board Members
1. National and Local Resources:
Consider reaching out to affiliates of the National Council of Nonprofits, local Junior Leagues, and alumni chapters of service-oriented organizations. Volunteer databases like Idealist can also be valuable resources.
2. Professional Associations:
Use the attribute/skill matrix to approach relevant professional associations that align with your organization’s needs.
3. Community Connections:
Look for potential Board members among relatives of clients served, issue advocates, or those who are completing their terms on other nonprofit Boards and want to remain involved in the community.
By following these strategies, you can recruit Board members who bring the necessary skills and resources and align with your organization’s mission and values. Your goal is to create a Board that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The Recruitment Conversation
Current Board members should approach potential members. The best person to speak of the volunteer experience is another volunteer. Your role as the Executive Director is to provide concise written material which conveys your agency’s mission, programs, budget and recent outcomes.
The recruitment conversation should include:
- The Work of the Organization- Discuss the mission and programs of the agency. Even if the person declines to join the Board, the recruitment conversation increases awareness of your agency.
- Current Board Composition– Describe the current membership and the role each person plays on the Board. No matter how big or small a community you live in, people, especially those involved in community and civic pursuits, tend to know each other.
- Board work– Explain the standing committees and the things they are involved in. By providing detail you are helping the potential member envision their place on the Board.
- Time Commitment- Review the time commitment that is expected. If the by-laws require a certain number of meetings attended or membership on a number of committees, make this known upfront.
- Member Expectations– In addition to attending meetings, performing other tasks, the expectation of a financial commitment, should be discussed. If the Board has a ‘Give or Get’ policy for a certain dollar amount, this information should be shared.
- Why They are being Recruited– Let the person know that the Board has been deliberate and strategic in their recruitment efforts. The potential member should know which of their skills and or perspectives will be valued by the Board.
These conversations lay the foundation of clear expectations, active participation and covey how the individual’s background and skills are valued by the Board.
Careful recruitment can lead to an engaged and effective Board.
If you need immediate help with your Board of Directors, grab a 90-minute strategy session to improve your Board functioning.