As I prepare to teach board development this Saturday for the UW Nonprofit Management Certificate, I thought I would post a few resources here.
Regarding board recruitment, I put together a booklet a few years ago that walks throught the board recruitment process step by step, providing suggestions for assessing your current board composition, setting recruitment goals aligned with your strategic priorities, and clarifying your selection and election process. The booklet is available as a pdf at http://www.laurapierceconsulting.com/Board%20Recruitment%20Workbook.pdf.
A board composition analysis grid is a useful tool for analyzing the current composition of your board. United Way has one posted here: http://www.uwkc.org/nonprofit/governance/board/Board%20Composition%20Analysis.xls.
A few tips:
- It is most important to have a champion and point person to coordinate the recruitment process. This person is making a high leverage contribution to the board by ensuring that more qualified people join the group. They need to be a “people-person” and well-organized. Of course, several such people who form a committee is even better.
- Make sure that all board members are clear about the process to invite and vote on a new board member. All board members should be aware of the board’s needs and thinking of board prospects. Potential candidates should be recommended to the board development person or committee, and go through the usual vetting process.
- Board recruitment is an important board responsibility. Saavy board members will express concern if they are recruited exclusively by the executive director.
- Bring board members on in cohorts at specified times of the year. This will increase the odds of them being oriented properly, will encourage quicker engagement and participation, and will increase your success if you are trying to incorporate more diversity on your board.
Want to know more? I teach a board development workshop at United Way of King County periodically. The next workshop is scheduled for March 11, 2008. For customized training for your board, contact me directly.