Building a board is a challenging task. Identifying key leaders, ensuring they fit the culture of your organization, going through all the interviewing and onboarding processes – each part of the process feels intimidating on its own. And that doesn’t even really scratch the surface of all that goes into it.

Despite these challenges, getting your board in order is one of the most important parts of running a successful nonprofit. Among other things, they’re responsible for overseeing and governing the entire organization and ensuring that the executive director has what they need to accomplish the vision.

Having the right board members in place will help things run as smoothly as possible, but the reverse is also true. A poorly structured team can have severely negative effects on the organization.

Building a good board starts with recruitment and onboarding. In this blog, we’ll cover some helpful tips for identifying and incorporating the kind of board members that will lead your organization to success.

Understand Your Board’s Model and Purpose

Every board needs a vision of the model and purpose of the board that they’re trying to create. Boards may take on different models depending on the organization’s specific needs. Recruiting new members gives you a chance to evaluate the kind of board you want to create for the next season of the organization. Ask a few questions to figure out which model works best for you.

• Are you looking to create a working board where people will roll up their sleeves and get to work?

• Are you looking to create a governance board that provides oversight and guidance to the staff?

• Are you looking to create a board that is largely focused on fundraising?

• Do you want to combine these various options in some way?

Building the model will involve thinking about the specific roles and responsibilities of your board. How will new members fit into the overall vision? Board member responsibilities should be clearly set and communicated both to the recruits and the existing board members.

Another factor to consider is the size of your board. How many new members are needed? Boards are not one-size-fits all, and each organization will make the decision on what size works best for them based on state laws, organizational bylaws, and the mission and vision of the nonprofit.

Boards should also have a predetermined idea of who is involved in the recruitment process. The executive director may play a part in this, but it’s often the role of the governance, executive, or nominating committee to lead the effort. This will reduce the risk of the executive director selecting people with whom they have an additional relationship.

Advisory boards, also known as advisory councils, can significantly impact your thoughts and decision making processes as well. Advisory boards do not have the same legal responsibilities as the board of directors. They instead support the board of directors by making recommendations or providing additional materials and information. Organizations with both an advisory board and a board of directors can consider candidates to fill both in the recruitment process.

Fully understanding your board’s purpose and mission will provide you with a strong foundation from which to recruit. Utilizing a board member matrix spreadsheet like this one from Build a Better Board can help a group clarify the composition and needs of the board that they are trying to create. Doing this early in the recruitment process will make it easier to avoid the pitfalls that lead to challenging board members.

Find the Right Candidates for the Right Roles

Boards won’t operate well without the right people in the right roles. Some candidates may bring a lot to the table in areas your organization does not need help. While it may feel like you’re losing out on someone great, it’s important to remember that board members fill specific needs.

In the recruiting phase, we recommend that board member responsibilities are clearly established and communicated. This will accomplish two critical things simultaneously. First, it will narrow your pool so you mostly get applicants that fit the specific criteria you’re looking for. Second, it helps keep your organization on track during the process to only look for candidates that fit that criteria.

Remember that the most successful boards are made up of different types of people. Having a range of skill sets and experiences helps the board become more well-rounded. The same can be said about the positive effects of creating a diverse board.

Recruiting can be a great time to evaluate your board's diversity and inclusion needs. Bringing in members with diverse backgrounds can help bring positive change to your organization.

Candidates can be found in a variety of places. Internal networks serve as a great starting point, but boards can expand beyond that by looking at various board posting and matching programs like the ones listed here. LinkedIn now also offers a service that helps nonprofits get in touch with potential board and employee candidates.

Every nominee should apply for the process, even if they have an existing relationship with the board. Recruiters can "shoulder tap" these people to encourage them to apply, but having them go through the vetting process allows them to expend some effort and show their commitment to the organization and its mission.

Thoroughly Plan Your Interviews and Evaluations

Having specific expectations for your board members will make it easier to interview and evaluate candidates. As applications come in, you’ll have a set idea they need to fit before they move to the next stage of the interview process.

The application should be thorough enough to get a good sense of the candidate. Find out about their previous experience and involvement with the community. Boardsource has put together a helpful prospective information sheet that can be filled out in addition to your organization’s application.

Interviewers should think through questions that allow the candidate to speak for themselves. Invite them to tell stories and share their experiences. Ask about their level of commitment and remind them of the time expectations for the role. Share information about meeting times, frequency, and, if relevant, requirements for serving on committees. Use a rating form like this one to ensure consistent criteria across candidates.

Beware of red flags, like the two mentioned here. Some candidates will want to serve only to bolster their own standing in the community. When real work is required on their end, these people often become frustrated and unproductive. Likewise, some candidates have a specific, personal agenda. They want to join only to make a change to the organization. While board members should be passionate, that passion should be channeled into the organization’s success, not personal gain.

Not every candidate will fit the specific needs you need filled. This can be frustrating, especially when you feel a connection with the person and see their skills benefiting the organization. Keep these people on file in case something opens up in the future or see if they would like to serve on an advisory board. It may prove helpful in the future to keep these people close to the organization.

Follow a Clear Nomination, Election, and Orientation Process

The organization’s bylaws will include specific protocols for nominations and elections. Follow them carefully.

The recruitment committee should equip the rest of the board with information about the nominated candidate before the official nomination meeting. This gives them time to prepare specific questions before the official nomination.

Candidates should not be present at this meeting so that everyone has the freedom to ask questions and raise potential concerns. This should take place before the official, open election that gets recorded in the meeting’s minutes.

Once the candidate is officially elected, boards will want to onboard them with the organization as a whole to help them get oriented. Using a checklist like this will make the process go as smoothly and seamlessly as possible, giving your newly elected board member a strong understanding of their responsibilities and the organization's programs, history, direction, finances, structure, and operations.

Closing Thoughts

Board recruitment and onboarding can be a challenging part of building a successful board. Identifying the right candidates who meet specific needs can feel impossible, especially after sitting through frustrating interviews or reviewing piles of resumes.

Nonetheless, boards are bound to need new members at some point. Following these tips will give you a strong starting point as you evaluate new candidates and bring in new people to lead your organization.