Picture it: you’ve got some openings on your board, but you don’t know where to start looking for new board members.

You could ask the current board members, but that can lead to a tricky situation where you’d have to turn down someone who wouldn’t be a good fit. You could look to your current list of volunteers, committee members, and others who are committed to your mission, but that can make your board a bit of an ‘insider’s circle’, preventing you from expanding your reach. 

Don’t despair, there is a smart way to step through this challenge – AND get your organization to the next level. 

1. Take an inventory of your current board members and what they bring – is it finance expertise? Are they a legal wiz? Have great experience with other boards? Maybe they’re philanthropically minded and can help underwrite services. Maybe they’re really well connected, and their friends and colleagues come through when you need it. Maybe they’re experienced in organizational planning, public relations, or in your particular field. Make a list of the traits and strengths of each board member. That will be a start to seeing which holes you’d need to fill. 

2. Look at your strategic plan – what goals do you have coming up, and what’s keeping you from them? Can board members help steer or guide you towards making your plan a success?  Make sure your board is very clear on their role – are they going to get operational (not advisable except in all but the smallest non-profits) or are they there to govern and offer advice? 

3. What do you need, as a non-profit executive? Which of your staff can use some mentoring or advice? Board members want to be helpful in the most efficient way possible, and that should include tapping into their expertise and experience to help your staff. 

4. Keep an eye on your board’s internal politics – do you have one or two very vocal members who might need someone who’s not afraid to push back? Or a group that’s too timid to offer opinions? Think about the personalities of the people involved and what might be a good fit or counterweight when it comes to dynamic of your group.

Be clear about the roles and expectations for your board with any potential members who might be interested. Share your by-laws and explain exactly what you want from your board members, and what specific need you’re looking to fill with this particular person. Be clear about what you expect in a commitment of time and philanthropy (a good rule of thumb for the latter is to ask board members to have your non-profit be included their top three for personal giving). 

Finally, you should have an internal vetting process that allows current board members to review and weigh in on potential board members. Always present an opportunity with a caveat “if there was a position open on our board, would you be interested?” Ask for a bio to advance to a nominating committee or your full board. You may want to give your board the opportunity to ‘veto’ a potential candidate without giving a specific reason why. People have relationships and a history that can go back beyond your organization and sometimes an astute board member can save you the trouble of inviting in someone who wouldn’t advance your mission. 

Above all, make sure the person is committed to your mission and sees your organization as a worthwhile cause – that kind of a buy-in is crucial to making sure the board experience is a positive one for your member and for your organization! 

About the Author

Paul McAvoy is The Killoe Group’s Communications & Marketing Lead. He is a career development professional who believes in the power of great storytelling to build success in public relations, fundraising communications, and non-profit marketing. His writing has been featured in the Albany Times Union, The New Hampshire Union Leader, The Evangelist, Parable Magazine, and The Long Island Catholic, among others.