Even with passionate staff, a clear vision, and the right funding, nonprofit goals can still seem out of reach without the right leadership. With an informed and active board of directors, nonprofits can build momentum toward helping their communities. But are your leaders the right fit? 

In 2022, nearly 17% of U.S. nonprofits claimed that recruiting quality board members was their biggest barrier to operations, and many others found it difficult to keep members engaged after recruitment. Finding the right professionals to step up and lead a board of directors long-term is a huge challenge to maintaining and following through with your mission.

Thankfully, you can take steps to assess your board’s fit for your organization. Whether you are building a board from scratch or if your board needs some breath of life, there are three things I like to consider for boosting nonprofit governance: Recruitment, Roles, and Relationships.

Recruitment: Finding the “BEST” Board Members

Above all, a board of directors guides an organization toward fulfilling its long-term mission by ensuring the stable management of resources, finances, and operations—all within a legal and ethical framework. When vetting who is fit to support the nonprofit’s executive leader, I like to start with seeing who is the BEST fit:

• • Bridges: What resources and personnel can the candidate bring to support the organization’s mission?

• • Expertise: What expertise or experience would the candidate leverage to help inform strategic decisions by the board?

• • Synergy: How well does the candidate work with others of diverse opinions? Can they collaborate without losing sight of the mission?

• • Time: Does the candidate have the capacity to volunteer their time toward the organization’s mission?

Finding the BEST candidates for your board can help you start understanding who is a great fit to advise your organization. Keep in mind that each facet of the BEST candidate can affect another. A member with many bridges may bring in more outside expertise, a candidate with more synergy may be willing to give more of their time, and so on. No board is the same, so your discretion is important to decide the size and fit.

Remember to consider how each member can leverage their BEST qualities across the board as a whole. No board member is perfect, so a diverse set of strengths, identities, and viewpoints can ensure that your board is reaching its BEST potential in every meeting. In fact, a 2013 study showed a positive correlation between diverse board members and governance effectiveness when diversity policies and practices are in place. Making sure your board sees your mission from every angle can make all the difference.

Roles: Clarity in the Big Picture

Even with the BEST board members, a board of directors can not accomplish much without clear roles and responsibilities. To help members feel comfortable and valuable to the mission, it is vital to keep the direction of the board clear. Check roles and check in often to ensure responsibilities are clear and members are committed.

Board members have 3 fiduciary duties: the duty of care, the duty of loyalty, and the duty of obedience. Put short, the board is responsible for the sensible use of assets, the sole advancement of the organization’s mission, and the organization’s lawfulness. To make sure your board members fully understand their duties, you can tackle this head-on:

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   2. 1. Review job descriptions for each role. Clarifying often how each person in the room contributes to the sustainability of your organization can help members understand and embrace the unique value they bring to the mission. Always ask your board members if they see areas where they can take passionate initiative, especially since they are volunteering their time.
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1. 1. 2. Centralize governing documents. Keeping board documents in one shared location can help minimize loss and maximize your meetings. Remember to review these documents together, especially as organizational needs change. These can include appointment processes, financial briefs, notes, and more.
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1. 1. 3. Set limits. Board members should go in knowing they are volunteering their efforts toward a larger mission. Setting limits on term lengths and compensation policies is vital to communicating up-front to new members.

1. 1. Stay up to date. When the board is budgeting for executive compensation, proposing new programming, or revisiting the organization’s mission, it is important to stay current with other organizations. What are others budgeting for, and how are they innovating for impact? Your bridges will be valuable here.
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1. 1. 4. Practice a mixed governance style. There are so many governance models out there, oftentimes, it can be challenging to implement the best one. No matter the model you choose, I’ve found that maintaining a blend of fiduciary, strategic, and generative governance keeps board members engaged and passionate. Giving your board members the room to identify root causes, build an actionable road map, and frame problems within your mission can help them feel a sense of confidence toward making a measurable change. 

 

Relationships: Keeping Members Engaged

Keeping board members engaged is a challenge many nonprofits face. Whether new or long-serving, there are a few ways to help your members stay involved to help your organization succeed.

The onboarding stage is a great time to get fresh members motivated. Aside from providing roles and responsibilities, you could start fostering a sense of community through a mentor/buddy system, a relevant field trip, or even some simple icebreakers. Encouraging new and seasoned members to engage from the beginning can help catalyze collaboration in future meetings.

Leveraging personal values can also boost members’ engagement. Each meeting, for example, center the board by reminding them of the mission and how it benefits not only the organization’s target community but also the board. Sharing key wins, either verbally or through a board newsletter, can help members remember why they joined and how their impact is manifesting. The board could also create its own focus groups or committees, allowing for cross-functional collaboration and more opportunities for involvement across the organization’s needs.

Make it fun, and bring food. Board members do so much to promote the organization’s mission—all for free. Providing an extrinsic reason to put in the work by building community is the least they could receive in return. It sounds simple, but food forms fellowship.

Don’t Lose Hope

At the end of the day, your nonprofit board’s success depends on teamwork and drive. Addressing problems with clear communication, shared expectations, and a clear mission can always benefit the board’s ability to advise. No matter the size or makeup of your board, there is potential to work toward the organization’s mission. With the right recruitment, roles, and relationships in place, a board of directors can make an impact worth sustaining.