Empower Your Board: The Impact of Concrete Tools
People become Board members because they want to help others, because they want to give back to their community because they care strongly about the organization’s mission. Executive Directors choose to work for non-profits for the same reasons. So why do problems sometimes arise?
Just like any relationship, it often comes down to communication.
Sometimes, creating a simple tool, like a checklist that clearly outlines different ways Board members can help, creates clear lines of communication and helps ensure everyone is working together toward the same goal.
Creating a checklist of Board involvement opportunities.
Executive Directors need help. Board members want to help. So how can we connect the dots to ensure that everyone is on the same page while maximizing impact for the organization?
A well-structured list of Board involvement opportunities might be the answer. This is a list of items, often created by the Executive Director, Director of Development, and/or Director of Programming, that outlines different ways Board members can help the organization move forward. The items are specific to the organization’s needs and goals for the year.
Having a document like this ensures that Executive Directors are getting the help they need while allowing Board members to choose action items they are comfortable with AND excited about. It is a tool that all Board members can use, regardless of which Board committee they are on or what their Board role is.
Organizations appreciate Board members time, expertise, and investment. They know that different responsibilities appeal to different people, so it is important not to operate from a philosophy of ‘one size fits all.’ Having a list with multiple opportunities helps because it allows Board members to choose responsibilities that best suit them based on their skillset.
Additionally, some Board members might have more discretionary time than others. Hosting a small fundraiser might appeal to someone with more time, whereas others might be able to assist with donor thank you calls or email introductions to forge new relationships.
Sample Board Involvement Checklist
A local organization used my sample Board Involvement Checklist as inspiration for a project of their own:
“Using Laurie’s tool helped us immensely. What we really needed this year was growth, so we focused on that as a theme and developed our list around it. We were able to make sure that every item on the list was a true need for the growth of our organization and it helped clearly define a variety of actionable items for Board members to choose from. A win-win for everyone. The Board liked the concept so much that they used it to inform their Board goals for the year!”
Stevie Fellows, Director of Philanthropy at Wellspring
Every organization’s list will look different based on their needs for that time. For some, the focus might be on raising more money, for others it might be about building community awareness for a new program, or employee satisfaction and retention. The list should be edited every year to reflect organizational priorities.
Your checklist could also serve as a great tool to use when interviewing prospective Board members. If prospective members review the list and decide that the action items are not something they are comfortable with, then maybe now isn’t the right time for them to join the Board – and that is okay! Being fully transparent about Board responsibilities from the start is sure to help foster open and honest communication throughout the relationship.
