How to Recruit Board Members for Nonprofits: Step-by-Step Guide and Best Practices

Board recruitment is vital for nonprofits to ensure dynamic and effective leadership. This process focuses on attracting individuals with the right qualifications: experience, vision, and commitment to advance the organization’s mission.

As workplace environments shift, leadership has become a top priority, with 60% of HR leaders prioritizing management development to improve organizational culture. With a stronger emphasis on leadership, nonprofits must proactively fortify their boards to ensure sustainable management by recruiting individuals who can navigate emerging challenges and opportunities.

This article provides you with a comprehensive guide to effective nonprofit board member recruitment. Explore its elements, strategies on how to attract board members, and the various steps involved in the process.

What are the qualities of an ideal nonprofit board member?

Nonprofit boards are governing bodies dedicated to growing organizations through their strategic direction. Succeeding in this role requires board members to possess the technical skills and values that resonate with the nonprofit’s mission. To strike a balance and achieve a productive working environment, nonprofit boards must recruit members with the following qualities:

Supports the organization’s purpose

Senior leaders value candidates with the same passion as their nonprofit. For them, an ideal board member is someone who believes in purpose-driven board leadership and aligns their personal goals with the organization’s. This alignment fosters a stronger sense of purpose that bolsters commitment and involvement in the work.

Cultural fit and shared values

How can you tell if a candidate suits your board? Values and principles are two essential factors to examine. Board members who uphold the organization’s core values are more likely to be effective and easier to work with, enhancing harmony in the boardroom. To assess candidates in this aspect, review their past roles, decision-making processes, and overall leadership style.

Knowledge of fiduciary duties

Board members must understand their fiduciary responsibilities of overseeing nonprofits with care, loyalty, and integrity. This legal obligation endows boards with authority to manage the assets of nonprofits, under the condition that they must prioritize their interests before personal gains.

Expertise in nonprofit governance

Nonprofit board candidates should demonstrate a strong background in board governance. Ideal board members possess fundraising, financial management, compliance, and strategic planning skills. Recruiting directors with these credentials strengthens the board and promotes sustainability.

Strategic network

A board member with a rich network is a strategic asset to an organization. Their connections present valuable opportunities, paving the way for more new partnerships and successful fundraising activities. As a testament to their good character, a strong network also demonstrates a board member’s ability to cultivate relationships and build trust, which are essential qualities of an ideal board member.

How do you develop a board recruitment plan?

Downplaying the value of board recruitment can directly impact the quality of recruits, leading to a less effective board. This function requires a comprehensive board recruitment plan to secure competent and principled individuals who can help drive organizational success.

What does a board recruitment plan include, and where can you start? Here are the key measures you can take to ensure an effective recruitment strategy:

1. Review bylaws and define goals

A nonprofit board performs its governance following its bylaws—a rulebook that serves as the basis of all governance processes within the organization. Begin your recruitment strategy by reviewing your bylaws to ensure the plan meets legal and ethical standards. Understand what it says about qualifications, selection process, onboarding, and tenure requirements, and incorporate them into your recruitment strategy.

Doing this step puts the board in a stronger position to set objectives consistent with its governance framework. This proactive approach helps ensure that recruitment efforts are targeting both short- and long-term goals, making the plan actionable, practical, and targeted. When defining recruitment and board goals, consider the following aspects:

• Alignment with the mission and bylaws
• Perspective of stakeholders
• Time and budget
• Strategic priorities
• Board composition

2. Evaluate board composition

Onboarding new directors is a proven tactic to address skills gaps and improve board effectiveness. But how can you ensure that you are hiring for the right reasons? One secret of high-performing boards is doing skills assessments. Efficiently revealing gaps through data, board skills assessments help boards visualize their strengths and weaknesses, informing recruitment efforts and making them more targeted.

Not sure how to begin your board skills assessment? Our guide provides a clear roadmap and includes a nonprofit board recruitment matrix to help you get started.

3. Create clear job titles and descriptions

Create a clear job description to increase your probability of finding the most suitable board member. Before reaching out to your networks and posting online, take the time to craft a detailed job description. Include general duties, required qualifications and skills, relevant benefits, working hours, term limit, and compensation.

4. Establish a board development committee

The board development or governance committee is a type of standing committee in charge of handling the board’s performance monitoring, skills development, hiring, and succession. Ensuring that the board hires the right directors, this committee is responsible for developing recruitment strategies, which involve crafting relevant policies, creating job vacancies, nurturing a pool of prospects, screening and interviewing, and onboarding. With their support, the board can have more time to focus on strategic planning and decision-making.

Where and how to recruit board members for a nonprofit organization?

Many corporations and nonprofits rely on their board development committee to identify prospects. However, when the committee’s list falls short of ideal candidates, nonprofits can broaden their search using the following recruitment strategies for nonprofit organizations:

Referrals

One of the easiest ways for nonprofits to share about board vacancies is by tapping into the existing networks, such as current board members, staff, and volunteers. Gather referrals by announcing the opportunity within their professional and personal circles to increase the chances of attracting qualified candidates.

External Promotion

Digital platforms and local communities offer nonprofits greater access to potential candidates. For online recruitment, begin by posting a detailed job description on the website or sending newsletters to engage stakeholders and donors. For more targeted efforts, consider exploring websites dedicated to nonprofit board recruitment, such as BoardSource and Bridgespan. Don’t overlook the value of local community groups such as universities and professional associations.

Nonprofit Executive Search Firms

Organizations operating on a bigger budget can consider partnering with a nonprofit executive search firm to instantly gain access to a broader pool of candidates that matches their requirements. While more costly, spending for it can be worth it, especially when time is limited.

How to Select the Best Candidate: Step-by-Step Board Recruitment Process

Selecting for a board position is a meticulous process involving several stages. To streamline this task and ensure a fair and effective selection, follow the outlined steps below.

1. Distribute the application form

Distribute application forms, either online or offline, to initiate the selection process. Clearly specify what applicants should provide for consistency and ease of screening. Usually, a board application asks for a biography, professional experience, certifications, and a cover letter.

Once application forms are in, it’s important for the board and its committee to promote a fair recruitment process. Give all candidates, whether referred or recruited, the same opportunities to undergo screening. This helps detect conflicts of interest early on, preventing the occurrence of issues during onboarding or their term.

2. Screen applications

Screening is a crucial step in identifying if a candidate is a suitable fit for a board position. While recruiters often perform this with a strict checklist, it’s equally important to evaluate candidates with an inclusive mindset. This means conducting unbiased screening, regardless of status, family background, ethnicity, gender, or age.

By combining a rigorous screening process with inclusivity, organizations can identify board candidates who not only possess the necessary qualifications but also bring diverse perspectives and valuable contributions to the leadership team.

3. Schedule interviews

The screening process helps the board prevent wasting time by interviewing unqualified candidates. To maximize the discussion and have a comprehensive evaluation, recruiters must use a structured approach to cover all essential aspects. Below are key topics to consider when drafting interview questions for nonprofit board members:

• General Questions: Begin by tackling the candidate’s background, particularly their relevant experience, and motivations for applying.
• Time Commitment: Determine the candidate’s availability by asking about their current commitments and capacity to attend board meetings and other business activities.
• Strategy and Leadership: Assess the candidate’s leadership style by asking questions about their decision-making and strategic thinking.
• Governance: Evaluate their understanding of nonprofit governance, including best practices and compliance requirements.
• Interpersonal Skills: Ask situational questions to gauge their interpersonal skills and values.
• Industry-Specific Questions: Test the candidate’s knowledge of the nonprofit industry by asking about key trends and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Closing questions: Conclude the interview by allowing the candidate to ask questions for clarification.

3. Release shortlist

After the interview process, organizations often release a list of candidates that passed the interviews. Some boards invite these candidates to attend board meetings, letting them witness discussions and experience the board’s dynamics firsthand. This approach allows the board to evaluate each candidate’s behavior, gaining valuable insights into their potential fit and contributions.

4. Nominate and select

The selection process concludes when the board decides whose candidate will earn the position. This involves nominating candidates from the shortlist and selecting the best fit based on predefined criteria and insights gathered during interviews.

As an additional step, some organizations require candidates to undergo further background checks, such as submitting police records and other clearances, to confirm their suitability for the role and the organization.

Last Recruitment Step: Orientation and Onboarding

A successful board recruitment includes orientation and onboarding to ensure a smooth transition. To facilitate a seamless handover, the board should arrange welcoming meetings to assist the director in settling into their new role. A successful onboarding process involves:

• Onboarding plan: Create a positive first impression on the director by providing a well-organized onboarding experience. Gather all relevant materials and strategically segment and schedule sessions based on importance. To facilitate this process, coordinate with other teams to schedule onboarding meetings with HR, various committees, and the board of directors.
• Setting of expectations: The introductory meeting with current board members is an effective way to build rapport and clarify the job’s requirements. Use this time to engage in in-depth discussions about the role and its responsibilities, aligning expertise and performance with the organization’s overall direction.
• Organizational overview: Provide the new director with essential details such as the company profile, organizational structure, company policies, board information, financial overview, and relevant projects.
• Paperwork completion: Onboarding should include finalizing all necessary documentation and legal requirements. Maximize orientation time to complete any outstanding paperwork to avoid disruptions when the new director officially begins their role.

Optimize Nonprofit Board Recruitment Strategy with Convene

Invest in the right tools to help you find the right board members.

By now you have a complete idea of how to find board members for a new nonprofits. With many moving parts involved in the process, nonprofit boards and committees would benefit from utilizing software to streamline collaborations, interviews, approvals, and document exchange.

Supporting nonprofits with smart, simple, and secure board portal software, Convene is a trusted tool for the board of directors and senior leaders globally. The platform is built with sophisticated features to streamline the daily business activities of board members, administrators, and committees.

With Convene, nonprofits can effortlessly manage meeting schedules, share important documents, and facilitate real-time collaboration. Proven to be effective in improving board recruitment and performance, Convene helps organizations attract, engage, and onboard the right talent. Here’s how:

• Centralized Information Management: Our board management software lets you store and manage related documents in one secure location, providing stakeholders easy access to candidate information, meeting notes, and other pertinent documents.
• Streamlined Communication: Convene is built for real-time collaboration with intuitive tools that make online and offline exchanges between board members seamless. Make timely decisions through the platform functions for voting and approvals.
• Efficient Scheduling and Coordination: Simplify meeting management with directors and candidates with Convene’s automated scheduling features. Set up interviews, meetings, and follow-ups without the hassle of manual coordination.
• Enhanced Security: Packed with top-notch security measures, Convene assures you that all information circulating within the workspace is protected from unauthorized access, maintaining confidentiality and privacy.
• Simplified Onboarding: Help your new board members seamlessly transition into their roles with an efficient onboarding process using Convene. Centralize orientation materials, board policies, and other essential resources in one accessible space.

Ready to optimize your nonprofit boardroom operations? Schedule a Convene demo to explore more of our transformative. Reach out to our team today!