Building a board

What defines a strong nonprofit board member?

Answer:

There are four key things a nonprofit organization needs from its board members:  involvement, insight, influence, and income. 

When each board member brings a good balance of these elements to the board's work, the organization is best able to create a strong community partnership of volunteers and staff to succeed in its fund-raising efforts, and to fulfill its mission.

* Board members need to bring involvement. 

They need to try hard to attend all meetings, study issues and information in advance, work through committees to address concerns and offer practical advice, and help forge consensus opinion and spirited commitment. 

Board members need to be actively involved in defining policies and attaining support for the organization, but leave management to management.

* Board members need to offer insight. 

Relevant ideas, constructive criticism, creative thinking and sympathetic listening are all qualities fellow board and staff members will benefit from. 

It is not a matter of having -- and always expressing -- an opinion on every topic. 

Board members and staff need sound advice and practical solutions from a board member when that person is the most appropriate individual to offer advice and solutions for that particular issue.

In the best-run boards, members' insight is called upon in committee.

Only rarely should the board itself function as a committee-of-the-whole.

* Board members must have influence in the community. 

They need to bring to the institution contacts and leads.  They need to know with whom to talk, about which topics, in what way, and at what time. 

They need to help persuade, excite, re-direct or rally, as needed, on behalf of the organization. 

Board members also should identify and bring to the organization other influential leaders in the community.

* Finally, each board member must bring the organization income. 

This should come in at least two ways -- a personal financial commitment on a regular basis, and direct assistance in securing financial commitments from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government entities with which the board member has connections. 

No board member should be excused from either component of this fourth and vital requirement. 

If the board is not committed financially, why should anyone else be?

The successful nonprofit organization needs an active, committed board composed of men and women who each bring a strong balance of involvement, insight, influence, and income.

In this way, the organization will grow and prosper.