Let’s talk about cultivating your board.
I know, I know. They’re already on the team. They’re part of the family. We shouldn’t need to wine and dine them in the same way we would cultivate our prospective donors. Right?
Wrong.
There’s an old saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” In other words, the work of cultivation should never stop. In many cases, your board consists of your top donors and the main resource for unlocking other resources to fund your vision. They’re out there rockin’ your NPO’s brand, so they ought to have the best “shoes” in town!
If you want board members who are in it for the long haul, you have to love them and help them find their place in the family. Here are a few ways you can ensure that every board member feels essential and stays connected to the mission:
- Make sure the expectations are clear. Do you expect them to fundraise? Do they know that?
- Make sure that you are using them to their fullest potential. Get to know them so that you can tap into their talents and driving aspirations. Your goal should be to help them find fulfillment in their work.
- Don’t require them to do all the legwork of networking. Start with a simple LinkedIn search to find out who they know. Present them with a list of potential connections who might be valuable assets to the organization.
- Unlock your expectations. You may not expect as much from certain board members, but often the quiet and unsuspecting people will surprise you the most. No one is irrelevant. Everyone has something to bring to the table.
Growing a board that represents your mission and has capacity takes time, intentionality, and cultivation—especially if your goal is to create a board that is diverse.
🎤🎤🎤
Speaking of cultivating a diverse board…
Diversity within your board and your organization is so key for accurately representing your community, getting new perspectives, and just making decisions with more empathy and cultural awareness. Am I right?
I recently had a great discussion with Andy Rathmann-Noonan, president of the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation (NSTMF) and Mayowa Awe, the senior director of their flagship program inSTEM about how they transitioned their board from pale and male 👴👴 to a diverse dream team! 🙌
Here are some nuggets of wisdom gleaned from our discussion: :
- To effectively diversify, you have to look beyond surface diversity to passion and abilities.
- Relationship building is clutch! Take time to connect with potential recruits before they join. Steward each member intentionally even after they’ve joined.
- Give diverse members multiple ways to add value, not just cutting checks. Offer options like volunteering, social media, and building networks.
- Lend recruiting support by doing prep work like LinkedIn searches and email templates. Meet them where they’re at!
- Foster connections between members through fun social events outside meetings. Personal bonds help teams work together.
It may get uncomfortable, and it will definitely take time and patience; but, diversifying your board will uplevel the impact and effectiveness of your org!
