Eight Things to Consider When Diversifying Your Board

Categories: Board Diversity · Board Member Roles · Prospective Board MembersTags: · · 1 Comment

Everyone wants to diversify their boards. Having a diverse board, especially one with people who have lived experience around your mission, will help you make better decisions. Here are some things to think about: Think Broadly. Think of diversity in the broadest sense – ability, age, ethnicity, gender identity, geography, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. All of these areas can enrich your discussions and add important perspective. Depending on your mission, some may be more critical than others. Remember too that just because someone is white, male, or older does not mean that they are bad board members.… Read more

How to Prepare for a Successful Donor Ask

Categories: Board Member Roles · Fundraising · Good Board Practices · Nonprofit Funding · Prospective Board MembersTags: · Leave a comment

In this post, I share a story from a fundraising professional about the importance of preparation to making a successful ask. He describes how he tries to identify the best person to make each ask and then thoroughly prepares for each meeting so the asker – whether it is a board member, the ED, or someone else – is confident in their role. This post is the latest in my series about fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Other posts include: Successful Fundraising Requires a Great Story Fundraising Strategies for Large Institutions Organizing for Fundraising Success Having Board Members Thank Donors Role… Read more

The Journey to a Diverse Board

Categories: Board Diversity · Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board MembersTags: · · · · · · · · 2 Comments

Every board I have served on has wanted to be more diverse – more diverse in many ways: by race and culture, by age and gender, by geography. Yet most boards don’t do a good job at achieving the diversity they strive for. In this post, one ED shares his journey to a truly diverse board. His primary lessons – take your time, build trust, listen, be humble. Diversity is important – having many voices at the table changes not only the conversation but also decisions made and actions taken. Creating a diverse board sends a powerful signal to staff,… Read more

Advice to Prospective Board Members

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Executive Session · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board Members · Succession PlanningTags: · · · · · · · · Leave a comment

In my last post, I shared a story about a board member who did not look closely enough at financials and joined the board of an organization that was in trouble. They ended up closing down the organization which was heart breaking for many. This individual urged board members to “dig deep” into financial and legal issues. In today’s post, I share from two board members. Both provide a check list that they recommend using when deciding whether or not to join a board. These lists are also useful to current board members who want to ensure that they add… Read more

Dig Deep Before Joining a Board

Categories: Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board MembersTags: · · · · · · 3 Comments

I did not ask to look at all of the financials. I just took their word that they were okay.  The organization was a passion project for its founders. They were in a period of their lives where they were asking: do they stop doing the work or do they ramp it up? At the same time, the organization received a large grant from a big foundation that was interested in building their capacity. The organization decided they would accept the grant, build a team, and use this generous gift to develop a strategy to double down on the work… Read more