Congratulations, you’ve just been appointed to one of the more prestigious non-profit boards in the community! You’re really excited since you have a passion
for their mission and have heard nothing but great things about the organization. After the warm glow cools down just a little you realize the pressure is on – how are you going to “make your mark” and really contribute to the organization? Start with asking 5 questions of the executive director or board chair and let those answers guide you to your success.
- What am I supposed to be doing?
While you would think this is obvious, it’s actually a pretty good question to get some clarification on. Are the expectations for you to just show up at the board meetings and share your wisdom? There’s nothing wrong with that, but most boards ask much more of their members. Are you also expected to put in extra hours attending community meetings, fund raisers, sell tickets to fund raisers, help with fund raising outreach, volunteer in programs, etc.? And what are the attendance expectations at those board meetings? I’ve seen where board members didn’t realize the bylaws actually set minimum attendance requirements to remain on the board.
There may be written expectations for board members, but a conversation about what you uniquely bring to the board is equally valuable. Another value of this question is if the answer is nebulous or shows a lack of focus or expectations. Be wary of low expectations; that may mean the organization doesn’t know how to effectively engage and use volunteers.
- How can I help with your fundraising when I don’t do fundraising?
A key responsibility of a board should be to help bring resources into the organization. While some board members may be knowledgeable and perfectly comfortable helping with this, most have no background in it and are decidedly uncomfortable. Volunteers often think of fund raising as getting in front of someone and doing the “ask” for money, which can be a very difficult conversation. But there are other ways to help with bringing in resources such as:
- Identifying prospects. Board members are typically well connected in the community and can often identify individuals, foundations, or companies who have a passion for your organization’s mission. Starting with “who” might support the cause is important.
- After identifying “who” might be willing to support, then it’s time to determine how to go about approaching them. It’s rarely going straight for the “ask”, but will involve multiple steps and meetings. Knowing the best approach is critical and someone who knows the prospect is going to be valuable in thinking through the process.
- Advice visits. Everyone likes being asked what they think. Board members who know someone can be very valuable in setting up an informal meeting to simply ask questions of those prospects. It may lead to direct funding or could lead to new ideas or prospects.
- A personalized thank you call or handwritten note from a board member goes a long way in letting a donor know just how much there are appreciated. Every board member, no matter how uncomfortable with other aspects of fundraising, can be part of the team thanking.
- I’m not an accountant; how do I know if the finances are OK?
Boards have fiduciary responsibilities for their organization. Put another way, they are the stewards of the resources of their organization as they are invested to fulfill the organization’s mission. Non-profit financials can be intimidating to someone without a financial or management background. Hopefully your executive director has done an orientation and briefed you on the reports you should expect.
There are other ways to increase your comfort level.
- Make sure the board treasurer or finance committee chair has a financial background with knowledge of non-profit bookkeeping and is scrutinizing the monthly financials. If the experts are comfortable, that should make all board members more comfortable.
- Is there an annual audit done by an independent audit firm which reports directly to the board (or finance or audit committee)? Even if a board member is not involved in the audit process, they should review the report and make sure they have no questions.
- Does the board see and approve the 990 each year before it’s filed with the IRS? In addition to fiduciary oversight, this allows board members to see how the organization is being positioned to the public as the 990 is widely distributed and read.
- How can I be an ambassador for the organization if I’m not a public speaker?
A huge value which board members bring to an organization is advocating for the organization, its mission and programs. The reality is that any paid staff may know more about the organization than a volunteer, but when an unpaid volunteer speaks, it’s as if they’re using a megaphone; their voice is very loud. A board member is not paid, therefore is not expected to be vocal advocates for a non-profit unless they strongly believe it. They are laying their personal reputations on the line when they share how they feel. And some of the most effective venues are not the formal speaking engagements in front of community groups, but the informal opportunities that everyone has interacting in the community. This doesn’t take any public speaking skill, but sends a powerful message. Make sure staff has helped you develop a 2 minute “elevator” speech so you hit on the highlights and are comfortable that you’re giving the right information. Then watch as eyes light up when you share your passion for the organization.
- Are there personal financial expectations of me?
Hopefully this is a question that was clarified as part of your joining the board, but it’s surprising how often it is not directly addressed. Many non-profits require a personal donation, sometimes with a minimum amount. It makes sense that if a prospect is going to donate to the non-profit that the volunteers closest to it have invested in the organization first. In fact, this is often a question on grant applications and that box of “100% board giving” must be checked before the grant application will be considered.
A board will often recruit high level representation from a major employer. There should be a policy on whether the corporate gift from that organization fulfills a personal requirement, or if the individual must give. The same should be clear for heads of foundations.
There are certainly many questions which new board members should have answered to feel comfortable that they can make a significant impact for the non-profit, but these are five questions to start with. Hopefully they are the beginning of deeper conversations which fast track the new board member into full engagement and a highly successful tenure on the board.
