Learn Before You Lead

Find Answers to your questions about Board Service

Board service can be an immensely rewarding experience. Here are some questions we recommend asking yourself before you join a Board.

Why should I join a Board?
What do board members do?
What qualifications do I need to be on a Board?
How do I find the right Board position?
Do Board members have to make financial contributions?

Why should I join a Board?

Board service is often an opportunity to:

• Develop and demonstrate leadership skills outside of the workplace
• Build ties to professional interests
• Expand your personal networks, develop lasting friendships
• Deepen your understanding of your community
• Experience philanthropy and volunteerism
• Commit to a cause and to an organization
• Work alongside people who share your personal interests

What do board members do?

Board members provide oversight, guidance, and support for an organization. They are the guardians of an organization's mission, ensuring that it is being fulfilled. They give their skills and knowledge, fundraise, advocate, recruit other leaders, and provide important links between the non-profit and other organizations (non-profit, corporate and political). To the staff of an organization, Board members often serve as in-house consultants or advisors. To the outside public, they are often the organization's most passionate supporters.

Board members also hold a fiduciary responsibility by holding the organization accountable to the public--clients and funders. Board activities often include long-range planning, management and board development and renewal, and reviewing financial planning and performance. Typically, board service requires:

• At least 4 hours a month for board meetings and activities
• Term of service ranging from nine months to three years
• Commitment to both the cause and the organization
• Desire and capacity to take a leadership role
• Some level of financial contribution
• Understanding of unique benefits, constraints, and challenges in a not-for-profit environment

Read more about Board Roles & Responsibilities

What qualifications do I need to be on a Board?

Interested individuals often have:

• Strong personal interest in the organization and its mission
• Leadership and critical thinking skills
• Demonstrated effectiveness in a team environment
• Previous volunteer experience; committee or other board service is often a plus

Often, Boards are in need of specialized experience, such as legal, finance, marketing, fundraising, human resources, government, or academia.

How do I find the right Board position?

Finding a position that fits your interests can be no small challenge. Of the many ways boards and potential trustees find each other, the following are the most common:

• Personal relationships: Ask your friends and colleagues
• Specialized not-for-profit headhunters
• Placement and training specialists: MAP for Nonprofits
• Direct contact
• Volunteer opportunity postings

When exploring a board position, you can learn a lot in advance of accepting the role. To make sure the fit is right, you can expect to go through an interview process with other board members as well meetings with organizational leadership.

Do your own homework! We recommend meeting informally with former and/or existing trustees, individuals in the community familiar or served by the organization, and reading up on the organization. Understand the organization's mission, its history, and current leadership structure. And be sure the board's stated needs fit what you can reasonably offer or grow into.

When you interview ensure that you and the organization understand what you can contribute: skills, leadership, and financial contributions. Re-affirm the role that is needed and determine if it fits - or doesn't fit - what you want to do. Be sure to review the term, time, and financial commitments required.

Do Board members have to make a financial contribution?

It is impossible to ignore the role that board members play in the funding of an organization. Fundraising by Board members can takes on many forms, and shouldn't be ignored by potential trustees. Nor should they be deterred by concern over the prospect of giving.

• Direct contributions. While board members can be among an organization's largest contributors, the expectation for giving can vary by organization. Potential trustees should ensure they understand and can meet any expected giving level before accepting a board position. While some organizations have high expectations, others ask for only a nominal amount. Full board participation (if even just $1) is an important criteria for foundation grants.
• Fundraising activities. An age old role of boards is to oversee fundraising events and "make the ask" of potential donors. Very often there are specific roles on boards for event coordinators.
• Foundation and corporate donations. Board members often serve as important connections to corporate and foundation donors. While sometimes the organization's benefit comes through a personal relationship, more often it can be a lesser association or simply a representation of the organizational capacity.