How does your garden Grow?

Are you ready for rising temperatures to chase away the winter blues? Seasons may come and go, but as a nonprofit, your best option is to plant seeds that will offer continuous growth for your organization. How can your organization navigate potential weeds and pitfalls impeding your success? Nonprofit Navigators is committed to your organization’s needs, both now and in the future. Maintaining an active and thriving board is closely connected to your path forward. Let’s talk about board recruitment strategies that, if carefully implemented, can blossom into something beautiful!

1-Envision your garden (organization’s ideal board)- What would it look like? How could it be strengthened? What is currently missing?

Plan your garden and assess it carefully! While it is important to cultivate donors and supporters through board service, are there other priorities you may have overlooked? Are you struggling to manage your investment portfolio? A financial planner or skilled wealth manager could be exactly what your organization needs. If your organization lacks a clear marketing strategy or branding focus, perhaps this is the time to add an expert in this area. You may not be able to afford a financial planner or public relations consultant’s services, but recruiting these types of professionals to your board can provide you with the subject matter expertise needed to propel your organization forward.

2-Prep your soil for next steps (update/create job descriptions, responsibilities, and policies)

Do not underestimate the importance of preparing your soil. Update or create detailed job descriptions to inform prospective board members of their expected roles and responsibilities. Time is precious! Prospective board members deserve a clear understanding of the organization and role they will be filling. If your current board is not performing at an optimal level, consider if better defined roles and expectations are needed. Your organization should also maintain policies and procedures regarding board activities. What is your process for culling your garden? What are the term limits for each member of your organization’s board? How will you address conflicts of interest? What is each board member’s role in serving your organization? Do you need assistance in this area? Contact us at info@nonprofitnavigators.net for a Board Job Description template.

3-Consider your garden’s placement (the community you serve)

Does your current board reflect the community served by your organization (as well as the broader community)? Is your current board diverse enough to offer different perspectives to your leadership team? Your board can and should reflect the community served. Diversity goes beyond the standard demographics we often measure (race, gender, etc.) and should also include lived experience that is relevant to your organization’s work. One of the key areas your board will be tasked with is growing trust between your organization and the community. Therefore, it is imperative that your current board, along with any new board members recruited, demonstrate knowledge of the community served by your organization. Evaluating your current board gives you the opportunity to further identify any areas for improvement and assists in guiding your recruitment efforts.

4-Be willing to get in the dirt (deep-dive in the community to network beyond current efforts)

Does your organization have a board governance committee responsible for nominating and identifying potential board members? Is it challenging when the same names are offered as suggested board additions? Relying on current board members will only get you so far, especially if an identified weakness is a lack of diversity on the board. To cultivate a beautiful garden, you need to be willing to get in the dirt! Take a deep dive through your volunteer network, former clients, and community organizations. Look in new and unexpected places. Many cities and communities have leadership organizations committed to growing the next generation of community leaders. Corporations of all sizes often encourage community involvement and can help you match your needs with members of their own organization. Tap into these community resources to become more intentional about your board recruitment process. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty…this step requires patience and diligence.

5-Remember to tend to your garden (cultivate your board’s strength and avoid root rot)

Gardens require continuous upkeep…nonprofit boards are no different. Board cultivation should be a continuous process for your organization’s leadership team. If board members are unhappy with their role, consider ways that they can become more fulfilled in serving your organization. Align the strengths of your board members with organizational needs to foster mutual satisfaction between all leaders. As you recruit new board members, be willing to seek their continuous input regarding the ways they hope to serve. Give your board members the opportunity to see the inner workings of your organization. The more they understand your work, the better they can tell your story and help you fulfill your mission. When a board member’s mission isn’t perfectly aligned with your organization’s mission, it is up to you to determine if careful pruning is in order. Clearly outlined board policies and lived out practices (as noted in Step 2) make this necessary step less painful for everyone and ensure that your board has the tools in place to spring forward.

These steps represent actionable measures you must be willing to take in order to sustain board growth and continuous improvement. Seasons come and go, but boards are ever present. Board recruitment is an important component driving organizational success and, if cultivated carefully, leads to a bountiful harvest. Ill matched board members can delay or hamper the work you are doing, which can frustrate other leaders, clients, and team members. The right board members can enhance your work and leverage resources reaching other areas of your organization and beyond. Thus, you must be willing to devote the time necessary to create the board you envision. Your organization, and your community, will be better served because of your efforts. Successful board recruitment can spur continued board development, and should be prioritized among all leaders within your organization. The seeds you plant in this area today can yield beautiful results in the long run. So, how does your garden grow?

At Nonprofit Navigators we care deeply about the needs of our clients and the communities served by the work they are doing. Strategic board development is one way we can assist you in reaching your goals. Interested in learning more about partnering together to map your organization’s path to success? Please contact us at (303) 910-9415, or email our President at Lara@Nonprofitnavigators.net

Morrisa Tuck has been committed to serving the needs of nonprofits for nearly fifteen years and is the author of two novels.