招聘非营利董事会成员的5个提示[Video]

Recruiting非营利组织board members can take time, but an effective, engaged board can be highly visible advocates for a nonprofit organization. Through their valuable connections, board members can be key drivers of fundraising efforts and they often bring to the table a wealth of professional expertise, especially when you recruit board members from a diverse mix of backgrounds.

一群非营利组织领导人最近与旅行者分享了他们的非营利董事会招聘挑战和策略。以下是招募非营利董事会成员的五个提示：

1. Establish Specific Roles

Turnover on boards can be as high as 75 to 100 percent per term, according to nonprofit leaders.

Frequent turnover can be a sign that board members don’t feel that they are making a specific contribution to the organization or that they are not getting a chance to share their unique talents or perspective. Beyond the additional time it takes to recruit new board members, frequent turnover can lead to lack of continuity and a loss of institutional memory.

“Nonprofits want serving on the board to be a rewarding experience for board members, as well as a benefit to the organization itself,” said Patrick Baker, Nonprofit D&O Product Manager for Travelers. “Being clear about roles and expectations can help board members feel like they are making a valuable contribution to the organization.”

Make a list of specific roles that need to be filled along with a brief description of their responsibilities. Maybe it’s a communications professional to help drive community outreach, or someone with a financial background to help evaluate contracts. Recruiting members to fill those roles and lead subcommittees can lead to more purposeful and effective board governance.

2. Respect Their Time

Board members are often unavailable to commit time to attend training in person, according to nonprofit leaders.

董事会成员通常渴望提供帮助，但限制了他们可以承诺的小时数。这可能意味着缺乏培训时间。但是，培训对于传达董事会成员职责，在董事会中建立友情的感觉以及帮助为组织引发新的想法至关重要。

根据组织的需求进行仔细的培训机会，可以帮助招募和吸引董事会成员，然后他们将了解您打算充分利用他们的有限时间。例如，如果您需要帮助捐助者的帮助，请考虑将培训工作集中在筹款发展上。

最天时间convenient for board members? Some boards meet early in the morning while others meet over dinner or hold an annual retreat. Look beyond traditional formats – can board meetings and training sessions be conducted online or via conference call?

3. Seek Diversity

A diverse board can add both new perspectives and needed skills to an organization, nonprofit leaders say.

Nonprofits often have an informal process for recruiting new members and prospective board members are often volunteers or others already familiar with the organization. That can mean board members with overlapping connections, experiences and skill sets. It may involve more effort, but recruiting distinct perspectives can help your organization be more relevant to a broader swath of the community.

In recruiting new board members, think of any skills, experience and demographic gaps that may exist within your organization. Ask current board members and staff about the best way to reach potential board members who can fill those gaps.

培养具有不同年龄，背景和兴趣的董事会可以使您的团队融合在一起，并为您提供对所服务社区的新见解。

4. Implement Term Limits

Nonprofit leaders report value in having term limits for board members, with the option to vote to renew board members for additional terms.

拥有设定的服务期限使董事会成员和组织都有机会评估是否继续服务是否有意义。随着个人和组织的发展，三，四年前可能不再是一个好的。

The option to extend a term can give the nonprofit organization the option to retain key board members. For example, if a board member has a rare skill set, it might make sense for him or her to continue to serve an additional term or two. Some organizations appoint a member to serve an additional term as chair before rotating off of the board.

“A defined time period can also make serving a term on the board more appealing to potential members,” Baker says. It gives them a sense of the commitment involved. And term limits make room for new members, who can bring new energy and enthusiasm to the board.

5. Make Sure They’re Protected

Nonprofit leaders reported varying levels of awareness about the personal financial risks board members face.

Board members may be putting their personal assets at risk when serving on a nonprofit board. Lawsuits can be brought by donors, vendors, competitors, employees, government regulators and others. As a member of the board, directors can be sued personally. For example, a lawsuit alleging mismanagement could lead to board members having to use their own assets to pay for their legal defense or settlement costs.

Just like in a for-profit company, board members have responsibilities and nonprofits of any size can be affected by lawsuits. Consider gettingNonprofit Directors & Officers Liability Insurance, which is designed to help nonprofit organizations cover defense costs, settlements and judgments arising out of lawsuits and wrongful act allegations brought against the organization.

It’s important to understand the scope of coverage and limits of责任由您的保险单提供，以确保董事会成员得到充分保护。熟悉董事会的非营利组织的使命及其在最大程度地减少诉讼中的角色方面也很重要。拥有强大的治理程序，以及适当的覆盖范围，可以帮助保护您的董事会和任务大有帮助。

为您的非营利组织招募董事会成员带来了建立一个有价值的团队，可以帮助您作为组织的任务。查看旅行者expertise in nonprofit organizations了解有关帮助保护和发展非营利组织的方法的更多信息。