❖ Heads up! This article is only intended for BoardConnect Site Admins.

Having a strong nonprofit board strengthens the nonprofits in your community! Providing the nonprofits in your community with the tools and resources to find and recruit the right people to their boards is one way to ensure that strength.

Fostering a Strong Community

A strong community willingly comes together for the betterment of all. To promote this, you want your organization to instill confidence while sustaining community engagement. This requires some strategizing and a strong board to help bolster that confidence. There are three pillars to building a strong board:

Diversity

Building a diverse board can highlight your organization's values. It sets the tone for what your organization stands for and provides perspective to help address sensitive social topics. Diversity can look like differences in age, experience, background, and beliefs

Inclusivity

Fostering inclusivity adds another layer of perspective that mitigates limitations while celebrating individualism and differences. When you strive for inclusivity, you open the door for growth and community.

Equity

When a board is equity-minded, it considers societal inequities as part of its community impact strategy. This gives your board the chance to foster equity within the community.

While these are the main three we recommend focusing on, there are some questions to ask yourself when reviewing your board and potential candidates:

1. What kind of time commitment can this candidate fulfill?

2. What sort of interests and values does this candidate uphold?

3. What board structure appeals to them? (e.g., a working board vs. a governing board; Executive Director driven board vs. Board Chair driven board, etc.)

4. What causes does the candidate care about?

The Big Five

There are five major responsibilities a board commits to. Understanding these five major responsibilities will help you communicate those roles and responsibilities with potential nonprofits. An effective nonprofit board is comprised of members who uphold and maintain the following five pillars:

Pillar	Description
Strategic Leadership	A strong board knows how to articulate and champion the organization’s mission, vision, and goals. They collaborate with leadership to carefully review and monitor programs and outcomes, ensuring that every initiative aligns with the organization's overarching purpose.
Financial Management & Stability	Board members play a critical role in overseeing the financial health of their nonprofit. This includes: Understanding key financial documents, like budgets, balance sheets, and annual reports Ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations Developing smart financial strategies that balance the budget with the organization’s mission
Ambassador Service	Board members aren’t just decision-makers; they’re also advocates. A strong board actively participates in community events, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns to amplify the nonprofit’s message and expand its reach.
Executive Director Support & Supervision	The relationship between the board and the executive director (ED) is crucial. Board members provide guidance, feedback, and resources to empower the ED, ensuring they have the tools and backing needed to succeed in their role.
Fostering Healthy Governance	The board lays the groundwork for strong and ethical governance practices. This includes creating transparent policies, upholding accountability, and fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect.

Encourage your nonprofit to adopt an intentional approach to identifying and recruiting exceptional board members. When engaging with potential candidates or supporting fellow community organizations, highlight these five pillars along with the values of diversity, inclusivity, and equity that are crucial to creating impactful boards.