Board DevelopmentBoard Development

Recruiting an Effective Recruiting an Effective BoardBoard

Joey WallaceJoey Wallace

RESNA/NATTAPRESNA/NATTAPDecember 11, 2007December 11, 2007

Board Development is a Board Development is a Moving TargetMoving Target

Your Board is your BoardYour Board is your Board

We are all in a different place and phase:We are all in a different place and phase:

(Start up, operational, growth)(Start up, operational, growth)

Try to pick the priorities and areas most relevant Try to pick the priorities and areas most relevant and return with several objectives to work onand return with several objectives to work on

Board/Committee ComparisonBoard/Committee Comparison

Governing Boards areGoverning Boards are::fvfv

Required by statute to Required by statute to discharge legal and ethical discharge legal and ethical responsibilities that cannot be responsibilities that cannot be delegateddelegated

Typically governing Typically governing incorporated entitiesincorporated entities

Made up of members legally Made up of members legally charged with responsibilitycharged with responsibility

Accountable to multiple Accountable to multiple stakeholders including the stakeholders including the public interestpublic interest

Decision making bodiesDecision making bodies

Advisory Committees are:Advisory Committees are: Established by government or by Established by government or by

an organizationan organization

Typically subgroups of Typically subgroups of incorporated entities, reporting to incorporated entities, reporting to governing boards or CEOgoverning boards or CEO

Made up of members who Made up of members who typically serve as advisors to typically serve as advisors to supplement work of board, staff supplement work of board, staff or othersor others

Made up of members who are Made up of members who are accountable to the organization accountable to the organization they advise, external agencies they advise, external agencies that authorize the Committee, or that authorize the Committee, or other parties as specifiedother parties as specified

Advisory bodiesAdvisory bodies

What are our Program What are our Program Strengths to recruit Potential Strengths to recruit Potential

Board Members?Board Members? Clear missionClear mission

Specific target populationSpecific target population

Statewide outreachStatewide outreach

Little competitionLittle competition

Few if any Board requirements (membership, tenure, Few if any Board requirements (membership, tenure, etc.)etc.)

What are our program What are our program barriers?barriers?

Limited fundsLimited funds

Invisible clienteleInvisible clientele

Program RestraintsProgram Restraints

Low VisibilityLow Visibility

RecruitmentRecruitment

How can a Board member influence How can a Board member influence these barriers? these barriers?

What expectations should we hold What expectations should we hold for Board membersfor Board members??

Key functions that influence short and long term Board

performance?Disability representation

Fundraising capacity

Marketing expertise

Legal perspectives

Legislative influence

Accounting/Audit awareness

Vendor contacts

Define a “Dream Team”Define a “Dream Team”

Pursue with deliberation people who Pursue with deliberation people who share the organization’s:share the organization’s:

MotivationsMotivations

ValuesValues

ExperiencesExperiences

Skills to help the organization reach the Skills to help the organization reach the desired level of excellencedesired level of excellence

Board Member Profile

Desired Characteristics Current Members Prospective Members

All Members should have:

Demonstrated interest before nomination

Willingness to serve as Ambassador

Experience with assistive technology

Previous Board service

Able to attend meetings

Known as a good decision maker

All Members should have one or more of these:

Sensitivity to disability

Knowledge of non-profit Board protocol

Specialized knowledge of a component of program mission

Helps balance the Board by disability representation

Helps balance the Board by geographic representation

Helps balance the Board by ethnicity

Helps balance the Board by lifespan representation

Experience in Marketing

Has network of donor prospects

Leadership in another organization important to our mission

Board RecruitmentBoard Recruitment

Define the jobDefine the job

Agree on the profile of the future Agree on the profile of the future BoardBoard

Develop qualifications for servingDevelop qualifications for serving

Adopt a plan to identify and nurture Adopt a plan to identify and nurture future prospectsfuture prospects

..

HomeworkHomework

Challenge each Board member to Challenge each Board member to come up with 3 personal indicators of come up with 3 personal indicators of success for your Board.success for your Board.