As a nonprofit consultant who specializes in fundraising, financial management and board development, I am frequently asked to serve on Boards of Directors, sometimes for causes I have never expressed an interest in. I am always willing to sit down and talk to someone about the opportunity to serve on their board because I believe this can be a learning opportunity. I can learn more about the organization (and maybe help them find appropriate board members) and the nonprofit may learn how to recruit better board members because I share my guiding questions with them.
If you ask these five key questions during an interview with a potential board member, you will learn if the candidate is a good match for your organization.
- What do you know about our nonprofit?
- How would you promote our organization?
- What specific skills or talents can you bring to our board?
- How much time can you give us each month?
- Are you willing to contribute financially and ask others to do so?
I can hear some of you muttering “If I ask those questions, no one will want to join my board.” Such thoughts are a clue that you may want to change your mind set about board recruitment. Being asked to serve on a board is an honor not an imposition and you want to approach candidates with that thought in mind. Of course you won’t jump right in with these questions; that approach might scare anyone away. The answers will emerge naturally as your conversation moves along.
In fact, if your nonprofit has a clear pathway to board membership (such as first being an active volunteer or committee member), you will already have some of your answers. If you are recruiting someone whom you don’t know well (such as a person new to the community who has past experience with a similar nonprofit or a corporate person representing one of your funders), the conversation will take more time and subtlety.
At the end of the interview, good candidates will have given you answers that reflect the commitment you want from a board member.
- A solid understanding about the mission and values of your nonprofit and information about at least one of your programs.
- A willingness to talk about your work with their family, friends and colleagues.
- This answer depends on the person. Hopefully, you are recruiting on a skills matrix and this person has the accounting, marketing, organizing, etc. skills you need.
- If the candidate can’t give a minimum of five hours a month, this person may better serve as a volunteer or committee member.
- Don’t be concerned if the candidate doesn’t make a financial commitment on the spot. You are looking for a willingness to make such a commitment and an expression of interest in learning how to ask other people for donations.
Are these key questions and appropriate answers equally important? No. There is some leeway with the first three questions. People who are passionate about the work you do (such as rescuing animals, feeding the hungry, value of arts education, etc.) can easily learn your mission, values and programs. Once learned, they will naturally promote them in their circle of influence. If the candidate doesn’t have a specific skill you have identified, but appears to fit in all the other areas, it may be worth your while to dig more deeply to see how he or she can serve your nonprofit.
However, I don’t believe that someone who doesn’t answer the last two questions appropriately will make a good board member. If the candidate cannot commit the minimum time needed or is not willing to make a financial commitment based on his or her means, it is time to figure out how you can involve them in your organization in a role other than board membership.
©2011 Jane B. Ford
