Writing in the Wall Street Journal recently, Erin Chambers offered several sound tips for new nonprofit board members. But I can’t help but take issue with how she opens her otherwise useful piece:
Since so few of them pay these days, joining the board of a nonprofit is usually more about passion—or resume building—than making a little extra money on the side. And regardless of the organization’s mission, Terry Temkin, founder of Florida-based nonprofit consultancy Core Strategies for Nonprofits, says all nonprofits are simply looking for "bright, dynamic minds" to help get their organizations to the next level.
I realize Ms. Chambers cites passion, but her positioning of nonprofit board membership as little more than a resume padder or an unpaid hobby overlooks the unique connection between leadership and mission. Funders want to see more than "bright, dynamic minds" — they look for boards whose collective skill sets and interests are oriented well with the nonprofit’s mission and vision. And so I’d offer a couple of additions to Ms. Chambers’s list:
Be ready to open your wallet and to persuade donors to open theirs. This is too often an unspoken requirement of nonprofit board membership, one that must be understood more explicitly — and accepted.
Commit to the organization’s mission, or don’t bother showing up. "Passion" for the cause is nice; alignment with the specific nonprofit’s mission is better. Resume padding? Save the board slot for someone who really wants it and can make a difference. | 501(c)
Tags: Erin Chambers, nonprofit boards
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