• How to Start and Grow a Think Tank
  • Prologue
  • Planning
  • Legal Documents
  • Staff
  • Board
    • Legal Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
    • Building and Maintaining an Effective Board
    • Major Duties of the Board of Directors
    • What Makes A Successful Board Member?
    • Contribution Policy
    • Procedure for Nominating Committee in Considering New Trustees
    • How do we Keep Board Members Informed?
    • Board Attendance Policy
    • Potential Standing Committees
    • Potential Ad Hoc Committees
    • Ideas to Enhance Your Board
    • Staff and Board Responsibilities
    • Robert's Rules of Order Motions Chart
    • Guidelines for Recruiting New Board Members
    • Checklist to Evaluate the Strength of a Board
    • The Chair's Board Meeting Checklist
    • Sample Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
    • Source List for the Board of Directors
  • Sample Board Job Descriptions
  • Infrastructure
  • Fundraising
  • Events
  • Networking and Outreach
  • PR and Marketing
  • General Management
  • Resources
• Grassroots Leadership Guide to K-12 Education Reform
• Taking Donors Seriously
• Fundraising Fundamentals

Jump to another manual

• 
• 
• 

Building and Maintaining an Effective Board

by Darcy Olsen, Goldwater Institute

“Unless membership criteria and characteristics exist and unless those features reflect the qualities necessary for serving the particular nature of the organization’s services, the board membership search is at sea aimlessly bounding about, subject to variable winds and whims… The name of the game in board membership is power, not representativeness nor nice, friendly people. Power to do. Power to influence. Power to advocate. Power to lead. Power to communicate to others the organization’s validity, service, and fiscal requirements.”—Arthur C. Frantzreb

How can we maintain a Board committed to ensuring the continued success of the Goldwater Institute? The following criteria and questions outline qualities valued in current and future Board members.

Ambassadorship – Will this person be a good ambassador and representative of the Goldwater Institute? Will the Institute be honored by this association? Will this person use contacts on behalf of the Institute, and speak often and intelligently of the Institute to others?

Chemistry – Will this person work well with members of the board? Will this person make a good addition to the family?

Conviction – Does this person share the Institute’s principles, mission, integrity and values?

Enthusiasm – Will this person bring energy to the Institute? Will this person still be eager to participate during tough times?

Esteem – Does this person add prestige or credibility to the Institute?

Expertise – Will this person bring particular experiences or expertise to the Board and show an eagerness to share those skills and talents with others?

Financial support – Will this person make generous personal contributions to the full extent of his capacity? Will this person help meet gaps in budgets he approves? Will this person help identify new prospects for support?

Reliable – Can the Board depend on this person to attend meetings, come prepared, meet commitments, and follow up on projects?

Sound judgment – Is this person known as someone who exercises good judgment? Is this a person who will put the Institute’s interests ahead of his own?

Wisdom—Does this person have the wisdom, or the capacity to acquire the wisdom, to guide the Institute into the future?

Darcy Olsen is president of the Goldwater Institute.