SPN

Guidelines for Recruiting New Board Members

by Carter McNamara, PhD, Free Management Library, www.managementhelp.org

Can the Board candidate meet the basic Individual Board Member Responsibilities?

Attend all board and committee meetings and functions, such as special events.
Be informed about the organization's mission, services, policies, and programs.
Review agenda and supporting materials prior to board and committee meetings.
Serve on committees or task forces and offer to take on special assignments.
Make a personal financial contribution to the organization.
Inform others about the organization.
Suggest other nominees to the board who can make significant contributions to the work of the board and the organization
Keep up-to-date on developments in the free market movement.
Follow conflict of interest and confidentiality policies (need to be created!)
Refrain from making special requests of the staff.
Assist the board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities, such as reviewing the organization's annual financial statements.

Personal characteristics to consider:

Ability to: listen, analyze, think clearly and creatively, work well with people individually and in a group.
Willing to: prepare for and attend board and committee meetings, ask questions, take responsibility and follow through on a given assignment, contribute personal and financial resources in a generous way according to circumstances, open doors in the community, evaluate oneself.
Develop certain skills if you do not already possess them, such as to: cultivate and solicit funds, cultivate and recruit board members and other volunteers, read and understand financial statements, learn more about the substantive program area of the organization.
Possess: honesty, sensitivity to and tolerance of differing views, a friendly, responsive, and patient approach, community-building skills, personal integrity, a developed sense of values, concern for your nonprofit's development, a sense of humor.

Board Processes for Recruiting New Board Members

Task the Executive Committee to maintain an up-to-date list of potential board candidates, including the particular skills they can bring to the organization.
Per any scheduling in the By-laws and/or after strategic planning, reference major strategic goals for the organization and the President to identify what skills would be highly useful to the board, e.g., if new people will be hired, the board may desire people with human resource skills, etc.
Reference the list of potential candidates to recruit for board membership and ask to meet with them.
Prospective board members should meet with the board chair and the President, hear an overview of the organization and receive relevant organizational materials describing the organization's products or services, receive a board member job description and a board member application form. The prospective new member should hear about how the organization orients new members. Provide names of several board members whom the prospective new member might contact with any questions.
Identify if there are any potential conflicts of interest with the candidate, e.g., is he or she on the board of a competing organization, a vendor of the organization, etc.
Invite the prospective new member to a board meeting. Notify current board members that a potential new member will be attending. Consider name tags to help the potential new member be acquainted with board members. Introduce the member right away in the meeting and, at the end of the meeting, ask the potential new member if they have any questions. Thank them for coming.
Shortly after the meeting, call the prospective new member to hear if they want to apply for joining the board or not.
Notify new members (those who have been elected) and invite them to subsequent board meetings, the board orientation (to be created) and send them their SPN Board of Directors Manual.

Rating *	--Checklist to Evaluate the Strength of the Board-- Indicator	Met	Needs Work	N/A
E	1. The roles of the Board and the President are defined and respected, with the President delegated as the manager of the organization's operations and the board focused on policy and planning
R	2. The President is recruited, selected, and employed by the Board of Directors. The board provides clearly written expectations and qualifications for the position, as well as reasonable compensation.
R	3. The Board of Directors acts as governing trustees of the organization on behalf of the community at large and contributors while carrying out the organization's mission and goals. To fully meet this goal, the Board of Directors must actively participate in the planning process as outlined in planning sections of this checklist.
A	4. The board's nominating process ensures that the board remains appropriately diverse with respect to gender, ethnicity, culture, economic status, disabilities, and skills and/or expertise.
E	5. The board members receive regular training and information about their responsibilities.
E	6. New board members are oriented to the organization, including the organization's mission, bylaws, policies, and programs, as well as their roles and responsibilities as board members.
A	7. Board organization is documented with a description of the board and board committee responsibilities.
A	8. Each board has a board operations manual.
E	9. If the organization has any related party transactions between board members or their family, they are disclosed to the board of directors, the Internal Revenue Service and the auditor.
E	10. The organization has at least the minimum number of members on the Board of Directors as required by their bylaws or state statute.
R	11. If the organization has adopted bylaws, they conform to state statute and have been reviewed by legal counsel.
R	12. The bylaws should include: a) how and when notices for board meetings are made; b) how members are elected/appointed by the board; c) what the terms of office are for officers/members; d) how board members are rotated; e) how ineffective board members are removed from the board; f) a stated number of board members to make up a quorum which is required for all policy decisions.
R	13. The board of directors reviews the bylaws.
A	14. The board has a process for handling urgent matters between meetings.
E	15. Board members serve without payment unless the agency has a policy identifying reimbursable out-of-pocket expenses.
R	16. The organization maintains a conflict-of-interest policy and all board members and executive staff review and/or sign to acknowledge and comply with the policy.
R	17. The board has an annual calendar of meetings. The board also has an attendance policy such that a quorum of the organization's board meets at least quarterly.
A	18. Meetings have written agendas and materials relating to significant decisions are given to the board in advance of the meeting.
A	19. The board has a written policy prohibiting employees and members of employees' immediate families from serving as board chair or treasurer.
Indicators ratings: E=essential; R=recommended; A=additional to strengthen organizational activities