Board service?

[mommyatty]

I’m joining a board for a national nonprofit. I’m excited, but I’m getting nervous. Anyone here ever done a nonprofit board? Any advice? I took a course on board service through United Way, so I think and hope I’m pretty prepared, but I really want to do a good job.

[traveltheworld]

Is the organization working in an area where you have some expertise or interest in? I assume so. If that's the case, I think your expertise plus your legal training would already make you more qualified and valuable than the average board member. I sit on 2 boards - one aimed at financial literacy and one for promoting women in finance. I've found that my general legal knowledge has come in ready handy. I really don't think you'd need to prepare much. And congrats!

[divanerd]

Congrats that's amazing and I agree you are already the SME!

[mommyatty]

They promote kids having the opportunity to learn about themselves while they get out in nature as well as ensuring every child has access to good preschool and daycare so they are kindergarten ready. Since I was a preschool teacher and then a high school teacher, this really hits all the buttons for me. They do tons of training for preschool and daycare programs, run after school programs, and have a camp where families can camp plus where kids can go to sleep away camp.

So, in short, pretty much every single person on this board would be an SME! I really am excited about it.

[eport]

Congrats on agreeing to serve on a board. I have been and am on a local nonprofit board (used to be on Friends of the Library Board and now on the board of a local mothers' club foundation) and I'm on the board of trustees of the local library. Board work can be fun, time consuming at points, but worth the work. Taking the course is an excellent start. Here are some other things I recommend:

• Be sure to read all (eventually) of the policies and procedures, along with the bylaws. If you are on the board, you need to know what you are enforcing or if anything needs to be updated. Not fun, but good information
  
• See if there is a board specific orientation. The mothers' club required new board members to meet with the foundation attorney, who walked us through what makes a good board member, our procedures and bylaws (see above) and answered any questions. The new Library trustees sat down with the Library Director, who walked us through committees, a bit of history, and expectations
  
• Ask questions of other more experienced board members. If they are on the board, they are willing to help. Some will also have good board history and can provide context to issues and how they have been dealt with in the past.
  
• Sorry to say but ask about board insurance. People have and do sue nonprofits and as you are on the board, you can be sued individually. The board insurance would cover any attorney fees or payouts. For example, if a shopper hurt themselves at the Friends of the Library Sale, they could sue the Friends, the Library itself, Friends board members, and the Library board members. Please protect yourself. All boards I have been on, the insurance cost is covered by the board.
  
• Listen at the board meetings. You'll learn a lot on the fly.
  

Have fun. It's worth it.

[longtimenopost]

That sounds great! I sit on two boards- one for a nonprofit that serves parents and families who are grieving the death of a child, and another related to special education in public schools. In the beginning I struggled a bit with saying "no" and volunteered for all the things. Once I was able to set better boundaries, I felt guilty that I wasn't doing as much as I could and worried I was taking the seat from someone who could offer more time (and money). I actually offered to resign from one but they begged me to stay so I did. I guess what I'm saying is, find a balance in the beginning that works for you and your family and be confident that you have a great deal to offer!

[jr009j]

Ask questions about board culture.

For instance how are decisions really made? On one board I’m on, the executive committee makes most of the decisions and the board as a whole just signs off. On another most of the work is done by area specific committees and signed off by the board.

Do you have a board mentor/buddy that can answer questions about procedures or acronyms (the most asked questions on one of my boards)?

Are new members expected to sit back and learn the first year or should you speak up?

Is there a social component or all business?

How is board diversity approached?

These questions and similar will help how you work on the board.

[mommyatty]

Thanks, guys. I had a list of requirements for any organization before I would contemplate being on a board, and a lot of it is the stuff you guys are pointing out (D&O insurance, a board mentor program, a board that governs and doesn’t operate the nonprofit, limited time commitment) plus stuff like executive leadership that is solid and experienced, a board that gives money but doesn’t have a minimum amount required, and a solid, known nonprofit as opposed to a start up.

This is incredibly helpful, because I think I was on the right track in terms of my thinking. And you guys have sparked some ideas for things to ask my mentor! Thank you!!!

[shakinros]

I’m on a nascent board of our town’s tiny education foundation, but from my 20 yrs of working at nonprofits, I just want to add that the best board members (IMO) ask strategic and contextual questions that challenge the staff leaders to think about the organization’s positioning and trajectory. (Not the same as growth.) There never seems to be more than a couple on any given board and we sometimes think they’re a pain, but those board members truly make a mark for the better.