"Look for someone who is passionate about your cause" was the most frequently offered piece of advice in response to GuideStar’s 2006 query of its readers about how to find nonprofit board members. Other useful tips included:
- Start with your dedicated and active volunteers
- Consider your donors
- Ask your current board and staff for nominations or recommendations
- Reach out to those beyond your nonprofit, like youth, or people in business or from other organizations
- Communicate the fact that you’re recruiting board members through multiple channels, like your newsletter, word of mouth, and media
- Contact local organizations, like some United Way chapters and volunteer centers, that teach people how to be effective board members, then match them with nonprofits who need them
- Use board or volunteer recruitment web sites
See also our related Knowledge Base articles:
- Where can I find or post volunteer opportunities?
- How can I learn about developing my nonprofit's board?
- Where can I find information on a board’s legal duties?
- What is the board's role in fundraising?
More articles about nonprofit boards»
Selected resources below may also help.
Web Sites
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Books and Articles
Check title availability at our libraries and Cooperating Collections or your local libraries.
The latest publications in the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature about foundation giving in economic downturns available at Foundation Center libraries, some Cooperating Collections, or through your local public library.
- Boards
- Managing Nonprofits
- Leadership
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