Board Development Cycle Identify Evaluate Cultivate Rotate Celebrate Recruit Educate Orient Engage

Board Development Cycle Step 1: Identify board needs (skills, knowledge, influence, diversity, etc., needed to implement the strategy). Identify sources of board members with the needed characteristics. Step 2: Cultivate potential board members. Elicit interest. Step 3: Recruit prospects. Track recruitment process. Step 4: Orient new board members to the organization – mission, programs, history, bylaws, challenges, fundraising Step 5: Engage all board members. Involve them in committees or key initiatives. Express appreciation regularly. 1

The Board Development Cycle, cont’d Step 6: Educate the board. Provide ongoing information concerning the mission, and issues facing the organization. Step 7: Rotate board members. Establish and use term limits. Do not automatically re-elect for an additional term. Consider resigning members who are not active. Develop new leadership. Step 8: Evaluate the board and individual board members. Step 9: Celebrate! Recognize success and progress. 2