1. Recruiting the Right Board for the Right Job William Ashton, Ph.D.

2. Welcome! n Who’s here? n Recruiting is like Fund Raising –Same benefits, same risks Benefits –New, good board members with the skills you need Risks –Time & expense –New, bad board members

3. Recruiting the Right Board for the Right Job n Getting Your House in Order n The Nomination Process n The Ask

4. Getting Your House in Order n Who are you? n What are the duties of your board members? n What are your current & future needs? n What skills do you you already possess? n Are you ready for a new board member?

5. Who Are You? n In 30 seconds … n Describe your organization –Mission –Why does the community need your organization?

6. Exercise n Form groups of 3 persons n Take 2 or 3 minutes to prepare your 30 second description of your organization n Do it n Get feedback from partners n Total time: 10 Minutes

7. Duties of a Board Member n What is expected? –Time –Money n Why is this important? –People are more likely to commit to a known than an unknown –Avoids do-nothing and surprised board members

8. Duties of a Board Member n Insert Examples Here n Board Duties

9. What are Your Needs? n Survey board and/or general members n Needs Survey –ask for current and future needs n Summarize Needs

10. Needs Surveys n Insert Examples Here n Needs Survey n Needs Survey Example

11. What Skills Do You Already Possess? n Why are you looking for new members? –what don’t you have; what do you need? n Develop Nomination Goals n You may already have the skills you are looking for! n Skill Survey

12. What Skills Do You Already Possess? n Insert Examples Here n Board Skill Survey

13. Skill Survey n Who responds? –All board members or committee? n What happens to the surveys? –Summarized or copied? n Who gets the summaries? –Nomination Committee or everyone?

14. Are you ready for new members? n Orientation –by-laws, minutes, budget, history n Mentoring new member  executive committee  leadership use n Are you ready to use a new member? n Appreciation program in place? #1 volunteers –Board members are your #1 volunteers

15. Feedback n Form groups of about 10 persons each n Do do introductions n Choose a recorder/spokesperson n Discuss unique orientation ideas or activities n Share them with audience n Time: 10 Minutes

16. The Nomination Process n Nomination Goals n Finding Potential New Members n Doing your Homework

17. Nomination Goals Needs - Skills = Goals

18. Family Service Association of Rice County n Needs –Fund Raising - Solicitation –Fund Raising - Donations –New Board Members –Leadership n Skills –New Board Members –Leadership

19. Finding New Members n Use Nomination Goals n Where to look? –volunteer service bureau, leadership association, churches, service clubs (Eagles, Kiwanis, lions, tigers & bears) –Use your existing membership as contacts friends, business associates etc.

20. Finding New Members n Insert Example Here n New Member Suggestions

21. Do Your Homework n Find out as much as you can about prospects –ask around –discreetly n Rank prospects

22. Do Your Homework n Insert Example Here n Example Nomination Report

23. The Ask n Just Like Fund Raising n Avoid Cold Calls –Invite to yearly meeting / committee –newsletter –People are more likely to commit to time- bounded volunteer opportunities create bridge opportunities

24. Bridge Opportunities n Ask them to join the organization n Ask them to take part in a time- bounded project –phone-a-thon –work at Halloween fundraiser n Guest Speaker n Award

25. The Ask n Use Known Asker –at least to introduce you n Interview Method –use board survey questions and nomination goals as interview questions n Duties & Time –Be painfully clear you will avoid do-nothing and surprised members

26. The Ask Role Play n Groups of 4 persons n 5 minutes to prepare n 5 minutes each role play –1 Asker - 30 second intro, small talk? interview? Bridge opportunity? –1 Prospect - flip coin (gunho/cautions) –2 feedback n Switch

27. How Long Will It Take? n You can get bad members fast n Going through a careful process will take time n Six to Twelve Months n Nomination or Executive Committee needs to think a year in advance –What will our board look like in one year?

28. Recruiting the Right Board for the Right Job Thank you  Happy recruiting!  Questions & Answers 

29. Rights of Use of This Material n Some trainers are very protective of their materials – they’re afraid that they’re giving away their business. I feel that freely distributing information like this is just good advertising for a trainer or consultant. So please use my material as you see fit; with the provision that you, in print, reference me. Please use the following information – in full: n William Ashton, Ph.D. n The City University of New York, York College n Department of Political Science and Psychology n www.york.cuny.edu/~washton