How to Get on the Board of Directors for a Charity
You'll work hard, feel frustrated and ask this question repeatedly: Whose idea was it to grab a seat on your favorite charity's board of directors? Down the line, you'll understand why you joined---perhaps when you least expected it--on a day that will have you marveling at the difference one unpaid group of people can make to the survival of a nonprofit. Of course, you can't serve and make that difference if you don't sign on in the first place, so follow these tips to move toward your goal, understanding why contemporaries feel that charitable work can be as thrilling as falling in love.
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Things You'll Need
- Application form
- Personal statement
- Interview
- Documents
- Assurance of liability coverage
Instructions
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Choose a charity that represents a cause for which you feel passionate. Look for a nonprofit group within the scope of your interest---children, pets, health, women's issues, etc.---that advocates the values and efforts you hold dear.
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2
Contact the board president to learn what you need to do to apply for a seat on the board. Ask what assets the board seeks so you can align your talents with their needs. Find out what obligations you will incur if you take office. Figure out whether your personal life and business responsibilities will accommodate adding volunteer work to your schedule.
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Petition the charity by using the wording in their application to provide data and skills you bring to the board or formulate a statement on your own, telling the board why you wish to serve, what sort of experience you already possess (if any) from former board service and what types of responsibilities you wish to assume if chosen (e.g., marketing, fundraising, budgeting).
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Expect to be interviewed by one or more board members as well as the executive director of the charity so principles can ascertain whether or not you would be a good fit for the board. Prepare to answer questions at a one-on-one or candidate-to-board meeting.
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5
Contain your disappointment if, after interviewing, you are not invited to serve. Find out why you didn't make the cut; you may learn that the rejection had nothing to do with you, but rather another candidate had stronger credentials. Perhaps the board isn't adding members until terms expire. Alternately, you may not be seen as the great match you envisioned.
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Ask about liability protection before accepting a seat on the board to make certain that you cannot be held personally responsible for board actions or taken to court for decisions initiated and passed by the board. Get such assurances before you say yes to the board seat for which you have been lobbying.
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Request documents related to board and charity operations once you agree to serve. Be proactive by volunteering for a committee slot if you're not assigned one by the chair once you're installed. Calendar dates and events that will require your financial and/or physical presence in the year ahead.
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Understand from the get-go that you have rights as a board member---including unlimited access to books and records, copies of board meeting minutes and relevant information pertaining to board actions and that you always have the right to abstain from matters that you feel are not in the best interest of the board.
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