Volunteer board members are the foundation to strong non-profits

Serving on a non-profit board can be a highly rewarding and impactful experience, offering numerous benefits for those individuals who are passionate about making a difference in their communities. Are you looking for ways to serve the local community? Does serving on a nonprofit or community board sound appealing, but a little intimidating too? Are you new to a board of directors and aren’t quite sure what role you play?

Vail Valley non-profits are dedicated to strengthening the quality of life in Eagle County, often dedicated to increasing the awareness of their mission ranging from providing basic human needs to protecting our mountain environment, to helping develop and protect the next generation, or helping people with disabilities and medical issues, funding local arts and culture, and so much more. There is no shortage of opportunities to engage with our nonprofit community around your passion areas.

Serving on a non-profit board allows you to contribute to a mission you deeply care about. This sense of purpose can be incredibly fulfilling. Board service is not just networking or fundraising (although those things certainly are part of it). Board members play a crucial role in guiding the organization's strategies and decisions, directly influencing the positive impact the nonprofit has on its beneficiaries and the community it serves.

It's important to note that serving on a nonprofit board comes with responsibilities and time commitments. Board members are expected to attend meetings regularly, actively participate in discussions, and contribute to the organization's fundraising efforts and/or program marketing, among other duties. For many people, the rewards far outweigh the challenges, making it a valuable and fulfilling experience.

An underappreciated role of non-profit executives is focusing on best practices for board management. How do you recruit the right people for board service? How do you know the right questions to ask potential board members? How do you gain buy-in and build alignment around your top strategic priorities? How do you drive meaningful board engagement while maintaining clarity around board and staff roles?

Non-profit executives must create strong processes and recruit new board members with the purpose to ensure the board reflects the community. Recruiting for your board is a year-round activity and is best done with intent. “Being intentional about recruiting means recruiting with purpose and process,” said Hardy Smith, a consultant, and author of Stop the Non-Profit Board Blame Game. “You need to recruit board members for your unique organization. We just all too often settle for what we can get.”

Having meaningful conversations with potential board members means a two-way dialogue to determine if the fit is right on both sides of the table. Being clear with expectations, like responsibilities, attendance, and time commitment, and asking why they want to be involved can lead to essential engagement during their term. And don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the answer you want. “A lot of times a ‘no’ in the recruiting process could be the best possible answer,” Smith said. “A ‘no’ today doesn’t mean a ‘no’ tomorrow.”

Vail Valley Partnership recognizes the important role of our non-profits, and we also understand that many board members – through no fault of their own – never receive training on how best to serve. It is why we are hosting Board Service Basics on September 28 and 29 – an introduction to appointed & elected board service. The course is designed to give the knowledge and framework to effectively serve on a wide range of local boards – from non-profits to special districts and everything in between – to ensure our volunteer board members and those interested in serving are given the tools to succeed.

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com