Finding the Right Board Members for Your Organization

Maintain a list of prospective board members that have been vetted by your board and staff leadership. These should include:

• Members suggested by other board members — invite board members to consider recommendations several times a year.
• Former board members — they may have rotated off or left due to other demands, but their interest may have remained keen and this might be the right time for them to serve or serve again.
• Top donors — determine who among your top donors would be good board candidates.
• Volunteers — too often we overlook the potential of volunteers, so be sure to review these lists regularly.
• Family members of past board members, key supporters and others — work to maintain family involvement, especially with the younger generations.

Then, within these categories, you want to discern criterion including proven interest in association and a track record of leadership in other organizations before.