I have a non-profit ( that raises money for K9 Officers) and due to the powers of social media, we are starting to grow rapidly from outside of our locally area to all 50 states. I'm trying to find the right people to create an advisory board and I still need at least one more person to be on the board of directors.
Finding the right combination of people is very challenging not only because these are volunteer positions but the areas of each persons expertise is critical to the success of the organization and I'm not even sure where to start to find people who have the same passion and drive to take this to a national level.
For my Board of Directors I have a retired lawyer and an accountant and I believe the last person should probably be highly skilled at social media (even possibly an influencer) or a grant writer.
Any guidance would be helpful.
Answers
Vicki I think you approach this correctly, you want guidance from the 50,000' level not micro managing you. I was interested in your last comment about someone with social media experience and maybe grant writing experience. Be sure you do not drill down to day to day operations. If you need a grant writer, hire one. A board member with experience in social media would be helpful, but make sure you have staff for them to give you guidance on where to focus.
As you grow, you might want to look at have a Board retreat. Nothing huge, but some 2-3 day format for them to understand your operation. As you grow, you will need advisors in general CEO level advice. Be sure the Board understands the market, where you are going, a good SWOT analysis for them, the more facts the better advice you will get. Good luck.
In the Cleveland, Ohio area, we have a non-profit called Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU). BVU maintains a network of professionals who want to be on a Board, and connects them to a Board that best fits them. You may want to reach out to BVU to see if there is a similar organization in your area, or if they serve Boards beyond Ohio. The website is http://bvuvolunteers.org. At least, it may be a great networking opportunity that may provide you some sound guidance.
This is a great cause and kudos to you for making this happen! Sound alien you have the right mix and your last member might be someone with a strong marketing background. I’d recommend focusing more on someone with marketing skills in diverse media types as that might be most effective for you. And, if they are a good marketer, their general writing skills can be leveraged for grant writing reviews.
I’d recommend getting on LinkedIn and finding marketing professionals and maybe advertising professionals with at least 10 years experience to tap into.
A strong nonprofit board will have members with these different strengths: work, wisdom, wealth, &/or wit (or connections to those who do). Thinking of those qualities may help you.
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