A year ago, we introduced a concept we had been thinking about for a long time:
What if we could make it easier for nonprofits to find the right people to serve on their boards, while also making it easier for people who want to serve to find the right opportunity?
And, what if we leveraged our governance expertise and the wisdom of partners to create a system of training and support that built nonprofit capacity and improved board engagement?
The answers to those questions became Board Building.
One year later, we are proud to look back on the connections facilitated and the community of people and organizations brought together, realizing the vision.
At its heart, Board Building is about creating stronger connections between organizations and people who are committed to making a difference.
Broadening the Pool
Nonprofits have longed shared that board recruitment is a challenge, and we know from research – nationally with Leading with Intent and locally from United Way of Central Ohio – that boards are not reflective of the communities they serve. Improving board diversity and identify talent beyond the usual suspects became a driving force.
At the same time, prospective board members often tell us that don’t know where to begin, they haven’t been invited, or they don’t think they have the network to help them navigate the process. Even those who work for large companies can struggle with these challenges.
With so much untapped talent in Central Ohio – people with professional expertise, lived experiences, creative ideas, community connections, and countless other attributes – we wanted to bridge the gap and designed Board Building to be a solution.
The teams at Prism Marketing and Buckeye Innovation answered our call – Prism designed the user interface at buildingabetterboard.com and Buckeye designed custom software that enables nonprofits to identify their needs and potential board members to identify their skills, interests, and experiences. The software creates matches that our team curates.
More Than a Match
We also knew that a match was only the beginning of the solution because building capacity and improving engagement requires training and support.
Strong boards happen when everyone understands their roles, are prepared to contribute, and have the tools they need to be successful. The Board Building platform includes an online library of content with free resources open to all and premium resources for subscribers that can be accessed 24/7.
We were intentional about the audience, too, as there are specific calls, training videos, articles, and resources for nonprofit leaders – chief executives, board chairs, and board members – distinct from the resources designed for prospective board members.
We wanted each half of the equation to have dedicated support because we know that chief executives often struggle with their boards, and new board members often don’t feel properly onboarded or prepared. The monthly Board Building calls are designed to answer questions in real time and to create a community of practice of peers that broaden networks and solutions.
Board Building training and support lasts for 12 months because the matching process takes time, and the first year of board service is a defining one. Our team walks alongside nonprofit leaders and prospective board members for a year because good board governance is a journey.
Celebrating Our Partners
A solution like Board Building doesn’t become a reality alone.
We called on partners including Matthew Goldstein at Besa and Sheri Chaney Jones at SureImpact and they said yes. They’ve written content for the library, cross-promote services, and have been featured guests on our quarterly webinars.
Other quarterly webinar guests have included Lisa Courtice, President and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio, Meghan Cummings, President and CEO of Philanthropy Ohio, and Andy Davis, VP of Education and Capacity Building at Georgetown Health Foundation.
We are especially grateful to the subscribers who joined the Board Building community. Every person who has said yes to serving and every nonprofit who has said yes to building their board – thank you.
Small grassroots nonprofits such as Mission Warmth, 934 Gallery, and Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy to well established ones like Star House, Columbus Jazz, and Columbus Humane are all engaged. So, too, are nonprofits who share information and identify partners. From Leadership Upper Arlington and Leadership New Albany to United Way Delaware County and United Way Licking County to YWCA Columbus Leadership for Social Change and United Way Central Ohio’s PDPL – the network continues to expand.
Looking Ahead
Over this first year, our conversations with nonprofit leaders and prospective board members have reinforced something we have believed all along: governance is everything and leadership matters.
Board Building is a platform, a program, and a community to serve that belief.
Our goal remains the same: broaden the pool of people serving on nonprofit boards and offer training and support beyond the match to ensure organizations and people have what they need to support missions and impact.
We are proud of what this first year has taught us and excited about the connections still to come.
We invite you to join us because, together, we can build better boards.
