Nominations Committee

On paper, its easy to have a full and complete list of potential candidates to join a non-profit board of directors. Doing the work of speaking to all those candidates can be a challenge. Who takes on this important job?

Dumping the recruitment task on the same group of board members each year can be a fast way track to burn out. There are other key people on the non-profit team who can contribute to board recruitment and help to turn nominations into a true team effort.

The face of the recruitment of new board members is the nominations committee. To ensure a stream of new board members each year, a nominations committee is created right from the day the non-profit begins and continues throughout the non-profit’s entire life cycle.

The nominations committee’s job has 3 parts: to look for suitable volunteers, to make an invitation to join the board, and to answer questions from nominees.

The nominations committee is the public part of the recruitment process, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the board does nothing. All board members need to contribute to finding potential nominees. Who better to identify stakeholders with a passion that aligns with the non-profit and an aptitude to do the work of the board, than board members themselves?

The only difference between the recruitment work being done by the nominations committee and the recruitment work done by the rest of the board is that the nominations committee is the one that approaches the candidate. The rest of the board still provides names and suggestions.

There are two other key players in the recruitment of potential board members, the rest of the board and the executive director.

Don’t forget to include the executive director (or any other employees). The staff team has a unique perspective of the non-profit and will use a different lens to identify someone suited to join the board. With a grassroots level knowledge of the non-profit’s stakeholders, the employees can identify a slightly different volunteer, but still, someone with a passion that aligns with the non-profit.

Both the executive director (or other employees) and the rest of the board provide names to the nominations committee, who, armed with a few tools, approaches the potential nominee to join the board.

A nominations committee that is supported by the rest of the board and the staff team, in their recruitment work, will feel less isolated. Working with the team of other board members and staff, will create a supportive relationship that can mean being on the nominations committee shifts from a required task to a fun and social activity. Board members will want to be on this committee.

The nominations committee’s job has 3 parts: to look for suitable volunteers, to make an invitation to join the board, and to answer questions from nominees.

How can you get started making the nominations committee’s job a whole lot easier?

Start a list of potential nominees.

The nominations committee’s work will ebb and flow throughout the year as board and personal demands change. It is common for the committee to focus its work on the 2-3 months leading up to elections at the Annual General Meeting. Having a list ready that is continually updated will help the committee know who to ask, when they have the time, AND, will help committee members know who to approach, when their paths cross.

The list doesn’t have to be complicated. Stick with a name, a few contact details, and a couple bullets about why the person would make a great board member.

Keep an eye out for your biggest fans.

Whether through social media engagement, workshop attendance, or names on the email list, a non-profit needs to know who are the biggest fans. Both board and staff can contribute to this list. As names begin to appear repeatedly, that’s a great time to add them to the list of potential nominees.

Pick key dates.

Decide well in advance, the key dates the board wants to begin asking people if they would be interested in joining the board. This can be decided through a brief discussion at a board meeting and can easily be tailored to fit the schedules of those on the nominations committee. You’ll want to allow enough time for the committee to reach out to potential candidates, for nominees to think it over, and for the application (and other required documentation) to be submitted.

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When a non-profit wants to strengthen its nominations committee, it helps to remember that everyone plays a part in finding new board members. Having a strong team to support the nominations committee will empower them to succeed.

Thanks for taking the time to read my ideas. My mission is to take the mystery out of running a small non-profit. If you know someone who needs to read this, why not grab the link, and share it with them. Let’s work together to help non-profits find the best board members possible.

-Christie

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Hi, I'm Christie Saas, former board member, current Executive Director, and non-profit volunteer. I remember well, those early years when I lacked the training, the confidence, and the work-life balance to focus on becoming the best non-profit leader I could be.

Fast-forward past many bumps in the road, lessons learned, and you’ll find me still in the trenches, but a little wiser, a little calmer, and a whole lot happier. I love my work and I want to help you love yours too.

I created ChristieSaas.com to give you tools, tips, and templates to remove the mystery of learning to run a small non-profit. If you’re a brand-new non-profit leader, or a little more seasoned, someone who’s looking to make a meaningful contribution and still have time for a full life away from the job, you’re in the right place.

© Christie Saas 2022 All Rights Reserved

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