Dec 9th, 2020
Service Area: HR, Tips from Taproot
Crisis to crisis, we can always rely on nonprofits to lead rebuilding and recovery efforts. This year, despite being called on to address ever-growing community needs, social change organizations are facing shifts in traditional funding and decreased access to in-person volunteer support. While we don’t know what the world will throw at us next, we do know that pro bono can help your nonprofit prepare to face it.
We’re breaking down our nonprofit resource, Building Resiliency Through Pro Bono, project by project to highlight how connections with skilled volunteers can help your team navigate current challenges and strengthen your capacity for years to come. Our first resiliency project highlight: board recruitment strategy.
How will board recruitment strategy help my organization build resiliency?
A strong nonprofit board of directors can help guide employees through internal changes, react and respond to external factors, and build strong systems to withstand future challenges. Partner with an experienced HR professional to craft a strategy for recruiting board members with the skills, experience, and social capital to be an asset in ordinary and extraordinary times. That strategy should include a plan for how to set expectations with board candidates on the ways they will be called on when it comes to fundraising, HR, and other crisis management activities.
“Taproot pro bono has built capacity for my organization while allowing me to experience which professionals and skill-sets we need to add to our team or board.”
-Ophelia Brinkley, President & CEO, Creative Emajinations
How long will this project take to complete?
A typical pro bono board recruitment strategy project takes from 36-42 hours to wrap up. Keep in mind that your volunteer partner will be sharing around three to five hours of their time with your team per week. Check out advice for prepping your pro bono project for success through timeline and communications expectation setting here.
Any other tips for making the most of this pro bono project?
Are you a social change start-up who is building a board from scratch? Request a 60-minute consultation session with a recruitment pro to talk through high-level approaches to developing your board of directors. Then you can kick off your in-depth board recruitment strategy project with informed options and goals in mind.
What other related projects can I knock off the to-do list using pro bono support?
- Board Effectiveness Audit
- HR Assessment
- Staff Recruitment Strategy
For other ideas on pro bono projects geared towards investing in your organization’s capacity and long-term sustainability, download the full Building Resiliency Through Pro Bono resource.