Building your board

- Nonprofit boards are a curious thing.…Some boards are highly prestigious,…movers and shakers clamor to get a seat…on boards at educational institutions like Harvard,…or the big art museum in town,…or hot up and coming nonprofits,…like Teach for America…or Kiva.org.…These types of board seats…can be viewed as plum positions.…They're a feather in the cap of the board member,…who can benefit as much…from being associated with that cause…than they contribute to it.…But for most nonprofits,…including yours,…the vast majority probably don't offer so much…in the way of prestige…or elite connections at first.…

Instead, you need hard-working board members…who are talented, passionate, and committed to your cause…and who can really roll up their sleeves…and do the work that's required.…Now the essential roles of board members…include legal and financial oversight,…strategic advising, and fundraising.…So you wanna look for some members…with training and discipline,…such as law, finance, and accounting.…But beyond those skills,…