We Asked, They Answered: Speaking to Nonprofit Volunteers & Boards
Written by Victoria Shadle
Last year I interviewed 20 strangers, all nonprofit professionals, from across the country and I asked everyone the same four big-picture questions about our sector as part of the “Surveying the Field” series. Today, I’m sharing how they responded to our second question:
If you could tell nonprofit volunteers or board members one thing — what would it be?
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Before we begin, I need to start by saying how overwhelmingly thankful the nonprofit professionals I spoke to were of volunteers, especially the everyday volunteers (as opposed to board members) and especially from the perspective of staff at small nonprofits or organizations where significant volunteer support is build into the programming model. Many people I interviewed cited their personal volunteer work as being very meaningful and in some cases what sparked their interest in working at nonprofits. One thing is clear, volunteers are a major stakeholder group for nonprofits and their absence or addition significantly impacts organizations.
In addition to thanks, here are some common suggestions they had for these two important stakeholder groups:
Volunteers — Thoughtfully Take Initiative & Commit
Multiple people brought up that they appreciate volunteers who are both proactive and engaged, but also thoughtful in how they approach their volunteer work. Benjamin J. Sessions, an executive director from Salt Lake City, suggests volunteers be upfront with staff about their level of commitment and try to ease the burden for the nonprofit. This transparency should help both parties see if the volunteer relationship is a fit or not. And once volunteers find an organization that is a fit for them, Vallye, a fundraising consultant from Tampa, stressed the importance of follow-through and being fully invested once you commit to an organization.
For Meghan Freebeck who’s built her career in nonprofits and held a variety of roles including founder and CEO, she especially cautions companies looking for employee volunteer opportunities to be thoughtful about how they approach nonprofits. Volunteering should be done in a way that gives time back to staff, not in a way that adds additional work without amplifying impact.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had companies call and say they want to have this many people volunteer on this day doing this specific activity. That makes it less about helping the organization and more about team building for the company… nonprofits basically become event planners for volunteer opportunities which distracts them from their mission.” — Meghan
Meghan also suggests individuals and organizations use volunteering as a learning moment so that volunteers are not stepping into the space with little context about the mission and issue area. This could be done by providing information in advance, or hosting a brief training that gives context to the work in addition to instructions before every volunteer event.
Lastly, multiple guests brought up that there so many volunteer opportunities, it might just take some time to find the right fit. Nicole Gabler, who works in development at a nonprofit hospital in Texas, believes everyone has something to offer and it just takes time to find opportunities and organizations that align with your skill sets and passions. It might be what you also do for your day job, or as Catherine Lepone, an experienced nonprofit leader, suggests, it might mean stepping outside of your comfort zone and using the volunteer opportunity as a way to grow or refine a skill you don’t normally get to use.
Board Members — Pay Attention to Recruitment & Member Diversity
There are so many things the “Surveying the Field” guests wanted to tell board members, but one theme that came up over and over again during the interviews was the suggestion to focus more on board recruitment and member diversity.
Therese F. Martin, a nonprofit professional with decades of experience from the San Francisco Bay Area, urges boards to consider inviting constituent representatives with shared lived experiences as the population the organization serves to join the board.
“A lot of boards make the mistake of not including any constituents. . . proving board giving but also constituency participation in the board is key to showing the world that you are walking the talk.” — Therese
Medha Nanal, a consultant from Silicon Valley, explicitly brought up making sure the board is ethnically and racially diverse and has members that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Paul Yeghiayan, a fundraiser and now consultant from Washington D.C., brought up diversity in professional background as well. He feels that thoughtful board recruitment and onboarding are lightning rods whose effects could reverberate through the organization.
“I think that there’s a lot of tension that exists within organizations and it fundamentally comes down to picking the wrong people [as board members] and not caring enough about the process.” — Paul
Having a diverse board of directors where constituents have a seat at the table will not not only change the culture of the board, but also how the organization is perceived externally.
As part of the recruitment process, Linda Lysakowski, a fundraising consultant from Nevada, urges board members to make sure prospective members really understand what the organization does and have a personal passion for it. Board candidates could come through a wide variety of channels, and it’s important for there to be a transparent discussion about expectations and intentions.
“Sometimes people join boards because their boss is encouraging them to do community service, or they feel like they’re doing someone a favor . . . Serving on a board you don’t really have a passion for doesn’t do you or the organization any good.” — Linda
Catherine Lepone strongly suggests prospective board members first be invited to get involved as a volunteer. Gradually they could then serve on a board committee (if that’s an option) and then eventually join the board of directors.
Board Members — Use Your Positional Power Wisely
Another note for board members specifically that multiple guests brought up was the importance of individuals using their positional power wisely. Board members are in a unique role where they’re informed but not in the day-to-day work of the organization, and they have clear collective authority that surpasses all staff members, even the CEO.
First and foremost, Erica Strother, a senior marketing and public relations nonprofit professional, stresses that boards should be actively engaged and not just a figurehead for whatever the CEO wants.
“Be willing to contribute, roll your sleeves up and help out with the work. That’s what you’re there to do — it’s not just a resume builder, we need the man power, people to make connections and make sure the work gets done. Steer the nonprofit in the right direction, but also know that directions might change.” — Erica
Pam Anderson, a fundraising consultant from a rural community in Texas, and Elicia Hinson, a young professional working in development in Florida, second that charge. Pam also noted the importance of board members listening to staff and tapping into their skill sets to help the organization, and Elicia stressed that board members not neglect fundraising responsibilities.
Staci Lowell, a consultant from Cleveland, Ohio, believes between their positional power and their fiscal responsibility, it makes sense for boards to push their staff.
“Boards can push their staff to use the information they have to really make sure they’re meeting their objectives, to be as strategic and smart as possible.” — Staci
Zulakha Iqbal, who has worked at nonprofits and for-profits in Washington D.C., also urged board members to think about how they can be influential in steering nonprofits to connect their work to current events and standing up for causes like the social justice movement.
Benjamin J. Sessions, on the other hand, asks board members to remember to trust their CEO to do their job and give them enough flexibility to make decisions. Ultimately, Anastasia Schriber, a development director from Chicago, suggests striking a balance between being actively involved but also not so in the weeds that it overwhelms the staff or muddies decision making authority.
“If board members get too much into the weeds the organization suffers because they’re not thinking strategically about the organization, board members need to keep an eye on the horizon and not focus on what is literally happening right this moment . . . It’s hard for the organization to breathe when they have to report so much on specific activities [to the board], instead look more holistically at where the organization is going and how the board can help it get there.” — Anastasia
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What do you think? We’d love to hear if the “Surveying the Field” guests’ responses aligned with or challenged what you would tell nonprofit volunteers and board members and you can let us know by filling out this form. To be kept in the loop about future posts, follow The Nonprofit Collective on Medium, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
For more information on who we spoke with check out this article, and for a recap of how guests answered our first question, read the post linked below.
