This is the second blog in a series focusing on creating informative, impactful, and welcoming processes for nonprofit board member recruitment, engagement and development.
Last month’s blog focused on recruitment of new board members and now we move to the next step and look at onboarding new board members and what is needed to set new members up for success.
Creating a Roadmap for Onboarding
A smooth onboarding process helps new members feel confident, understand their roles, and get aligned with the organization’s mission. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key steps:
1. Recruiting New Directors
Start by reviewing the current board makeup to see what skills might be missing—using a competency matrix is helpful. Talk openly about the organization’s challenges, opportunities, and time commitment expectations of board members so candidates can make informed choices.
2. Creating a Resources Checklist
Put together a checklist of all the essential information new board members need. Governance documents, financial summaries, strategic goals, and organizational policies are good examples of what to include. Having easy access to this information keeps things clear and minimizes confusion.
3. Assigning Onboarding Tasks
Set clear responsibilities for onboarding by assigning specific tasks to certain people—usually the Board Chair, Executive Director, or an onboarding committee. When everyone knows their part, the experience becomes smoother.
4. Sharing Essential Information
Make sure new directors have everything they need right from the start. This could include a board manual, a structured orientation, and meet-and-greets with key leaders, like the Executive Director. The old school ‘document dump’ approach – here read this, does not work. A facility tour can also go a long way in building connection and familiarity.
5. Evaluating the Process
Check in with new members about 60–90 days into their start to see how the onboarding went. This follow-up helps identify what worked, what could be improved, and if any additional resources are needed. Their feedback can help make future onboarding even better.
Additional Tips:
Face-to-Face Meetings: In-person interactions with key board members, like the ED or Board Chair, and even some staff members will help new members feel engaged and connected. This is more effective than the typical ‘document only’ approach.
Ongoing Development: Keep board members engaged and evolving with regular training sessions and professional development opportunities.
A solid onboarding process creates an environment of trust, transparency, and shared goals—a great foundation for helping organizations thrive.
To learn more about board governance, check out resources from BoardSource, CharityVillage, and even the resources and blogs on my website will help.
Here’s to making every new board member’s journey a success.
Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season.
See you in the new year,
Frank
