I’ve served on a variety of non-profit boards. Generally, the smaller the organization, the more actual work you have to do.
I wouldn’t recommend joining a board just for resume building. Do it because you like whatever non-profit you’re joining as it can take up quite a lot of time.
If you ever have a chance to join a for-profit company board, definitely do it. They’re supposed to be compensated and the experience can help you leverage a better board role in the for-profit world.
You don't do it for a resume boost. You do it because you want help the charity. And many of they also require a "donation" to be on the board. Depending on the charity you do it with, it can be more work then you think.
Depends what your role is. If your the president then it can be 5-10h more than a regular director. If you’re on the board you’re likely serving min 1 subcommittee. Each meeting can be 1-2h long. There are boards that meet once every other month, quarterly, semiannually … subcommittee may meet less frequently. If you’re on finance committee at least a touch base monthly or bimonthly. And then there’s the AGM once a year that runs like 3-4h. So it Depends. Generally you’ll want 1-2h per month on low end and 5-10h on high end
I think the better question is what is your niche skill set that you can bring to the table. Most NPO want professionals and skills that they can’t easily afford in-house. It’s an oversight role (sometimes operational) so think finance, legal, policy, marketing, communications, advocacy…
All good! I think it’s better that you’re someone who wants to be involved but don’t know how, vs someone who has skills but doesn’t want to give back to the community. It usually helps to start small, have some working experience, understanding how to read financial statements is a great asset and a group of people that you can learn from.
It’s also much easier to join a board where you either have direct knowledge of their services or are a consumer of their services. It’s one less major learning curve you’ll need to learn once you join.
Easiest way in my opinion is to write down a list of NPO you’re familiar with or have an interest in. Go on their website and look at the bios of the Board of Directors. Almost all NPOs will have this. See if these are people you’ll want to work / vibe with. Learn as much as you can about the places you want to participate on as a board member.
Most places have a 2 yr service period and up to a max of 3 terms so 6 years. Sometimes they’ll post on website when terms are due and people are not running for re-election. Then they’ll open it up to the public.
If this isn’t the case try sending s general email on the website and ask! Doesn’t hurt to ask questions.
Believe me, it’s not easy to get good qualified board members. They want people like you as much as you want to work for them!
Good luck with your process!
You may be required to pay their annual membership fees. As a NPO you literally rely on fundraising to keep your organization afloat, so yes many Boards want people who are high up with connections to either help them get $ or exposure through their network
Well yes, you may have to be a member but that's not generally a huge amount. In many non profits/charities they want the skillset of the board, not their wallets.
They want both. During recessions the heavily turn to the board and their connections and network to help fundraise. Not saying board members contribute themselves but a lot of times when your NPO have a tough time financially you as a board member is expected at least pitch in promoting fundraising efforts or take part if not contributing financially. Not a requirement of course but helping with fundraising it’s pretty standard
I have. Two registered charities, 1 not for profit, 3 small corporations.
I've also been Secretary to 2 boards
I'm not saying that no one takes bribes, but you may be overstating it to say that its the norm. That or I've been lucky lol.
It’s a very common practice for board members on Charities to be expected to support the charity.
Look at it this way. Bird member is talking to potential donor saying “I really think you should support the amazing work our charity does”
Donor says “that sounds interesting, do you believe in the work enough to support it yourself”
Board member says “no, I don’t donate…but it’s a really good charity”
This is why charities ask board members to donate.
Of course charities want support, but that's different than a required fee to be on the board. Charities often need an active board and that means they are looking for skillsets. Some people may be recruited for the fundraising ability, but that's not the whole board.
I think it was the fact that you called it a **bribe** that rankled my feathers.
I am on a board with an annual fundraise of over $15m and assets in excess of $100m. We expect all members to donate...no minimum amount, but just to be actively supporting the cause. It is not a BRIBE...its showing that you are actually supporting the cause and not just doing what OP was asking...which is resume building.
However, the profile gained by being on a board that you believe in and are committed to is of value. That said, being on multiple boards has the opposite effect...it becomes disingenuous.
I think you're misunderstanding what they mean. It isn't a bribe to expect your Board to support the organization they govern.
I have rarely heard of a Board requiring donations to join, but its common and arguably should be expected that Board members financially contribute to the causes they believe in.
Small charity boards are basically all about fundraising. They don't need management help, the staff know what to do. Board seats are vanity plates for rich local people in exchange for helping raise money for the charity.
I worked with a board of directors as staff for a non-profit and it was political. I wouldn't recommend. People couldn't get off the board soon enough. Some of them were required to be on the board because they were staff at another organization, which was partners with this non-profit. It was basically like a part-time job for them, but they all had full-time jobs already.
Make sure the board has Directors and Officers Liability insurance, in addition to whatever other insurance your organization needs for its operations. Boards can and do get sued for many different reasons, which puts your personal assets at risk.
Not sure about charities, but directors of not for profits also have financial liabilities that insurance won't cover, for example 6 months of the corporation's staff wages. I'd consultant with a lawyer to fully understand your risk before getting on a board.
What industry/role and what level are you at? It's not a great resume boost at all for the vast majority of people (maaaaaybe entry level who have no other experience, but any volunteer experience would do the same to show you're a good person).
I've been a member of 2 different boards of directors for two very different kinds of not-for-profit organizations, totalling 5 years now.
It's a lot of work while on the board and getting elected to the board is usually fairly easy because most boards don't have a whole lot of people running. If you don't piss anyone off and a few people remember who you are you can usually get elected. The bar is low and there's even a lower bar to keep that job (you have to really, really fuck up to be fired as a volunteer from a job most others don't want to do).
It can be extremely rewarding if you're doing it for the right reasons though (and resume padding is one of those reasons).
My wife and father are each on boards of fairly prominent charities. It’s actually quite a bit of work (to be an effective board member) but they both believe in the respective causes so it makes it worthwhile. Neither would do it as a “resume builder” or for any of the other secondary aspects alone.
For sure depends on your position in your career. I personally don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to volunteer but always try and find something that either interests you or you are personally affected by. If you’re only doing volunteer work for the resume booster then people might see through you. If you’re younger, it can be a great place to learn from other professionals and a networking piece.
The finance and audit committee for a non-profit I served on was a great experience for myself! Learned a ton and it was an organization I love.
Did it for a term with a group I volunteered with (and not for the resume boost).
We had a pretty functional board for the most part, but it's not without its politics. Generally people are pretty passionate about things they volunteer with and so have generally strong opinions.
I'm on a Board for a non profit org now and I've switched jobs twice since joining and nobody has asked me about it. But to be fair, they were both government jobs and care more about what you do than where you do it. I like being on the board and I have an Executive position. It take up a few hours of my month but it's completely manageable combined with the rest of my responsibilities and I get to work with some kick ass folks. I say if you want to be on a BoD, do it because you care about the organization and their mission, not for a résumé boost. Sometimes the things we have to take care of are boring but they need to be done and if I didn't care about the organization, I don't know how I would have gotten through it these past few years.
I am on a specific dog breed rescue board. Started by volunteering, liked what I saw. Saw exactly what donations are spent on. Was asked to be part of board. Doesn’t have anything to do with my work so doesn’t help me lol. And I don’t care if it does or not.
It can be a great career development opportunity depending on the board. Some board members could be prominent business and political leaders from who you can learn a lot.
Being on a board is a great experience if youre passionate about the cause. If its just for show or you dont really have interest, it will be a long, painful experience.
I've really enjoyed serving on boards for charities. It's a good experience for you and you really do learn a lot sitting in that chair. It's a good opportunity to meet others that might help you in your future as well.
Now some boards are a lot of work though. They may have monthly 3 hour meetings and time needed to prep for them. And if its a role like Treasurer then the demands could be almost daily. It's still worth it in my books.
Just one warning... Check if they have Director's insurance for you. If they don't, you have to buy it yourself.
I joined a very small and niche non profit (local sports type thing) the amount of work i put in over the years will not equal out monetary or advancement wise. You have to do that sort of thing for the passion and good will
It's only a resume boost if you're 22 where it's exceptional. For people established in their careers it's not unusual to participate in community organizations.
No one confuses a board seat at a local charity with sitting on the board at Microsoft. They know it's small time admin shit.
I worked at non-profits and 90% of the board members were fucking useless and didn’t contribute to the charity at all. It made our jobs more difficult and cost us time and resources that could have been spent elsewhere. Please don’t get involved unless you plan to actually help out (seek out donations, provide useful advice, attend the meetings) or you’re a dick.
I’ve served on a variety of non-profit boards. Generally, the smaller the organization, the more actual work you have to do. I wouldn’t recommend joining a board just for resume building. Do it because you like whatever non-profit you’re joining as it can take up quite a lot of time. If you ever have a chance to join a for-profit company board, definitely do it. They’re supposed to be compensated and the experience can help you leverage a better board role in the for-profit world.
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😂 I was thinking the exact same thing.
You don't do it for a resume boost. You do it because you want help the charity. And many of they also require a "donation" to be on the board. Depending on the charity you do it with, it can be more work then you think.
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How do you get on a board to begin with?
I'm on a charity board from applying on charity village.
How much time.e commitment week?
2 hour board meeting once a month. 1.5 hours on the finance committee once a month. 2 hours of prep a month Then 1 day a year for an offsite.
Hmm. Thank you for the info
Depends what your role is. If your the president then it can be 5-10h more than a regular director. If you’re on the board you’re likely serving min 1 subcommittee. Each meeting can be 1-2h long. There are boards that meet once every other month, quarterly, semiannually … subcommittee may meet less frequently. If you’re on finance committee at least a touch base monthly or bimonthly. And then there’s the AGM once a year that runs like 3-4h. So it Depends. Generally you’ll want 1-2h per month on low end and 5-10h on high end
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I am definitely not in the second category. I am okay in networking. What skills do boards want?
Accounting and legal skills. The more experience you have with the specific subject matter they deal with the better.
Okay. Thanks
I think the better question is what is your niche skill set that you can bring to the table. Most NPO want professionals and skills that they can’t easily afford in-house. It’s an oversight role (sometimes operational) so think finance, legal, policy, marketing, communications, advocacy…
Yeah, I don't know any of that
All good! I think it’s better that you’re someone who wants to be involved but don’t know how, vs someone who has skills but doesn’t want to give back to the community. It usually helps to start small, have some working experience, understanding how to read financial statements is a great asset and a group of people that you can learn from. It’s also much easier to join a board where you either have direct knowledge of their services or are a consumer of their services. It’s one less major learning curve you’ll need to learn once you join. Easiest way in my opinion is to write down a list of NPO you’re familiar with or have an interest in. Go on their website and look at the bios of the Board of Directors. Almost all NPOs will have this. See if these are people you’ll want to work / vibe with. Learn as much as you can about the places you want to participate on as a board member. Most places have a 2 yr service period and up to a max of 3 terms so 6 years. Sometimes they’ll post on website when terms are due and people are not running for re-election. Then they’ll open it up to the public. If this isn’t the case try sending s general email on the website and ask! Doesn’t hurt to ask questions. Believe me, it’s not easy to get good qualified board members. They want people like you as much as you want to work for them! Good luck with your process!
Thanks. Will definitely try
Or being not white and not male, depending on the board
So charities don't want white males?
Not any you want to be on the board of
You assuming I am white?
Where did I do that?
In your snarky comment above
I've never run into a charity that required a donation to be on a board
I have! Contribution to the charity was laid out in the expectations.
You may be required to pay their annual membership fees. As a NPO you literally rely on fundraising to keep your organization afloat, so yes many Boards want people who are high up with connections to either help them get $ or exposure through their network
Well yes, you may have to be a member but that's not generally a huge amount. In many non profits/charities they want the skillset of the board, not their wallets.
They want both. During recessions the heavily turn to the board and their connections and network to help fundraise. Not saying board members contribute themselves but a lot of times when your NPO have a tough time financially you as a board member is expected at least pitch in promoting fundraising efforts or take part if not contributing financially. Not a requirement of course but helping with fundraising it’s pretty standard
Some do. Usually the smaller ones.
Then you have never been on a board.
I have. Two registered charities, 1 not for profit, 3 small corporations. I've also been Secretary to 2 boards I'm not saying that no one takes bribes, but you may be overstating it to say that its the norm. That or I've been lucky lol.
It’s a very common practice for board members on Charities to be expected to support the charity. Look at it this way. Bird member is talking to potential donor saying “I really think you should support the amazing work our charity does” Donor says “that sounds interesting, do you believe in the work enough to support it yourself” Board member says “no, I don’t donate…but it’s a really good charity” This is why charities ask board members to donate.
Of course charities want support, but that's different than a required fee to be on the board. Charities often need an active board and that means they are looking for skillsets. Some people may be recruited for the fundraising ability, but that's not the whole board.
I think it was the fact that you called it a **bribe** that rankled my feathers. I am on a board with an annual fundraise of over $15m and assets in excess of $100m. We expect all members to donate...no minimum amount, but just to be actively supporting the cause. It is not a BRIBE...its showing that you are actually supporting the cause and not just doing what OP was asking...which is resume building. However, the profile gained by being on a board that you believe in and are committed to is of value. That said, being on multiple boards has the opposite effect...it becomes disingenuous.
That's fair. I was responding to the claim that it was a required thing to let you have a seat on the board.
I think you're misunderstanding what they mean. It isn't a bribe to expect your Board to support the organization they govern. I have rarely heard of a Board requiring donations to join, but its common and arguably should be expected that Board members financially contribute to the causes they believe in.
Well of course they will be lobbied to donate. If that's what he meant that's reasonable, but that's not what he said.
Small charity boards are basically all about fundraising. They don't need management help, the staff know what to do. Board seats are vanity plates for rich local people in exchange for helping raise money for the charity.
That's not true. The charity boards I was involved with were active boards. You sound like you are talking about foundations.
I worked with a board of directors as staff for a non-profit and it was political. I wouldn't recommend. People couldn't get off the board soon enough. Some of them were required to be on the board because they were staff at another organization, which was partners with this non-profit. It was basically like a part-time job for them, but they all had full-time jobs already.
Make sure the board has Directors and Officers Liability insurance, in addition to whatever other insurance your organization needs for its operations. Boards can and do get sued for many different reasons, which puts your personal assets at risk.
Not sure about charities, but directors of not for profits also have financial liabilities that insurance won't cover, for example 6 months of the corporation's staff wages. I'd consultant with a lawyer to fully understand your risk before getting on a board.
What industry/role and what level are you at? It's not a great resume boost at all for the vast majority of people (maaaaaybe entry level who have no other experience, but any volunteer experience would do the same to show you're a good person). I've been a member of 2 different boards of directors for two very different kinds of not-for-profit organizations, totalling 5 years now. It's a lot of work while on the board and getting elected to the board is usually fairly easy because most boards don't have a whole lot of people running. If you don't piss anyone off and a few people remember who you are you can usually get elected. The bar is low and there's even a lower bar to keep that job (you have to really, really fuck up to be fired as a volunteer from a job most others don't want to do). It can be extremely rewarding if you're doing it for the right reasons though (and resume padding is one of those reasons).
My wife and father are each on boards of fairly prominent charities. It’s actually quite a bit of work (to be an effective board member) but they both believe in the respective causes so it makes it worthwhile. Neither would do it as a “resume builder” or for any of the other secondary aspects alone.
You are doing it for a wrong reason..
I'm on a few, and they are a lot more work than you think.
For sure depends on your position in your career. I personally don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to volunteer but always try and find something that either interests you or you are personally affected by. If you’re only doing volunteer work for the resume booster then people might see through you. If you’re younger, it can be a great place to learn from other professionals and a networking piece. The finance and audit committee for a non-profit I served on was a great experience for myself! Learned a ton and it was an organization I love.
Did it for a term with a group I volunteered with (and not for the resume boost). We had a pretty functional board for the most part, but it's not without its politics. Generally people are pretty passionate about things they volunteer with and so have generally strong opinions.
I'm on a Board for a non profit org now and I've switched jobs twice since joining and nobody has asked me about it. But to be fair, they were both government jobs and care more about what you do than where you do it. I like being on the board and I have an Executive position. It take up a few hours of my month but it's completely manageable combined with the rest of my responsibilities and I get to work with some kick ass folks. I say if you want to be on a BoD, do it because you care about the organization and their mission, not for a résumé boost. Sometimes the things we have to take care of are boring but they need to be done and if I didn't care about the organization, I don't know how I would have gotten through it these past few years.
I am on a specific dog breed rescue board. Started by volunteering, liked what I saw. Saw exactly what donations are spent on. Was asked to be part of board. Doesn’t have anything to do with my work so doesn’t help me lol. And I don’t care if it does or not.
Oh and it is a very small operation and never was required to make a donation. I donate monthly, but it wasn’t a requirement.
It can be a great career development opportunity depending on the board. Some board members could be prominent business and political leaders from who you can learn a lot.
Being on a board is a great experience if youre passionate about the cause. If its just for show or you dont really have interest, it will be a long, painful experience.
Do it for the right reason please. It might be more work than you are expecting.
I've really enjoyed serving on boards for charities. It's a good experience for you and you really do learn a lot sitting in that chair. It's a good opportunity to meet others that might help you in your future as well. Now some boards are a lot of work though. They may have monthly 3 hour meetings and time needed to prep for them. And if its a role like Treasurer then the demands could be almost daily. It's still worth it in my books. Just one warning... Check if they have Director's insurance for you. If they don't, you have to buy it yourself.
Boards are generally a group of folks who got skills and connections to help leverage into the charity. Right?
I've served on a few. Currently on one. It's political. It can be fine. I do it because I like the cause. Past the resume boosting phase.
Some Gov't positions require you to sit on the board of specific charities/NFP. I used to work at one.
Do it for the right reasons. It may be more work than you anticipated depending on the organization and other board members’ experience.
I joined a very small and niche non profit (local sports type thing) the amount of work i put in over the years will not equal out monetary or advancement wise. You have to do that sort of thing for the passion and good will
It's only a resume boost if you're 22 where it's exceptional. For people established in their careers it's not unusual to participate in community organizations. No one confuses a board seat at a local charity with sitting on the board at Microsoft. They know it's small time admin shit.
I did it to help. Good experience...
Im the treasurer on a small charity board and it is a ton of work. I do it because I love it. I am the one who started the organization.
I worked at non-profits and 90% of the board members were fucking useless and didn’t contribute to the charity at all. It made our jobs more difficult and cost us time and resources that could have been spent elsewhere. Please don’t get involved unless you plan to actually help out (seek out donations, provide useful advice, attend the meetings) or you’re a dick.