For nonprofits with board seats to fill at the end of the year, this is the perfect time to begin considering who your board candidates should be.
Being proactive by taking action now on identifying potential new board members, following through on your vetting process, and securing commitments to serve, will mean avoiding the last-minute scramble many organizations experience.
Create internal deadlines for each step of the process such as identifying candidates, contact with candidates to determine interest and confirming acceptance of expectations, and getting final approval for candidate selection.
If your board selection process includes requirements for advance notice of your candidate slate prior to voting, be sure to allow for that in your deadline scheduling.
By working in advance you have time to properly evaluate board prospects to determine if they will be a good fit.
The chapter on Recruit Board Members with Purpose and Process in my book, Stop The Nonprofit Board Blame Game, urges organizations to first determine what they need in the way of experience and skills; then develop a list of potential board members who meet those qualifications.
Having a well-developed pool of board candidates to work from increases your chances of successfully recruiting the best new board members rather than settling whoever you can get.
Much of the frustration with board engagement can be linked to not being intentional about board recruiting.
What forward thinking action will improve your board replacement process?