The NonProfit Times - December 1, 2008 - (Page 16)

ON VOLUNTEERS SUSAN J. ELLIS Divining A Skills Set A volunteer management perspective on boards of directors ith few exceptions, nonprofits view board volunteers as distinctly different from direct service volunteers.As a result, boards of directors are separated from the routine volunteer management processes developed to ensure more effective volunteering for everyone else. Most volunteer program managers W typically have little or nothing to do with the management of the volunteer experience of those who serve as board members. How could a skilled volunteer program manager be of help to the board and to the CEO most responsible for working with them? There are many ways to help. The executive director’s main experience in finding and hiring anyone is usu- ally limited to employees.The same is true of the business people often serving on the board’s nominating committee. Why should we expect them intuitively to understand what makes recruitment of highlevel volunteers different from finding management employees? But, it is different. Successful volunteer program managers are adept at inviting skilled “Our passion for not-for-profit organizations can lift your spirits too.” community members to donate time. In the same vein, the corps of volunteers already serving the organization is rarely perceived as a talent pool for prospective board members.The prejudice that “volunteers” are, by definition, lowlevel folks with few executive skills and probably no money or contacts still runs rampant. Again, board members (who don’t identify themselves as volunteers much of the time) are seen as a breed apart. Request a report on the volunteers serving in the organization, including such important (and perhaps surprising) facts as: • University degrees earned and other professional education; • Current and former occupations and employers; • Current and prior board service in other organizations; • Direct relationship to the mission (e.g., personal experience with the problem or issue); and, • Which time donors are also financial donors. Ask the volunteer program manager to recommend three to five possible candidates for the board (or at least for a board committee) from the group. Similarly, find out all the places where opportunities to volunteer with your organization are already listed and select those you think have the greatest potential to help recruit board members, too. Ask the volunteer program manager to add information about available board positions to any recruitment outreach campaigns. Do the same with online registries specializing in board service. It’s become common in the UK for agencies to place ads in the mass media to recruit volunteer board members -- something still unusual in the United States.Why not give it a try? To expand the use of the volunteer program further, consider it as a way to get applicants who do not qualify yet for service on the board to become front-line volunteers in other assignments. Make the volunteer program a step in a service career ladder, in which people committed to the cause can work their way up to greater authority. In the same vein, it’s where board members who have rotated out of their positions can continue to be active in new ways. SCREENING AND TRAINING The separation between board volunteers and direct service volunteers continues beyond recruitment. Governance candidates are asked to serve on the board, but commonly this asking process does not include providing them any information about what they are expected to do, what the nature of their responsibilities will be, or why they personally were thought to have anything to offer to the organization. Apart from the meeting in On Volunteers, page 21 At Grant Thornton, we understand the complex business issues facing today’s not-for-profit organizations. Our industry-focused professionals work to keep you informed of tomorrow’s issues today. Passion for serving clients, technical expertise and partner involvement have been the hallmark of Grant Thornton LLP in the U.S. for more than 80 years. Call Frank Kurre, national managing partner, not-for-profit industry practice, at 212.542.9530 or visit us as www.GrantThornton.com/nfp. Find out how it feels to work with people who love what they do! Audit • Tax • Advisory Higher Education | Associations | Religious Organizations | Social Services | Health Care | Foundations | Cultural Organizations www.GrantThornton.com 16 DECEMBER 1, 2008 THE NONPROFIT TIMES www.nptimes.com http://www.GrantThornton.com http://www.GrantThornton.com/nfp http://www.nptimes.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The NonProfit Times - December 1, 2008

The NonProfit Times - December 1, 2008 Contents A Nation of Volunteers Nonprofits Start Franchising Page 4 Tidings Of Good Cheer Donor-Restricted Endowments Membership Revenue Isn’t Free Divining A Skills Set Special Report: 2008 The Year in Review The Revised 990 Giving And The Economy Annual Buyers Guide Advertiser Index NPT Jobs Resource Directory

The NonProfit Times - December 1, 2008

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