At Spokes, we hear it all the time: “We need more board members.” Or, just as often, “We have board members, but they’re not as engaged as we need them to be.”

Finding people willing to serve can be challenging. But filling an empty seat doesn’t necessarily build a stronger board. The goal is to find people who understand what board service requires and bring the skills, perspectives and commitment your organization needs.

BoardSource’s Guide to Recruiting Board Members offers a practical roadmap for doing just that. It recommends starting with clear expectations, updated board member job descriptions and an understanding of the skills and perspectives your board needs before beginning your search.

The guide also covers where to find prospective board members, how to evaluate whether there’s a mutual fit, what to discuss with candidates before they join and how thoughtful orientation and ongoing development can help new members become engaged, effective board leaders.

If board recruitment is on your nonprofit’s to-do list, this is a great resource to bookmark.

Read the full BoardSource Guide HERE.