A board of directors plays an essential role in nonprofit organizations. As individuals, their leadership experiences and skills are critical in helping to establish a mission and set goals. As a group, they help an organization set up within a community and hit the ground running.

Forming relationships with well-known community leaders and inviting them to join the board can be a simple way to cement a nonprofit’s place in a community while also making genuine local connections. However, current board members must be careful to do their due diligence before extending a formal invitation.

To help, eight Forbes Nonprofit Council members each share one important step nonprofit leaders should take before approaching a well-known community leader to ask them to join their board of directors.

  1. Lean On Current Board Members For Introductions
  2. Determine Why You Are Recruiting This Person
  3. Connect The Mission With How They Can Make A Difference
  4. Ensure There Is Mission Alignment
  5. Make Their Value-Add Clear
  6. Create A Defined Strategy
  7. Identify Their Level Of Commitment
  8. Articulate How They Will Impact The Organization

Read the full article about nonprofit boards at Forbes.