Over the years, I’ve noticed what sets stellar board members apart. I believe that if you prioritize three qualities as you’re recruiting and onboarding new board members, you can build the kind of board that takes your organization to the next level, opening doors and opportunities you’d never have without them. The surprising thing? I rarely see these qualities discussed.

When we’re recruiting new board members or engaging the ones we have, we often focus on their professional skills, wealth or social connections. These are all worth considering, but I think these three qualities are actually more important:

  1. They are willing to learn. Your board members are capable people, often experts in their fields. That does not necessarily translate into fundraising know-how. And that’s totally fine, as long as they’re willing to learn.  First, you may find that you have a little educating and debunking to do on what fundraising even is. If your board members are picturing fundraising as hounding people for money, it makes sense that they’d be resistant to it!
  2. They have good boundaries. The board has an important role to play in your organization. They are mainly responsible for governance, policy, strategic planning and resourcing the organization. Leaders and staff are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization. I’ve seen both board members and the CEO get very frustrated and organizations stall out when there isn’t a clear line between the board and the executive's roles.
  3. They are rational spenders. We all have deep-seated beliefs that inform how we deal with money. Your board members do, too. I first heard the term “irrational frugality” from Bobbi Rebell Kaufman, CFP, and I think it’s a major growth killer for nonprofits. If your board is afraid to spend money or unwilling to invest in your growth, you will not get far.

Sometimes, you’ll be lucky enough to find people who already have these qualities, love your organization, want to introduce you to their network and want to be on your board. But if you haven’t, don’t despair. Many people have the potential to develop these qualities with the right guidance and encouragement. You lead the way by providing opportunities and support to learn, modeling good boundaries and helping your board members understand what your organization truly needs to grow.

Read the full article about qualities of a good board member by Sherry Quam Taylor at Forbes.