On Our Minds

When someone asks you to join their board, it usually comes wrapped in flattery. We think you’re exceptional. We need someone with your perspective. You’d be such an asset. It will feel like an honor, and it is, but it’s one you should think carefully about before accepting.

Nonprofit board service can be a fulfilling experience—a chance to shape something you believe in, build real relationships, and put your specific experience to work. But it’s also a job, and an unpaid one at that, with fiduciary and governance obligations. It will be your legal duty to act with care, avoid conflicts of interest, and ensure the organization is operating within the law and its own rules.

Taking on that kind of responsibility successfully is largely a matter of preparation. The people who get the most out of board service, and give the most back to an organization, tend to be the ones who asked good questions before they joined. 

So before you accept, here’s what to be thinking about.

1. Why do they want you, specifically?

Start by sorting out the real reason you’re being asked to join a board. In other words, identify the specific gap you’re being asked to fill. 

Sometimes it’s straightforward. Maybe they need someone who can write a check or open doors with a certain network. Other times it’s about something more nuanced: your lived experience, a particular skill set the board is missing, a perspective that’s absent in the room. One answer isn’t better than another, but it’s important you know which one it is. 

Then you’ll be able to determine whether you can genuinely make a difference, right now, in the specific way they need. You’ll also have a better understanding of how the work will require you to show up, what you’ll be expected to offer, and the context you’ll be navigating. That’s especially important where your lived experience, resources, or network are at the center of the invitation. A board may be seeking you out to help fill critical gaps in perspective or access, but you’ll have to ensure there’s a foundation of mutual respect, otherwise it may feel tokenizing.

So, ask them directly. What’s driving this decision? What do they need from you that they don’t already have? If a board has 40 members already, why do they need a 41st—and why you? A good answer will be concrete, and if you encounter a vague one like “you’d just be a great fit,” consider pushing back for more detail.

2. What’s happening with their finances?

Being on a nonprofit board means being legally responsible for that organization’s governance. So even though financials aren’t all that glamorous, understanding the organization’s financial position is part of the work you’ll have to do.

Ask to see the most recent 990, most current expense and revenue projections, and past audited financial statements. Read them thoroughly. Has the organization had instability over the past few years? Are there patterns that concern you? 

You don’t need to be a financial analyst to do this well; plenty of good board members aren’t. If the numbers aren’t your strength, run them by a friend with financial expertise, or use a tool that can help you interpret what you’re looking at. What matters is that there’s genuine effort to piece together the story that the numbers help tell. 

Whatever you find is something you’ll be accountable for once you join, including legal responsibility if the organization’s finances involve fraud or serious compliance failures. Empower yourself to make an informed decision about what you’re taking on instead of learning what you signed up for after the fact.

3. How do decisions get made?

Every board has an official governance structure on paper, but that’s not always the same as how things actually work. You’ll want to have a clear idea about both.

Start with the official version. What’s written in the bylaws? Do decisions require consensus? A majority? A supermajority? Are there committees, and if so, what are they responsible for and how do they interact with the full board? Do they have clear guidance for big decisions (like choosing a new ED) or are they in a position where they’d have to come up with that on the fly?

Then scope out the informal version. In some organizations, there are a few people in the room whose agreement effectively settles a vote before it happens. Make sure you know whether you’re one of the people shaping decisions or one of the people ratifying decisions that have already been made.

4. What will be required of you?

The baseline is usually easy enough to sort out—a standard meeting cadence, the length of your term—but there’s often more to the story. Sometimes, there’s an expectation that you’ll join a committee. If that’s the case, you’ll want to know about it in advance, and find out what its schedule and responsibilities look like.

There may also be additional obligations specific to the reason you were asked to join, whether that be fundraising, financial oversight, or offering some other kind of expertise. For example, if an executive director is about to leave and you’re being asked to join partly for your HR background, expect to be busy dealing with that transition for a while on top of standard board service.

5. Is this the right seat for you, right now?

Everything up to this point is really one exercise: figuring out whether this is a genuine match, not just for the organization, but for you, too. The best board relationships work in both directions. You bring something the organization needs and in return you gain relationships, a sharper view of a sector, and sometimes doors that open in your own career. Remember to be just as thoughtful about what you hope to get out of it as you are about what you’re bringing to the table.

That same consideration can help you determine whether one board is right for you, or several. And sitting on multiple boards can work especially well when you have the real capacity to contribute meaningfully to each one, seeing patterns across organizations and bringing that perspective back as an ongoing thought partner.

Final thoughts

Asking these questions won’t tell you everything. Some of what you see in the process, especially early on, may be more polished veneer than substance as boards put their best foot forward to court you. And even with a clear answer to every question above, what you’re signing up for can still shift. A founder can leave. A budget can fall apart. The landscape of the broader world can, and likely will, change.

Ask the questions anyway. Ask them early, ask them directly, and treat vague answers as a reason to ask again. Consider speaking to a couple different board members to gain a deeper understanding of the context you’ll be navigating. Ultimately, getting the most out of board service, and giving the most back, comes down knowing what you’re saying yes to, and why.
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On-Ramps is a search and consulting firm that serves mission-driven organizations in the social sector. We are deeply committed to helping create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. Together with our clients, we thoughtfully consider and address these topics throughout every step in our process.

Ready to learn more about our services or discuss your hiring needs? Drop us a line at info@on-ramps.com.