This document provides guidance for effective nonprofit board membership. It recommends inspecting your motivations for joining a board to ensure alignment with the organization's values. It advises understanding the board's operations model and commitments like meeting frequency before agreeing to join. A pre-commitment checklist is suggested including reading bylaws, understanding conflict of interest policies, and speaking with current board members. As a member, your primary obligation is to the organization's benefit. You should bring your unique strengths and consider gaps you can fill, while avoiding overcommitment. Advocating for diversity and documenting institutional wisdom are also encouraged.

1. How to be an Effective
(non-profit) Board Member
A First Person Primer
Deborah Bryant

2. Today’s Talk
• Finding your board
director “why”.
• Understanding
your commitment.
• Making meaningful
contributions.
Not
• Picking the right
corporate structure.
• Fiscal agentry.
• Fund-raising.
(Different Talk)

3. Speaker’s context
Activist
Advocate
Public Policy
Educator
Civil Servant

4. Inspect your Motivations
Civic or Social
• Purpose
aligned with
your own
values
Professional
• Overlaps with
your area of
vocation
• Provides an
opportunity to
work with other
board members
you’d not
otherwise meet
Personal
• Something you're
passionate about
• Provides rich
experience and
opportunity to
hone a range of
skills.

5. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
Be Authentic
If you don’t really care
about trees, don’t join
the Sierra Club board.

6. Then ask yourself...
Can I meet these needs
without joining the board?
• By volunteering for
specific projects or
working groups
• Or opening your
checkbook (or fund-
raising)

7. Still Tracking?

8. Non Profit Board 101
• As a board member, your first obligation is to
the benefit of the organization
• That includes protecting and preserving the
institution itself
• Take time to understand the corporate status
and its obligation
• Fully disclosing conflicts of interest as they may
arise
In the US, a non-
profit’s purpose is
baked in to its
application
approved by the
IRS. It must be
met and not
altered*.

9. But seriously.
In the US, non-profit
charitable status
affords certain
freedoms in support
of carrying out a
public benefit
mission.

10. Understand the Board’s Operation Model
❏ Working or Policy-setting?
❏ How is the board sustaining or guiding the
org?
❏ How does it function?

11. Pre-Commitment Checklist
❏ *Read* the By-Laws.
❏ Review any other artifacts like Conflict of
Interest (CoI) Policies
❏ Find out how often the board meets and
the intervening obligations
❏ Talk with at least two board members
about what is expected and what their
experience has been.

12. Dive In!*
*Doesn’t hurt to have a board buddy.

13. Bring what you’ve got that’s special.
What may
*distinguish* your
contribution?

14. Bring what you’ve got that’s boring.
What *gaps* can you fill?
Do the needful, it will be
deeply appreciated.

15. Don’t Over-Commit
Overcommitment:
“To commit
excessively: such as;
to obligate (someone,
such as oneself)
beyond the ability for
fulfillment.”
Merriam-Webster

16. Advocate for Diversity of Viewpoint
and stand up for all voices in the meeting.

17. Institutional Wisdom for Good not Evil
• Make it easy for others to
learn by the board’s
mistakes, and its
successes.
• Document well.
• Leave a legacy.

18. Deborah Bryant
@debbryant
dbryant@redhat.com
Questions?

19. More info on Organizations in Deck
Open Source Initiative
www.opensource.org
Open Source Elections Technology (OSET)
www.osetfoundation.org
www.trustthevote.org
DemocracyLab
www.democracylab.org

21. Session Abstract: How to Be an Effective Board Member
In this board-essentials talk, Deb Bryant shares wisdom gained plus safety tips earned
from non-profit board with a first-person view on fit and impact. She walks attendees
through a practical primer in how to decide if a board seat is right for you, understanding
what you’re signing up for before you dive in, and how to make contributions meaningful.
Session
Outline: Self-Reflection: Understanding your motivations for serving
Know Before You Go: What you’ll want to understand about a board’s operational model
and culture
Stewardship and Responsibility: Essential obligations as a board member in a public trust
organization. Bringing Your Best: Plugging in your personal Strengths to support the
organization
Working with Challenging People and Thorny Problems: Approaches to moving past
gridlock, even when you’re part of the problem.