e-Newsletter: CNE Board Member Quarterly

Nonprofit Board Members as Ambassadors

• Are you comfortable serving as an ambassador for the nonprofit organization of which you are a board member?
  
• Can you recite the organization’s “elevator speech,” the 30-second explanation of what the organization does and why it matters to the community?
  
• Do you know that as a nonprofit board member, you have a responsibility to represent the community your organization serves, and therefore, you need to be out in the community talking about your organization and getting feedback?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, please keep reading!

First, it’s important for potential board members to know that being an ambassador for the nonprofit is part of their responsibilities. Members who only come to meetings, and aren’t willing to talk about the organization outside the board room, are not going to be of much help.

So the public relations role is an important addition to the list of board member expectations. During conversations with a prospective member, you may discover that the prospective member won’t be a good fit because they have a very different view of the organization’s role in the community, would be inclined to act like a “lone ranger” instead of following the board’s consensus, or simply are too shy to be publicaly verbal about the organization.

It also may be helpful to have a refresher for the whole board on board roles and responsibilities, and include examples of the ways in which board members can serve as ambassadors, as well as the reasons this is important to the organization.

Second, if your answer to the “elevator speech” was that you’ve never heard of elevator speeches, or you don’t know if your organization has one, then it’s time to ask about it at a board meeting. It’s vital that board members have the short answer to “tell me about ABC Nonprofit – what does it do?” The answer should be current, factual, and easy to remember.

Board members also need to know how to answer that hoped-for follow-up question, i.e. “is there any way I can help?” Board members should know enough to be able to list a few key items on the agency’s wish list; some nonprofits even provide board members with a generic business card that has the current wish list on the back, so it’s easy to pull out of pocket or purse and hand to the inquirer. There should also be a clear chain of communication, so it’s known that, for example, more specific program, finance, or volunteer/personnel questions are to be directed to the Executive Director, and questions related to the vision of the organization are directed to the Board Chair.

Beyond the facts, board members should also have one or two “stories” ready to share. People respond more strongly when they hear about an individual, or a neighborhood. So being able to tell a short story of how the nonprofit has helped someone, and why that is important, is also critical.

Third, do you and your other board members know about all the ways you can help to deliver the organization’s message in the community? Just like fundraising, it’s all about the relationships that already exist and can be built, so starting with a “six degrees of separation” exercise may be useful. To what other organizations, businesses, individuals, neighborhoods, vendors, religious organizations, etc., does your organization need to be known? What are the current sources for recruiting board members, staff, clients, volunteers? And where else do you want to be able to recruit? Where do you go for money now, and where do you want to go? Who needs to know about your organization?

Once those present and desired connections are identified it’s easier to determine who knows someone in those organizations, etc., that can be contacted, or provided with information by a board member. In addition to informal contacts, a more formal process, such as a speakers’ bureau for local civic organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, the Chamber of Commerce, church/ synagogue “mission moments,” and other community events may be helpful.

Beyond speaking in the community and making contacts, it’s important that board members understand they need to be listening to the responses they get and have a forum to provide that feedback. It’s human nature to be defensive when your organization is criticized, but there is always some information provided in that exchange, even if the facts aren’t true.

The mother of a child attending ABC Daycare may not be accurate when she says “the lunches at that place are terrible! The food is always the same.” But, what she may be saying, and that the board needs to hear, is that “my child is a fussy eater and I wish there was more variety…but when I ask about options I’m told there’s a set menu. End of discussion.” Does this mean that staff don’t know how to respond appropriately to comments, or that there really is no flexibility with the menu, or that there is no easy way for the mother to express an opinion (everyone’s too busy at the end of the day, there’s no comment link on the website…)

Being open to comments or criticisms, as well as positive feedback provides evidence of an organization that is interested in community input, values others’ opinions, and is always seeking a higher quality of service – a very positive impression to make in the community – and isn’t that part of what being an ambassador is about?
 
If you would like more information on board training or development please contact Theresa Proenza at proenza@cfnpe.org or (330) 762-9670. Click here to learn more about CNE Solutions.