Nonprofit Board Orientation Checklist
Does your nonprofit have a clear and thoughtful board member orientation process? Do you put as much care into onboarding board members are you do onboarding staff?
If the answer is “no,” you’re not alone.
Most nonprofits have minimal processes in place for board orientation. We assume board members – who are volunteers motivated by a deep commitment to our mission – will “figure it out as they go.” But in truth, most dysfunctional nonprofit boards and board members are that way because they don’t have the tools to understand their roles and responsibilities.
That’s why, if you want to build a rockstar board, your first step should be creating a clear board orientation process. (If you want to get a headstart, you can grab my free Board Orientation Checklist now.)
Why You Need a Board Member Orientation Process
Imagine starting a new role. You have decided to join a new organization or team. Opportunity abounds! But when you arrive, you are put immediately to work with no tour of the office, no introductions to key people, and no orientation to how things actually work. You are starting at a disadvantage.
You might wonder, “Am I not worth an orientation? Do they just want my labor, and can’t be bothered to put in the time to prepare me?”
Without a structured orientation, your nonprofit board members might be thinking exactly the same thing. And unlike with a job where you get a paycheck, your board members are expected to donate their time, expertise, and even money!
“The number one complaint that board members report is that they never received an onboarding orientation. ”
Starting a nonprofit board role without any orientation sets board members up for confusion, uncertainty, and possible early departure. This is not what you want.
If you want to recruit and retain the best board members and create a rockstar board you will need a solid board orientation that you evaluate and update annually.
What Is a Nonprofit Board Orientation?
A nonprofit board orientation is a dedicated delivery of information from existing and experienced organizational representatives to new board members. The orientation introduces the new board members to and familiarizes them with board and organizational norms, policies, practices, people, structures, goals, and history.
Traditionally, board orientations have been done in person and take place in a single session. Since the pandemic, organizations have been experimenting with partially asynchronous and ongoing orientations.
“Regardless of format, the key to a successful board orientation is to move through a pre-decided checklist of critical elements that are required for competent board service. ”
You also want to ensure time for conversation and questions. Having an FAQ sheet can be useful for both current and new board members and you may consider hosting it on your website. If you host key materials in collaboration software or a shared cloud drive, make sure all board members have access, can log in, and have the platform explained.
Who Leads a Board Orientation?
There is no requirement for who performs an orientation for new board members, but because new board members are so valuable and the stakes are high to bring them on successfully, most organizations try to include the Board Chair/President and the Executive Director/CEO at a minimum. Some boards have a dedicated member from the governance or nominations committee who leads the ongoing effort of successful board orientation and check-ins during a new member’s first year.
Based on personal experience, I would not leave the orientation entirely to the Executive Director unless there are significant scheduling conflicts. If a new board member is starting quickly and can only receive their orientation from staff, the board should carve some space into the next board meeting agenda to welcome the new member, answer questions, and make sure they feel prepared.
It’s important that each new member connects with other board members, not just staff, so they can begin to establish working relationships. A nice, simple gesture would be to have existing board members send video “hello” messages or even emails welcoming the new board member in advance of their first meeting.
However, simply sending new board members documents to review and a pre-recorded video to watch is not advised. This could be seen as disrespectful and sends a message that the organization doesn’t have the time for a more personalized onboarding. In fact, this sort of orientation could backfire and be worse than no orientation at all. Make the time for a human being to lead the orientation – and be sure to always include time for questions and answers.
Who Attends a Board Orientation?
Ideally, each new board member would get their own orientation. If you are bringing several new board members on within the same 2-3 month window, it may be OK to host one group orientation for all three.
I also recommend inviting all board members and senior staff to all board orientations. The orientations can serve as fun and cordial opportunities to re-learn elements of board service and organizational norms while also building rapport.
Remember, more information is always better than less in terms of board retention, transparency, and communication. You can choose to record a board orientation in case someone misses the meeting at the last moment. In a perfect world, you would still follow up with that absent board member and do a live one-on-one overview and Q&A and share the necessary resources for a complete board orientation.
What Is Covered During a Board Orientation?
No two organizations are the same so there is no template that will satisfy the huge variety of organizations and situations but there are some items that are foundational and should be included in most board orientations.
Spend time on the following:
The mission, vision, and values, even if they are somewhat informal, out of date, or still taking shape.
The organization’s history and key milestones.
The organization's programs, activities, and accomplishments.
The organization's goals and strategic plan if you have one.
The organization’s budget.
The bylaws and any key policies passed by the board.
The general structure of board meetings, as well as board norms, committees, and key events in the next year.
Board roles and responsibilities (such as attendance, conflicts of interests, and fundraising, which should also be made clear in your board agreement) and what the organization provides in return (including director and officer liability insurance, financial transparency, and access to staff support when appropriate).
For a full list of things you may want to consider including in your orientation, use my free Board Orientation Checklist.
How Often Do You Host a Board Orientation?
At a minimum, you should host a board orientation each time a new board member joins. Some organizations have regular enough churn and transition on their board that they pre-schedule quarterly board orientations. That way, as new board members come on, they are asked to join these already-scheduled sessions. This is less ideal than a custom and timely orientation but it still can be done so new board members feel valued.
Board Orientations Are Vital to Board Success
The two biggest challenges that nonprofits face are fundraising and board engagement. If you want strong, competent, and prepared board members who stick around for years and who are clear on what their role is (and isn’t), then you should host an orientation for all new board members.
Board orientations should not be seen as a burden, they should be seen as an opportunity to build a rockstar board. Grab my free Board Orientation Checklist to build your own board orientation agenda today.
