• Meet regularly year round, not just in the last quarter of the year.
• Identify potential board members months (or even years) in advance and place them on board committees or in non-board, voluntary leadership roles.  This serves to educate potential board members and allows the board to ‘size up’ potential board members.
• Leave one or two board slots open to allow flexibility for when the ‘perfect’ new potential member comes along.
• Field nominations from the community at large.
• Respect staff members as partners in the nominating process; however, ensure that staff members do not themselves recruit board members.
• Judge potential board members on individual and complementary merit, to round out the ‘collective wisdom’ of the board.
• Avoid situations where board member A knows potential board member B who thereafter joins the board with this sole criterion for selection.
• Invite new members to a “welcoming” visit and conduct a thorough orientation.
• Evaluate the work of board members periodically.
• Communicate with board members who are falling short of expectations.  They probably know that they are doing so and may appreciate your initiative in bringing up the subject.  They may need assistance or they may need to rethink their commitment, but be sure not to antagonize them.  Keep them your allies.
• Establish and implement a board rotation policy.
• Do not assume that the board member has failed the board or staff.  Board or staff may have failed them.
• Do not allow ineffective board members to remain in valuable slots for their full term and don’t reappoint ineffective board members after completed terms.  Just be sure to deal gently with them and keep them as allies.

Board of Directors' Nominating Committee Matrix

Name: _______________________________

Prospective Board Member _____   Current Board Member ______

Male [ ] Female [ ] 

Previous Board Experience _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Source: Barbara Huberman, Advocates for Youth, 2009.