Recruiting for Board Diversity – Call for Directors
Recruiting new board directors is the path any organization should take to diversify its Board. Many people have asked how a Board is supposed to find diverse candidate to interview and consider for open board positions. I recently saw a great examples of a Call for Directors. By exploring this example, I’ll point out how diversity can be highlighted in your call for directors.
Who Would Make a Great Candidate?
I like this example from the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling. I’ve only included a section of the email, but this is a great call for board directors because it lists all of the positions available on the board as well as a short description.
Dear RMACAC Members,
The Governance and Nominating Committee is excited to announce the Call for Nominations for Open Board Positions for the 2018 – 2019 year!
If you or someone you know is interested in getting further involved in RMACAC leadership, please consider the following open Board positions:
Nominations for Election to Open Board Positions
Advancement Chair is responsible for initiating and overseeing RMACAC fundraising activities. The main duties include setting policies, priorities, and goals for fund-raising programs for the current fiscal year, and reviewing the ongoing performance of each campaign.
IDEA Chair develops programs that will assist in the expansion of access of post-secondary educational opportunities for those who have traditionally been underrepresented. Additionally, IDEA Chair will organize and manage RMACAC’s scholarship program.
When recruiting for diversity, make sure you announce who would be a good candidate. Let’s look specifically at the IDEA Chair board position. This program wants to expand the access of post-secondary educational opportunities for those who have traditionally been underrepresented. You know who would make a good candidate for the IDEA Chair? Someone who comes from a traditionally underrepresented post-secondary educational group! This call for directors would be more complete if the following was added. “Members of traditionally underrepresented post-secondary educational groups are encouraged to apply.” This additional sentence may better reach someone who may not have thought to apply in the first place. A good candidate may not apply to a board role because they can not picture themselves in the role. To recruit for diversity, this announcement should specifically indicate that former first-generation students and people of color are encouraged to apply. The more a person can see themselves in the role, the more likely they will be to apply.
For more information on board governance and board diversity, follow along on Twitter or Instagram. Nikki McCord is the founder of McCord Consulting Group, the only choice for organizations looking to energize, innovate, and diversify their Board of Directors.