Four Steps to Building Board Diversity

Ensuring board diversity has taken on new urgency recently as leaders have more fully recognized the value of including more women and people of color in the boardroom. When boards don’t reflect the communities or populations they serve, they risk becoming stagnant and missing opportunities for growth and funding.

But just recognizing a need for diversity doesn’t make it happen. Building a diverse board requires a mindful, dedicated approach. Here are four ideas to help you cultivate diversity on your board:

  1. Assess

Before you define diversity for your organization, it’s best to begin with an understanding of your current board’s strengths and weaknesses. Many boards don’t talk regularly about areas of potential improvement. Self-assessment is a powerful tool for boards, and doing so regularly makes it less daunting.

Try a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Break down the assessment into your major governance areas—strategy, fundraising, advocacy, performance, and diversity. Making diversity part of the normal conversation is key to more open discussions about next steps.

  1. Define success

Does your board understand and embrace the broad concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)?

These three ideas work together to create a welcoming and opportune environment. Diversity is a range of differences, while equity covers fair treatment, advantage, and access. Inclusion means cultivating a culture of respect, support, and value. In combination, DE&I fosters the hope that board members will share their different backgrounds, ideas, and opinions in a fully engaged, positive manner in the governing process.

  1. Recruit with intent

Simply checking the box on gender and racial diversity will not provide the long-term benefits your board needs. You want great directors with the skill sets and talents your organization demands.

Networking is a must, of course, but your board must also take steps to recruit more effectively and broadly. One idea is to look for candidates below the C-level. Seek smart up-and-comers who can add unique voices to the board. Also, depending on your current board make-up, adding retirees or active executives can open the door to more diverse candidates.

Finally, you must embrace a diversity succession plan, now. A proactive approach will give you time to replace board members with candidates who meet your diversity goals.

  1. Take a long-view approach

Recognize that there are no quick fixes for developing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive board. It’s a process that changes the board culture and not just the demographics. With this in mind, it’s smart to take a long view and evaluate your progress often.

For example, take time to cultivate relationships in underrepresented groups, organizations, and constituencies so that as you’re looking at them for board talent, they’re also looking at you for places to serve. Be transparent about your desire for more board diversity and talk about it at your events and fundraisers. Share your plans and solicit input.

A diverse board will help you meet the challenges your organization faces, now and in the future.

Our Nonprofit Group can help your board set goals and create action plans, contact us to let us know how we can help you.