Nonprofit Lowdown #260 - Diversifying Your Board with Andy Rathmann-Noonan and Mayowa Awe
Diversifying your board - yup, it's time for that awkward convo! But it's so key for representing your community, getting new perspectives, and just making decisions with more empathy and cultural awareness. Am I right?In this episode, I chat with Andy and Mayowa from the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation about how they transitioned their board from pale and male 👴👴 to a diverse dream team! 🙌
Here are some nuggets of wisdom gleaned from our discussion: :
To effectively diversify, you have to look beyond surface diversity to passion and abilities.
Relationship building is clutch! Take time to connect with potential recruits before they join. Steward each member intentionally even after they've joined.
Give diverse members multiple ways to add value, not just cutting checks. Offer options like volunteering, social media, and building networks.
Lend recruiting support by doing prep work like LinkedIn searches and email templates. Meet them where they're at!
Foster connections between members through fun social events outside meetings. Personal bonds help teams work together.
“Set the aspirational goal of what you want the board to look like in
terms of representation … diversity … skill set… [G]o for that. It's going to get frustrating but it's a worthy exercise.” - Andy Rathmann-Noonan
“Some people really do not come from a place where there's generational wealth, but they have something to offer “ -Mayowa Awe
It may get uncomfortable, and it will definitely take time and patience; but, diversifying your board will uplevel the impact and effectiveness of your org! Check out the episode for more practical insights on how you can diversify your board and have capacity while achieving the mission and vision of your NPO.
Important Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-rathmann-noonan-69081053/