What You Need to Know About Serving on Not-for-Profit Boards

A Seat at the Table

There are many benefits to serving on a not-for-profit board, including helping to fulfill an organization’s mission, expanding your skillset and broadening your network. Finding the right fit and understanding the expectations of Board membership is important to ensure an optimal experience. In this episode, Leading Women Executives Fellows Aimee Nolan and Sara Granack discuss their experiences serving on not-for-profit Boards, and how they have benefitted by serving as civic leaders.

Aimee is Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel at Grainger, and currently serves as the Board Chair for the Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2014). Sara is Vice President, Corporate Communication & Reputation at CDW, and is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for Bernie’s Book Bank (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2015).

SHOW NOTES:

About Bernie’s Book Bank and the Alzheimer’s Association [9:06]

The Inspiration to Get Involved [12:27]

Doing Your Research – What You Need to Understand [16:08]

Getting Started: How to Get Involved [20:06]

Opportunities to Develop New Skills [22:54]

Expanding Your Network Through Board Service [25:30]

Understanding the Expectations of Being a Board Member [27:31]

Discussion Questions:

· What issues would you like to make an impact on outside of work?

· What types of non-profits align with those issues?

· Who in your network could help you get connected to non-profits that focus on these issues?

· What professional skills might a non-profit Board help you build?