Summary

Feed the Hungry Foundation of Georgia is a statewide organization. The current Board had served many consecutive terms and seemed to become stagnant in what they were doing for the organization. In addition, the Board members all resided in Blakely and did not reflect the overall diversity of the state. As a result, the Executive Director and Board decided to launch an outreach effort to recruit Board members from the entire state, not just Blakely, where their office is located.

The Background

A nonprofit board should be comprised of individuals who are committed to volunteering their time and representing the best interests of the organization and its mission. In addition, it is important for nonprofits to have their boards best represent the diversity and needs of its constituents. Nonprofits need to reach out to promising candidates to become active members of the Board of their organization.

The Solution

To begin their outreach efforts the board first devised an outreach strategy, which started with increasing visibility and networking in throughout Georgia. They talked to area supporters about the outreach effort and sought referrals; they joined many of the Chambers of Commerce; they held a couple of high-profile fundraising events; and they opened an Alpharetta-based office. Following their success in Alpharetta, the organization is now planning and assessing feasibility of outreach in other regions of the state

Lessons Learned

Board membership is a large commitment and involves a lot of responsibility. It is essential for organizations to reach out to communities and leaders, educate them about the organization, and foster relationships with them in order to ensure true commitment to an organizations cause.