The Truth About What Nonprofit Boards Want: The Nine Little Things That Matter Most

by June J. Bradham

The Truth About What Nonprofit Boards Want is a must read for every executive and fundraiser who wonders how to attract and retain passionate and generous board members. Just listen to the Truth: stories from the mouths of high value volunteer leaders uncovered during extensive interviews with board members from around the world. The insight offered by these visionary leaders combined with June's decades of fundraising experience draw back the curtain on what really makes board members tick--and give. This is the perfect gift for board members!

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Christina Turner]

Very quick read with an accessible, panel discussion-esque format. Helped me think through some of my Board and Staff experiences and connect some dots.

[Dennis Fischman]

I've been on boards, and I've been on staff. Staff usually think first, of what will pacify boards, and second, how they can get boards to do useful work. All too rarely do staff think, "What do board members want? How can we make serving on our board an experience that people will want, and never forget?"

The great advantage of June Bradham's book is that it places those questions front and center. By interviewing current and former board members at several large nonprofits, she finds out what makes them resign from boards and what makes them stay.

In brief: people want to use their savvy and their professional skills to make a difference in company with other smart people who are equally committed. They don't want to be rubber stamps, or ATM cards. And they want an ED or CEO who will listen.

The interview format makes the book a little scattered. Interviewees sometimes contradict each other--no surprise there, for anyone who's ever been to a lively board meeting!--and the author's comments could do a better job of pulling the various points of view together. It's a quick read as a whole, so you can easily finish it and synthesize it for yourself.