Board Member Recruitment, Workshops and Networking

The Volunteer Center builds the capacity of nonprofits by providing them with volunteer board members, workshops and networking opportunities.

We recruit volunteers with a wide variety of skill sets and backgrounds to serve on local Nonprofit Boards of Directors. If you are interested in joining on a nonprofit board, complete the Board Member Application Form and contact Janice Lasecki at The Volunteer Center 203.797.1154 or jlasecki@volunteerdanbury.org.

This is a comprehensive snap shot of Primary Board Responsibilities:

Determine the organization's mission and purpose.
It is the board's responsibility to create and review a statement of mission and purpose that articulates the organization’s goals, means, and primary constituents served.

Select the chief executive.
Boards must reach consensus on the chief executive's responsibilities and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position.

Provide proper financial oversight.
The board must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in the right place.

Ensure adequate resources.
One of the board's foremost responsibilities is to provide adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.

Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability.
The board is ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.

Ensure effective organizational planning.
Boards must actively participate in an overall planning process and assist in implanting and monitoring the plan's goal.

Recruit and orient new board member and assess board performance.
All boards have a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and periodically and comprehensively evaluate its own performance.

Enhance the organization's public standing.
The board should clearly articulate the organization's mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.

Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization's programs and services.
The board's responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization's mission and to monitor their effectiveness.

Support the chief executive and assess his or her performance.
The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization.

Workshops and Networking for Board Members

Board Member Basics
This two hour workshop is open to all community members at no charge and is a comprehensive overview about the role of nonprofit boards and the duties and responsibilities of the individual board members. This workshop is designed to increase the pool of volunteers trained and able to serve on local nonprofit boards.

Click here for a current list of Board Member Basics Workshops.

Building a Better Board Workshop
Highly interactive training program for individuals interested in improving the composition and effectiveness of their nonprofit board, whether they are staff or board members themselves.

Participants will:

• Understand the 9 steps in finding, recruiting and engaging board members in order to improve board composition and effectiveness.
• Develop ideas for improving the composition and effectiveness of their board.
• Increase interest and skills in strengthening their own board.

Click here for a current list of Building a Better Board Workshops.

Customized Board Development Workshops
The Volunteer Center can work with any nonprofit board in order to develop effective board members and a high functioning board of directors by assisting with strategic planning or facilitating board workshop or retreats.

Board Member Round Table
The Board Member Roundtable is a networking group for members of nonprofit boards of directors. This is a wonderful opportunity for nonprofit board members to come together and discuss the development of boards. It is a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices and a great opportunity to network, promote professionalism and enhance board leadership skills. Board Member Roundtable meetings are held bi-monthly from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The Volunteer Center, 58 Division Street, Danbury.

Click here for a current list of Board Member Roundtable Workshops.

For more information about Board Member Recruitment, Workshops and Networking: Contact Janice Lasecki at 203.797.1154 or jlasecki@volunteerdanbury.org.