Being a board member of a nonprofit requires a unique set of qualifications. Each individual be a mature thinker about the strategy involved in making a nonprofit successful. They must be charismatic and connected enough to be a good networker and fundraiser. How can one person be successful at all these endeavors? As a board chair or executive director, there are lots of board member statistics you can provide your to help your board be more effective and motivated to reach higher. Here is the most illuminating information you can show your board.
Important Statistics for any Board Member
Overall Nonprofit Performance
On a very regular basis, you should provide your staff and board members with some baseline numbers on the organization’s work. The objective here is to offer clarity into the status of the mission performance. This is a time to celebrate wins and motivate for more. In a prominent place, whether digitally or physically, you can display the following:
- Number of individuals to-date served by the mission– 5 cats adopted, 150 hygiene kits distributed, 20 books collected– whatever is relevant to your nonprofit’s operations
- Major goals reached– 100th person served, program expanded to 50 schools, etc.
- Major goals in progress– halfway to our goal of planting 20 community gardens, 1% away from our goal of a 90% completion rate, etc.
RELATED: Nonprofit Budget Surplus, a Rare Dilemma
Board Performance
The board of directors should determine a list of goals for the group at the beginning of the fiscal year. However, you don’t want to go an entire year before checking back in with these goals. Particularly if your board only meets quarterly, it is vital that everyone knows where the needle is throughout the entire year. These stats could be as simple as an infographic showing progress emailed out twice a month. Needless to say, this might be a dashboard that is better kept within the board, as opposed to more public. Some helpful things to include might be:
- All of the statistics mentioned above– this acts as a connection to the mission, the reason they’re doing all this work!
- Countdown until the next board meeting– the goal here is to help members be cognizant of their timeline to finish any assigned tasks or research
- Board fundraising progress for specific events– for example, number of tables sold for the gala, silent auction items secured, etc.
- “High Performer” stats to help motivate everyone– who has the best attendance, who is leading in fundraising, who volunteers at the most events.
RELATED: End-of-Year Prep: Is Your Board Ready?
Individual Board Member Statistics
Perhaps the most important statistics for improving board engagement on a daily level are the facts pertaining to each individual person. Board engagement suffers when members feel like their work doesn’t matter, isn’t noticed, and is “good enough” compared to how they perceive others. Another factor in poor participation is a simple lack of organization and awareness of where benchmarks stand, and how much time is left to accomplish them. These personal statistics will drastically help your board members be effective and engaged:
- Personal fundraising commitment for the year, and progress towards it.
- Number of days until next meeting, next big fundraising event, end of fiscal year, etc.
- Reminders of smaller goals throughout the year– secure (x) items for silent auction, ask (y) number of people to volunteer, and so on.
- Board meeting attendance record– this could also include event attendance record or other relevant attendance.
A Great Journey Begins with One Step
Little by little, showing the progress of the nonprofit, the board, and the individual will help the entire organization perform more efficiently. No one can do better if they don’t know how they’re doing in the first place. Implement these suggestions, and watch your nonprofit blossom!
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