AFP DC, Washington D.C. Metro Area Chapter: Advanced Executives Session

The tension between fundraisers and their bosses, both lay and professional, is often attributable to the absence of a common understanding about the board's role in resource development. For the fundraising executive, the board's ability and willingness to “give and get” are critical measures in gauging the charity's capacity to serve its mission. Therefore, the Chief Development Officer may  lobby hard to appoint to the board people of affluence and influence regardless of their prior involvement in or knowledge of the organization. 

 For the CEO, on the other hand, the equation is usually more complex. She/he must juggle with imperatives that frequently are contradictory: Federal, state or local government mandates concerning board composition; the need to recruit individuals with skills and experience to provide the necessary expertise relevant to the organization's mission and priorities; the need to develop the governance leadership echelon by having people acquire institutional knowledge at the committee level before appointing them to the governing board; and yes, the need to garner philanthropic support.

 Against the background of these differing perspectives, what is the best recipe for building the optimal board for your organization and how can the Chief Development Officer be an effective interlocutor in the process?