November 6, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Joining a nonprofit board can help jump-start the career of a nonprofit professional — and, writes Rosetta Thurman on the Perspectives from the Pipeline blog, it’s a goal she is determined to pursue.
Calling the prospect of joining a board a “stretch assignment,” Ms. Thurman lays out the steps she has taken to learn more about board responsibilities and seek out opportunities to volunteer, focusing on charities whose missions might include the arts, advocacy, civil rights, homelessness, youth and education, and women’s issues.
In addition to offering her experience in fund raising, she also described what she hopes to derive from serving as a trustee: “I would want to enhance my public presence and communication/speaking skills by acting as a spokesperson for the organization out in the public. I would be willing to testify on behalf of the organization in City Council or give quotes to the media on the nonprofit’s issues. I’d also like to write op-eds in the papers to advance our cause and mission.”
Adding her profile to BoardnetUSA and joining the African American Nonprofit Network’s Board Initiative resulted in opportunities to apply for three board positions.
Concludes Ms. Thurman, “I’m hoping at least one will pan out and I can begin a volunteer leadership position outside of the organization I work for that will help prepare me to lead a nonprofit in the future.”
What steps should a prospective board member take to seek out such opportunities? Share your thoughts by clicking on the “comments” link below.
