logo logo
Donate
    • Membership
    • Donate
  • Social Justice
    • Racial Justice
    • Climate Justice
    • Disability Justice
    • Economic Justice
    • Health Justice
    • Immigration
    • LGBTQ+
  • Civic News
  • Nonprofit Leadership
    • Board Governance
    • Equity-Centered Management
    • Finances
    • Fundraising
    • Human Resources
    • Organizational Culture
    • Philanthropy
    • Power Dynamics
    • Strategic Planning
    • Technology
  • CONTENT TYPES
  • Leading Edge Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Webinars

LinkedIn Branches Out: Board Connect Links Nonprofits to Board Members

Alicia E. Plerhoples
September 19, 2012

 

LinkedIn

September 17, 2012; Source: LinkedIn Blog

This week, LinkedIn launched Board Connect, a program that allows nonprofit organizations to identify and recruit potential board members. Notably, LinkedIn is rolling out Board Connect to a limited group of nonprofits working in the fields of social entrepreneurship and education leadership. These two fields have garnered a lot of attention in the nonprofit arena recently and were likely chosen by Linkedn as Board Connect’s initial nonprofit focus to make sure that the platform is a success.

Sign up for our free newsletters

Subscribe to NPQ's newsletters to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

One of the most valuable pieces of advice that anyone can receive when starting a nonprofit organization is to put into place a board of directors that will bring an ideal set of skills and expert knowledge to the organization. Board members – beyond merely acting as a sounding board for the executive director –should be chosen to create a strategic plan and set both short- and long-term goals for the nonprofit. A well-constituted board may have an accountant, lawyer, seasoned business or nonprofit manager, community members, or individuals with expertise in the field that is the subject of the nonprofit’s mission – and hopefully all with deep pockets or a talent for fundraising.

Finding talented people with the enthusiasm and desire to serve on a nonprofit board is no easy task. LinkedIn’s Board Connect would certainly make this tough job an easier one. LinkedIn has the full weight and power of a popular professional social network behind it. Colleagues can vouch for each other or recruit within certain circles of a similar skill set or particular expertise. Such connectivity may run the risk of limiting one’s board recruitment to “those in the know,” thereby excluding possible strong candidates who are not on LinkedIn (e.g., senior citizens as well as individuals who are in the nonprofit’s target service population).

Of course, a nonprofit can widen the pool of board member candidates by also using run-of-the-mill recruiting tools that don’t involve online networking. How do you find nonprofit board members? Will you be logging on to LinkedIn’s Board Connect when it becomes available to more nonprofits? –Alicia E. Plerhoples

Our Voices Are Our Power.

Journalism, nonprofits, and multiracial democracy are under attack. At NPQ, we fight back by sharing stories and essential insights from nonprofit leaders and workers—and we pay every contributor.

Can you help us protect nonprofit voices?

Your support keeps truth alive when it matters most.
Every single dollar makes a difference.

Donate now
logo logo logo logo logo
See comments

You might also like
Learning from a Near-Death Experience: How to Survive a Budget Crisis
Donnie Maclurcan
Merging Missions: Starting with Relationships and Shared Authority
Hoang Murphy
Scaling Impact: How Mergers Can Advance Housing in Communities
Priya Jayachandran
Beyond Shared Vision: Building a Collaborative Road Map
Michael Anderson
Why Legal Fear Shouldn’t Drive DEI Decisions: What Leaders Need to Know
Jennifer Johnson
As Long as Social Media Is Around, Can We Really Break Free of Overconsumption?
Anmol Irfan

Upcoming Webinars

Group Created with Sketch.
June 26th, 2:00 pm ET

From Performance Management to Mutual Commitment

Fostering a Culture of Joyful Accountability

Register
Group Created with Sketch.
July 24th, 2:00 pm ET

Organizing in Divided Times

The Relational Infrastructure We Need to Protect Democracy

Register

    
You might also like
Conservatives Attack Nonprofits on Capitol Hill
Isaiah Thompson
A drawing of interlocking gears inside of two connected human heads, likely part of a mechanical system.
Learning from a Near-Death Experience: How to Survive a...
Donnie Maclurcan
Glass-paneled exterior of the Microsoft building.
Microsoft Axes Free 365 Software for Nonprofits
Isaiah Thompson

Like what you see?

Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

See our newsletters

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Donate
  • Editorial Policy
  • Funders
  • Submissions

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

 

Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.