What is an advisory board?

For nonprofit organizations, boards are essential to effective governance and growth. There are two primary types of boards: governing boards and advisory boards, each with distinct roles.

Governing Board

To incorporate as a nonprofit organization, you must have a governing board of directors who are legally and financially responsible for the organization. This governing board is the ultimate decision-making body, and for your project, the Community Partners Board of Directors serves as the legal governing board.

Advisory Board

While an advisory board is not a legally responsible governing board, it plays a crucial, strategic role in your project's success. Advisory boards typically take on responsibilities such as:

• Helping to determine broad goals and policies for the project

• Assisting with fundraising and resource development

• Offering guidance on financial management

• Serving as ambassadors to partners and the wider community

• Monitoring and evaluating the performance of the project and its leadership (including selecting a new Project Leader, if necessary, subject to Community Partners’ approval)

Advisory board members are volunteers, and they do not take on legal or fiscal liability. Their role is more about providing expertise, advice, and support, rather than taking on the day-to-day oversight and responsibility of the nonprofit’s operations.

Why Do You Need an Advisory Board?

Community Partners requires each project to form its own project advisory board that meets on a regular basis. An advisory board can provide valuable insight, strategic direction, and connections that help ensure your project’s long-term sustainability and impact. A strong advisory board can also help address gaps in leadership, support decision-making, and provide a diverse range of perspectives that align with your project’s mission.

Diversity on the Advisory Board: A Critical Component

When forming your advisory board, it’s essential to prioritize diversity. A diverse advisory board brings different perspectives, ideas, and expertise, enhancing creativity and problem-solving, and ensuring that your project is inclusive and representative of the community it serves. Diversity in terms of gender, race, culture, professional background, and lived experience can also help ensure that your organization remains responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.

Recommendations for Building a Diverse Advisory Board:

1. Proactively seek diversity: From the outset, intentionally recruit individuals who bring different backgrounds and experiences to the table.

2. Leverage your network: Ask your staff, volunteers, and current board members to recommend individuals from underrepresented communities.

3. Consider different perspectives: Include people with various skill sets, such as those with expertise in finance, legal matters, communications, community engagement, and more.

4. Ensure inclusion: Diversity is not just about recruitment—ensure that everyone’s voices are heard and valued in meetings and decision-making processes.

Resources for Building and Maintaining Your Advisory Board

We understand that recruiting, developing, and retaining an effective advisory board can be a challenging task. To help you navigate this process, we’ve developed a comprehensive Advisory Board Handbook (please see the attachment) that includes templates, best practices, and detailed instructions. The handbook provides step-by-step guidance for every stage of working with your advisory board—from recruitment to maintaining strong relationships with members.

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By creating and maintaining a well-rounded and diverse advisory board, you can strengthen your nonprofit’s impact and increase its effectiveness. We’re here to support you with tools, resources, and guidance to help you along the way.