Today’s Appreciation Challenge is all about board members. I’ve been active on two different boards for several years now. Now in my role as president of one board, I’m especially interested in how to make the experience of serving on a board a positive one for all of the members.
Blue Avacado has a great article on this topic: Meaningful Acts of Appreciation for Boards and Staff - 7 Do’s and 2 Don’t’s. I’ve decided to put one of these into practice right away:
The day after a board meeting, whatever your role, phone the two people who helped make it a good meeting—the board president, the executive director, the treasurer or anyone who helped move a discussion forward. A quick phone message can be remarkably encouraging.
A little thank you note would be another option. One of my fellow board members once sent me a really nice email after a meeting that really made my day. I printed it out and still have it.
What actions have you or your group taken to show appreciation to board members?
This article is part of the Appreciation series.
- The Appreciation Challenge by Sandra Sims
- 5 Ways to Show You Appreciate Your Donors by Sandra Sims
- Showing Appreciation to Board Members by Sandra Sims
- Volunteer Appreciation, Part I by Jim Berigan
- Volunteer Appreciation, Part II by Jim Berigan
- Interview with Mike Robbins: The Power of Appreciation for Non Profits by Sandra Sims
May 20th, 2008 at 6:39 am
We give out yearly gifts to our board members at our May meeting
thanking them for the support all year. The gift is usually
a small items but we also do cards with them - signed by
the entire staff….and personalized!
You can never thank them enough!
May 20th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Hi Lori, that’s great that you are intentional about showing your appreciation. Cards signed from the whole staff is a great idea. It’s the personal touch that can really make a difference.
September 8th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Hi, we are going to honor our president at an upcoming member meeting. If we give a gift, may it be paid out of our general funds (from member dues) or must the gift come directly from the members (separate from their dues)?
September 8th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Karen, It could go either way. You mention “dues” so I wonder what type of organization you are working with? Most organizations have a budget and include items like awards and recognition in the budget. If your group does not have that included in the budget, or don’t have money in the general fund then you could take a collection to purchase the gifts.