In case you missed it, my recent column in the NonprofitPro magazine was just released. You can see the full article here.
The article offers my thinking about if, when and how to recognize the individuals who sit on your board. One spoiler: time is not THE indicator of a member's performance.
In the meantime though, my associate Jane Garthson sent me some additional thoughts on ways to recognize a board member, again, not for just showing up although I acknowledge many are grateful for just this commitment.
- ensure board members are included in general volunteer awards for length of service and such. I’ve found some Volunteer Managers see the board members as so separate they get forgotten
- name an award, meeting room, whatever, after a founding or long term board member as they depart the board
- set up a scholarship fund in their name, or rename an existing fund, e.g., so service fees can be waived when the fees would be a financial hardship
- name an education program after a board member who was instrumental in developing education on that topic
- put bricks or flat stones with one name on each into a path or walkway or wall
- plant a tree for them in a special place and mark it with a permanent plaque
- ask past directors onto a special advisory council that is asked maybe once a year to give feedback to the board on a potential major change in mission or structure (and make sure the council members are named and applauded at the AGM, listed in the annual report, etc.)