Nonprofit-Performance-360-Vol-2-No-1-Hesselbein

Closing the Millennial-Board Divide Kyle Gracey Board Relations

T o the average Millennial, serving on a board of directors seems as distant as paying off the mortgage or collecting Social Security, if it crosses their mind at all. Similarly, too many board members consider filling open slots with Millennials about as often as they think of filling them with toddlers or their favorite pet. Sound over the top? Sadly, the data tell a similar story. According to BoardSource’s 2014 Index of Nonprofit Board Practices, members under age 40 occupy only 17% of board seats and 10% of board chairs. Directors in their upper 30s, not typically considered Millennials, are believed to make up most of this cohort.The trend has at least improved since 2010, when only 14% of directors were under 40. Boards have the power to change this. This change can benefit their organizations’ missions and their own boards’ performance. These benefits come from the same three areas that often serve as roadblocks to greater Millennial recruitment: 1. Money Many boards assume that Millennial directors will not have the same ability to donate compared to older directors. This is true, to an extent. Millennials have not been working for as long and tend to have more debt. What Millennials do have, however, is an unprecedented level of experience raising money. Thanks to everything from an explosion of college clubs that require fundraising to operate, crowdfunding websites, and social media, Millennials have been asking for donations and using new

technologies, one important source of innovation. However, Millennials are also starting their own nonprofits and joining startup companies at a record pace. Through this, many are developing better approaches to problems in fundraising (see item 1), operations, hiring, and program evaluation. Here, as in 1, recruiting Millennial directors is a cost-effective way of acquiring these new tools. Still, boards should evaluate potential Millennial directors the same way they weigh any other skillset or form of diversity. Don’t rush out to recruit just any token Millennial. Nor should you fill your board with Millennials without considering the values that other age groups will bring. Not every board needs Millennial directors. Not every Millennial will make a good board director. Instead, ensure that your recruitment process is deliberately includingMillennials.Evaluate their potential contributions carefully, keeping in mind the three major benefits above. You will likely find that Millennials start coming to mind more often. Kyle Gracey was elected to his first national nonprofit board at the age of 24. He served on boards of directors and advisors for eight organizations, from youth empowerment to scientific societies to public service promotion, and has been the chair or vice chair of three. He is a 2010 recipient of the BoardSource Emerging Nonprofit Leader award. Kyle has also worked for the federal government, nonprofits, in scientific research, private sector consulting, and the Army National Guard. KyleGracey@sustainus.org

tools to make those asks for most of their lives. Instead of paying for new development staff to add these skills to their organizations, boards would be wise to seek out Millennials who will happily contribute them for free in exchange for a seat at the table. 2. Diversity Some boards are so concerned with improving their diversity along more traditional lines of gender and race that they forget that age is a form of diversity. Furthermore, Millennials are the most diverse generation in America by many measures. Careful Millennial recruitment can simultaneously help to reach other diversity goals. Additionally, whether your focus is homelessness, the arts, environmental protection, or job training, it is likely that your organization’s staff and/or program recipients contain many Millennials, or you wish they did.HavingMillennial board members can help you to understand, work with, and reach this important constituency. 3. Innovation Many boards fear change, or hold on to outdated notions of how their organizations should operate.They may also fear disruptive young new board members. Fear of change is not easy to overcome, but it is certainly true that Millennials come with innovations. The stereotype usually involves younger generations and their command of new

30 I Nonprofit Professional Performance Magazine