Welcome

How many times have you thought: “We need more diversity board members?” 

You are not alone. So many nonprofit board leaders and CEOs have felt the same frustration and are so overwhelmed to even know where or how to begin their journey of a more inclusive and diverse board.

Welcome to BoardUnity: Elevating Inclusive Leadership

Hi, I am Porcia Chen Silverberg. 

I have been in your shoes when I was an executive director for a nonprofit coalition in Silicon Valley and a chamber of communities in Denver. I’ve had countless meetings and conversations also as a board member and consultant on this topic. 

As an immigrant and a woman of color, I’ve had my own experience, challenges and journey with issues of inclusion, diversity and equity. 

This program is a springboard to help you build a perfect board composed of leaders who align with your organization’s mission, who show up ready to serve your board, not just sit on your board.

Hopefully you have already completed the pre-program questionnaire which was designed to remind you of what motivated you to serve on this board. Wouldn’t you agree it’s important to reflect on big decisions you’ve made in life such as the one you made to join this board?

Module Breakdown

In the first module, you will assess your current board composition. I find it beneficial to know clearly your starting point for setting new goals.

Then, in the 2nd module, you will gain a fundamental understanding of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Belonging, and Embrace (IDEA-BE), you will also examine your own lens and explore what IDEA-BE means to your nonprofit, in terms of the mission, clients you serve and communities your work impacts. You will gain deeper clarity and set new intentions or goals of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Belonging, and Embrace (IDEA-BE) for your board.

Module 3 focuses on identifying your perfect board member’s profile and then designing a Strategic Attraction Plan to transform your nonprofit board and create greater impact.

Once you have identified the gaps of your current board, clarified your specific Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Belonging, and Embrace (IDEA-BE) goals, and created your Strategic Attraction Plan, you will move into in Module 4 dedicated to:

Recruiting new board members, enhancing board culture and sustainability. You will learn practical recruiting tips plus suggestions on where to find your perfect board members and prioritize recruiting strategies. Also included in the final module is a simple system called B-NICE that will help you retain your new perfect board members in a harmonious and synergistic culture for a long long time to come.

You will have access to some bonus resources along the way.

Congratulations on taking the first step towards elevating inclusive leadership and achieving board unity! Your journey begins with completing the questionnaire, so please take a moment to do so now if you haven't already. Your insights will contribute to the success of your board's journey. 

Enjoy the next five weeks, and remember, As Lao Tzu said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Let's embark on this journey together!