Building SustainableExtension Advisory Councils

Steps to Recruiting and Engaging Members

Building Your Advisory Group

The Board Building Cycle---BoardSource

Building A Diverse Group• Avoid tokenism• Accept that inclusivity will widen perspectives

and opinions• Ask “What do we need and what do we want?”• Evaluate— “What is the current composition?” “What characteristics, skills, and backgrounds do we need?” “What are the gaps?” “What are our priorities for recruiting?”

Identify

Member Characteristics to Consider

• Ability to . . .

• Willingness to . . .

• Willingness to develop . . .

• Possess . . .

Identify

How and Where to Find Council Members

• Where to find suggestions for members Colleagues, other groups, media, staff, other members,

volunteer and leadership groups, subordinate or collaborative groups

• Whom to consider for membership Current or past clientele and collaborators, community

leaders, representatives of clientele groups, corporate volunteers, people in professions related to your mission, people with needed traits, skills, interests, etc.

• Where to look for prospective members Faith-based groups, professional and civic associations, organizations representing other groups

Cultivate

Motives to Join an Advisory Group

• to help others

• to give back to the community

• to meet new people

• to fill a personal void

• because it is a tradition

• to learn new skills

• the ability to influence others

Volunteer Management 101 John Lipp

Recruit

Orienting New Members• Current programs• Finances• History• Plan of work• Organizational structure• Roles and responsibilities of members• Operations of the group• Membership lists• Skills to possess or develop

Orient

Engaging Advisory Council Members

• Train them • Build trust, relationship, and communications• Identify interests and skills and assign

accordingly• “Level the field”• Engage new members “early”• Involve them in meaningful activity and wisely

use their time (committee work is important)

Involve

Extension Program Committees

• Task forces

• Educational activities

Involve

Barriers to Member Involvement• Group is too large for the work to be done—

under-working• The overall group is too small—over-working• Subordinate groups are overshadowed by the

larger group• Insufficient communication and orientation• Weak agendas or no agenda• Feelings of not being involved gainfully• Lack of social glue

Involve

Developing Members by Education

• Council assessment

• Review of the mission statement

• Formal trainings

• Retreats

• Electronic – teleconferencing, e-mail, web sites

• Staff

Educate

Evaluation

• Council reflection

• Evaluation forms for the group and for the individual

Evaluate

Rotate

• Keeping the group fresh

• Using term limits

• Saying good-bye

• Removing a difficult advisory member

Rotate

Celebrate

• Appreciation and Recognition

“In conscious celebration we create moments that illuminate the deeper meaning of our lives and guide our footsteps for the future.”

Cathy DeForest Transforming Leadership

from Vision to Results

Celebrate

Credits

-BoardSource (formerly National Center for Nonprofit Boards, www.boardsource.org)

-Nonprofit Leadership Initiative at the University of Kentucky, www.kynonprofits.org, danielle.clore@uky.edu, (859) 257-2542

-Kentucky Advisory Council System web site, http://ces.ca.uky.edu/advisorycouncil/, ralph.prince@uky.edu, (270) 365-7541, Ext. 220