KY SHRM Volunteer Match


The Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM) is providing nonprofit organizations in the state of Kentucky with the opportunity to recruit board members possessing expertise in the area of human resource management. SHRM members are invited to contact the KYSHRM representative listed below to register your interest for a potential match with an organization in your area or to ask questions.

Questions Prospective Board Members Should Ask

1. What should I know before joining the board?

Serving as a board member is one of the most challenging and rewarding of volunteer assignments. While appointment or election to a board is an honor, board members have important legal and fiduciary responsibilities that require a commitment of time, skill, and resources. Prospective board members do themselves a service and show that they are serious about the commitments they make by asking some basic questions before joining an organization's board. You can find the answers from the board member who issues the invitation to join; the chief executive of the organization; the board chairperson; other board members, current and former; or written materials. Long-time board members might also benefit from an organization review that answers these questions.

2. Evaluate Your Interest in Serving on the Board

Once you are satisfied with the information you have received, it is time to evaluate your own interest in serving on the board. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Am I committed to the mission of the organization?
  • Can I contribute the time necessary to be an effective board member?
  • Am I comfortable with the approach and tone of the organization's fund-raising efforts?
  • Can I contribute financial support consistent with the organization's expectations of board members and with my own means and priorities?
  • Can I place the organization's purposes and interests above my own professional and personal interests when making decisions as a board member?

    3. Selected background information can provide a useful overview of the organization, the board's work, and the responsibilities of board members. Helpful material includes:

  • the organization's annual report
  • the most recent audited financial statement
  • the long-range program and financial plan
  • a list of current board members, titles, and all affiliations
  • a board organization chart
  • a staff organization chart
  • the organization's newsletter, brochure, or other publications
  • newspaper or magazine articles about the organization
  • a brief biography of the chief executive

    Contact:
    Tracy Morford, SPHR
    Tracery, LLC
    1021 Majestic Dr. Ste. 350
    Lexington, Kentucky  40513
    (859) 223-8936
    tmorford@traceryllc.com
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