Non-profit organizations providing direct service to clients need to review board membership regularly and continually look for ways to strengthen board capacity. This is particularly true if their services or client sectors are changing, or if several key members leave the board at the same time.
The recruitment committee first have to know exactly what kind of candidate they are seeking. Besides the usual commitment to active participation in planning and governance, there are often board deficiencies that need to be addressed. For example, the board might need more diversity in its overall demographics. This might be the time to look for a better balance of gender, age, and ethnicity, depending on the kind of service provided and to what group of clients.
There are also many examples of particular expertise and experience that are needed. If the board is planning a capital campaign over the next five years to fundraise for a new client service center, a person with a high public profile who knows how to champion such a cause would be at the top of the list. From a very different perspective, it is usually beneficial all around if a representative of clients or former clients of the service has a place at the board planning table.