Sharing Opportunities to Serve and to Learn

Building a diverse board is an ever-important and ongoing process. Research has shown that board diversity improves a nonprofit’s ability to serve its community, respond to external influences, make decisions, access resources, and build trusted relationships with donors and program partners (National Council of Nonprofits).

Nonprofit boards have historically lacked diversity, but San Diego County is starting to shift that narrative, seeing a 6% rise in board members who identify as BIPOC between 2021 and 2023. Still, during that same period, the percentage of BIPOC Board Chairs dropped from 32% to 25%, a 7% decline that underscores the ongoing need for progress. With 61% of county residents identifying as Black, Indigenous, or people of color*, it’s clear our boards must better reflect the communities they serve.  To be intentional about diversity, equity and inclusion organizationally and to make the necessary policy shifts in how we serve the world requires diverse and well-trained boards of directors.

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Percent of People who Identify as BIPOC in Leadership Positions

*Source: 2023 Annual Report: State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

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While understanding the need to diversify, many nonprofit professionals and volunteer board members are unsure of how to start or what process to follow to accomplish and maintain a new, diverse and inclusive board composition. It can be a daunting task. But the time has come to begin this work in earnest . . .

The Nonprofit Board Exchange is a free service offered by Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego in collaboration with our community partners to expand the pool of nonprofit board members in San Diego by sharing trainings, resources, and listings of open board positions.