Bespoke boards: find the nonprofit that fits; Joining a nonprofit board that suits your interests is not simply a matter of matching the mission to your passion. It's also about finding the board where you can play a meaningful role, while developing your leadership potential.

• Author: Korngold, Alice
• Position: NONPROFIT BOARDS

WHEN BRUCE J. KLATSKY joined the board of Human Rights Watch in 1985, the board consisted primarily of people with expertise in human rights and advocacy. Klatsky, who was chairman and CEO of Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., saw his participation on the HRW board as an opportunity to bring operational integrity and longer-term financial sustainability to a worthy organization whose mission he was passionate about. Klatsky added valuable business acumen and rose to a leadership position as vice chair of the board. The organization has since grown six-fold throughout the world.

When thinking about joining a nonprofit board, there are two key considerations. First, find an organization with a mission that resonates with you. The second factor is critical but usually ignored: It is paramount to join a board where you can add value to advance the nonprofit. In this way, you will make a meaningful contribution to the organization and grow as an individual personally and professionally. Your nonprofit board participation will become a unique leadership development experience, and you will gain new skills that will help you in the business world, as well.

A tool to find the right fit

Clearly, mission-fit is essential. That is a personal decision based on issues that matter to you the most. In many cases, though, individuals have a wide variety of interests ranging from the arts to education, health care, and social services, and from local to national and global issues.

Even more significant, board candidates must understand how they can be useful to the organization in advancing the cause. To help choose the right board for you, plot yourself on the accompanying chart. This will help you to find the right fit. You can determine the kind of board member you envision yourself to be, while also graphing the nonprofit boards you are considering:

* Promoter: This is where you would place yourself if you want to join a generally healthy board and organization that also has a vision for reasonable growth, development, and expansion. This quadrant is for you if you want to bring expertise, experience, or relationships to the table, but perhaps you are juggling too much in your career and personal life to devote enormous amounts of energy and time at the moment. You can add value without being heroic, or you may choose to rise to leadership and play an even greater role.

* Team Builder: This quadrant describes boards and organizations whose potential impact is very high: The mission and programs are strong, but the board and CEO are weak. Plot yourself here if you are ready, willing, and able to take the time and energy to help build the board and perhaps engage a new CEO. You will play an important role in advancing the organization, and this can potentially be highly rewarding. Just know what you are taking on.

* Visionary: This quadrant describes...