by Elizabeth Benson, Executive Director

(originally published in Greater Cincinnati Nonprofit News, 8/14/25)

Times have changed for nonprofit boards. It’s not enough to lend your name and a few hours to your chosen cause. Whether it’s increased funding pressure, shifting policies from the local to federal level, or the ever-increasing demand for the public’s attention, more is needed. A board’s ability to provide strategic guidance, demonstrate resilience, and show compassionate support to staff and constituents alike can make the difference in an organization’s future relevance and sustainability.

If you have a commitment to the mission, a strong skillset, and the willingness be an advocate for the mission with your own networks, you can help lead our community’s most important institutions through periods of volatility. Working together, board members with diverse backgrounds can help organizations assess risk, evaluate funding strategies, and weather crises. As an advocate, not a bystander, you also celebrate accomplishments, leverage your own networks, and gather more advocates to the cause you care about.

If you’re intrigued and want to learn more about being an outstanding nonprofit board member, check out Leadership Council’s core BOLD (Board Orientation + Leadership Development) program for aspiring board members. Spots are still open for our 6-week fall cohort.

What’s needed now is targeted development, peer networking, and strategic training to create boards capable of steering missions forward, no matter what lies ahead. Visit BeBOLDCincy.org to learn more and register.