When we accept the honor of serving on a nonprofit board, we are not stepping into a role for personal gain, prestige, or politics. We are stepping into a sacred trust. We are entrusted with the mission of the organization and, more importantly, the lives of those who depend on it.
The True Role of a Board Member
Board membership is not about titles. It is about stewardship. Effective board members:
- Prioritize mission over ego: Decisions must serve the people and communities at the heart of the work—not advance personal agendas.
- Lead with integrity: Transparency, accountability, and honesty are non-negotiable.
- Model collaboration: Boards thrive when members bring diverse strengths but work as one body.
- Champion sustainability: Every vote should be measured against the long-term health of the organization and the well-being of those it serves.
Centering the Needs of Those We Serve
When the mission and people being served are the North Star, clarity follows:
- Budgets should align with programs that directly advance impact.
- Policies should reflect fairness, inclusivity, and opportunity.
- Partnerships should strengthen the mission, not individual reputations.
- Time and energy should be invested in solving real challenges, not in unnecessary power struggles.
The question for every board member should be simple: “Does this decision serve the people we exist to serve?” If the answer is no, it does not belong on the table.
Reclaiming the Purpose
Boards across the country struggle when self-interest creeps in. But the solution is not despair—it is recommitment. Recommitment to purpose. Recommitment to the people and communities we serve. Recommitment to a culture of service where humility is valued more than hierarchy.
A Final Word
To serve on a board is to be entrusted with something bigger than ourselves. For those relying on an organization’s mission, board service is not a résumé line or a networking opportunity. It is their life, their livelihood, their future.
Let us never forget: board service is service. When boardrooms lose sight of this, it is the community that suffers. When boardrooms remember this, entire communities rise.
Desiree Peterkin Bell, Founder and President of DPBell & Associates sits on a few boards and commissions, most notably, ABC Strath Haven and Black Excellence Society.