For Board Prospects

The New Philanthropists (TNP) has developed a Board Matching Program founded in the values that support our mission to create a more racially diverse, equitable and inclusive nonprofit board sector. As a board prospect of color, this program is designed to help you gain access to board leadership opportunities and provide you with the necessary resources to navigate board norms. At TNP we believe in creating a cultural shift on boards that challenges institutional systems and fosters diversity, equity and inclusion. As a board prospect of color, we value your presence, commitment and willingness to take on the work it takes to transform governance.

Overview of the process

As part of our comprehensive approach, The Board Matching program is focused on closing the diversity gap within nonprofit boards. TNP is committed to placing board prospects of color primarily with nonprofit boards that have ignited, are accountable for and hold a high-degree for creating a culture of inclusion, where diversity and equity are ingrained into their practices. Concurrently, we identify and train leaders of color who are best suited for these nonprofit boards and who will be advocates of our mission.

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Journey

You might have asked yourself by now, “Why does TNP keep referring to a journey?” We know that referral systems do not work for diverse board recruitment and that in order to create a cultural shift on your board you have to be intentional and strategic in your approach.  We refer to this transformative work as a DEI journey.  Specifically, there are two journeys that take place through our programming: an internal journey that leads you to become an inclusive leader and advocate of DEI values, and an organizational journey that helps the board as a group understand their baseline and the direction that needs to be taken as a collective.

Outcomes

There’s a lot of work to do and we’re just getting started! It all begins with cultivating relationships within Latinx, Black, and Asian communities and serving as a matching source for nonprofit boards and board prospects within those communities. However, matchmaking for us goes way beyond a checkbox. At TNP, we understand that in order to make our impact sustainable we must work from the inside out to educate, empower, and uphold responsible nonprofits and leaders of color on the importance of diversity and the benefits that result from it.

  • Fulfill TNP’s mission to build a pipeline to leadership for people of color, cultivate diversity, equity and inclusion among mainstream nonprofit boards, and enable nonprofits to be more effective stewards of public trust and produce better outcomes for the people they serve.
  • Increase the effectiveness of nonprofit boards through diversity and inclusion 
  • Increase representation and expand on informed decision making 
  • Increase relationships among mainstream nonprofits and communities of color
  • Increase access and opportunities for BIPOC board prospects
  • Increased engaged community members
  • Board candidates learn to navigate Austin nonprofit boards and become advocates of the TNP mission
  • Decrease cultural missteps 
  • Create cultural shifts on boards that disrupt institutional racism

Your Commitment

  • Board Prospects must commit to the Board Matching program and its goals.
  • Board prospects must be or identify as people of BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, People of Color.
  • Board Prospects must complete the full application (incomplete applications will not be considered.)
  • Board Prospects must commit to utilizing the TNP match making process.
  • Board Prospects must be looking to get matched before the end of the year. 
  • Board Prospects must commit to using the TNP toolkits and/or guides.
  • Board Prospects must commit to providing feedback throughout the program, including post placement.

The Application