Anyone who has read my blog for any period of time or has been a nonprofit grad student of mine knows how I feel about nonprofit boards. Most are just deplorable – wasting precious staff energies and bringing nothing to the board table.

We need a “Jack Kevorkian” for nonprofit boards – cutting the oxygen and giving a merciful death since beheading is so “old world”.

In my experience as a staff member with nonprofit boards, they function much the same as any other volunteer entity. Volunteers can be dedicated or barely attending. Some members are extremely dedicated and “get it”. They know they need to make fundraising a priority, contribute their skills, and bring contacts to the organization. If board members truly have a passion for an organization then they will do everything in their power to make it succeed. If they don’t, then they are just attending meetings.

The Foundation Center has a helpful list of resources on nonprofit boards.

Here are my thoughts on volunteering. Know how to recognize a good volunteer experience.

The one area where we wonder if this will work is providing services to the elderly so that they can age in place. Many are capable of remaining in their own homes but need help paying bills, running errands, cleaning the house, or making appointments. A few hours of help during the course of the week can make all the difference.

Would it make sense to have a business and charge with a sliding scale to meet these needs? Seniors with a high income could use a despendable source for these services and could afford to pay for it. Fees could be charged on a sliding scale based on income.

As the population ages in Rockville, this is a possible “social entrepreneur” endeavor, which is actually discussed in the article. With a larger scale, the services could be cost-effective and available to low-income seniors.

Our nonprofits should start to think about becoming social businesses when it makes sense.