The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are quickly approaching. Recent media coverage has fixated on global athletic governance, its impact on fairness, and the blurred lines between international politics and sports. In reflecting on my experience in sport governance here in the U.S., and doing research on nonprofit management skills, I began to wonder what nonprofit organizations can learn about governance, given the recent attention attributed to sport's governing bodies.
In an age of technology, a new generation of nonprofit leaders are emerge. Nonprofit organizations are reeling under the multitude of ways they can become more innovative, creative, and sustainable in a society that is increasingly globalized.
In the United States, our Olympic committee, based in Colorado Springs, CO, governs all Olympic sports. The committee is a multi-million dollar a year nonprofit organization, with a number of subsidiary national governing bodies (NGBs) who handle the governance of each individual sport. Additionally, many NGBs have other organizations, falling under the purview of the USOC, which aids certain NGBs in governing sports at the local level. All of these organizations are nonprofits and are subject to the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act.
The Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act is a section of the U.S. Code that creates the legislative framework to establish the USOC. According to the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, athletes must hold 20% of the membership and voting power on both the Board of Directors and committees of the USOC, its NGBs, and their subsidiary organizations. This offers athletes the opportunity to directly influence the decisions that affect the sport with both a voice and vote.
In the Olympic movement, particularly in swimming, there have been great strides made by the organization because of the involvement of millennials on the board, committees, and taskforces.
Below are five areas to consider when thinking about the inclusion of young professionals in your organization:
1. Technology
The digital age presents a whole new set of challenges and opportunities for nonprofit organizations. Before 9/11, online giving to charities was unheard of. Now, it is incredibly common. Last year, the ALS Association ran one of the most successful fundraising campaigns in history using social media. As nonprofit organizations look to capitalize on the return on investment from social media fundraising, the input and expertise of the greatest demographic of users--millennials-- is vital. Social media fundraising campaigns are a perfect example of how a young professional's perspective can help inform a board's decision.
Internet platforms are also revolutionizing how nonprofits demonstrate and articulate program offerings. In many instances, they are changing the way nonprofits deliver programming and services to their constituencies. As this continues to change, there is great value in the perspective of individuals who are "cutting the cord"--getting rid of cable TV and landline phones, and turning to streaming and online media consumption. The way people digest information has changed, as has the forum they digest it on. Millennials, at the heart of this change, are all fully aware of these changes and their perspective is invaluable to a board considering how to move its organization into the 21st century.
2.Youth Perspective
Young professionals bring a pair of fresh eyes to an organization's governance. They may not bring a wealth of experience like other board members, but there is a tremendous value to a different perspective. Board members usually remain in their roles for a number of years, get used to the way things work, and become resistant to change. In my experience as the youngest member of the USA Swimming Board of Directors, I have watched our athlete members bring views that have encouraged the board to pursue change, particularly in the areas of marketing and IT. Perspectives on how millennials consume information have led the marketing staff to pursue a multi-million dollar website redesign, the creation of new video content, and social media campaigns targeted at individuals who otherwise would have been left out of marketing efforts.
3.Candor
The athletes on USA Swimming's Board operate with very little to lose. The athletes have not spent years navigating the political gauntlet for an elected role on the board; they also have a different reason for service than some of the other, older adults. As such, athletes have the ability to be more open with their views and opinions--they have the political capital to point out problems without fear for an atack on possible upward mobility.
4.Creative Fundraising
I've worked with a number of clients who have pursued new fundraising, outreach, and business development opportunities through their young professional board of directors. In fact, we had one client whose young board was so enthusiastic about fundraising that they organized several social evenings at local bars, with a portion of proceeds going to the organization, all before they met for the first time. Development professionals are always looking for new ways to engage prospective donors. We know that individuals are the greatest single source of donations in the nonprofit sector, and entrepreneurs are particularly inclined to give. Young entrepreneurs are well connected; friends, colleagues, and networks thrive in social settings. Allowing young professionals to utilize their networks automatically guarantees a new pool of potential funders and supporters for your organization.
5.Mentorship and Succession Planning
The concept of succession planning and mentorship seems to escape many organizations and their leadership. Although it might seem obvious, a young professional's board or advisory committee provides a pool of individuals who can be mentored and developed into active members of the regular board when current members retire from their roles. The members of the board spend a significant amount of time working with this group of young people and will spend time mentoring them into the roles that they currently occupy. This allows for smoother power transitions, a smaller learning curve, and more effective continuity year after year. All of these traits help cultivate a healthy organization.