11.6 Boardmatch
What Is It?
Boardmatch Ireland is the unique new and free service that matches nonprofit boards with skilled and experienced volunteers.
Overview
Boardmatch Ireland was established in 2005 and aims to support the development of the voluntary and community sector (the nonprofit sector) by strengthening boards and management committees. Boardmatch do this principally through this free web-based matching service, which matches people willing to volunteer their skills at a board level, with organisations needing additional skills on their boards.
Boardmatch have developed a new volunteering model, to which there are three key pillars:
- Candidates: people willing to volunteer their skills, experiences and time to work on a nonprofit Board
- Organisations: nonprofit (community and voluntary) organisations who are seeking additional skills at board level and who will use Boardmatch as one of their board recruitment methods.
- Businesses: the business and professional sector who see in this new model of volunteering a key leadership development opportunity for their staff, and who will promote nonprofit board membership across their organisations, particularly at emerging leaders in their businesses, and encourage staff to volunteer through Boardmatch.
How Boardmatch Works
These three pillars combine in the principal service offered by Boardmatch - a free web-based matching system. The matching process is straightforward:
- Individuals (candidates) register and create a profile listing their relevant skills and experiences; the particular areas in which they are interested (e.g. Theatre, Youth, Environment etc.) and the time they have available per month for voluntary Board work.
- Nonprofit Organisations register and create a profile describing their organisation and the skills and experiences required for the board positions for which they are recruiting. Matching is initiated by either the candidate or the organisation, and produces a corresponding shortlist of the organisations or candidates most closely matching on preferences, skills and time.
- The matched profiles are viewed online. Where the candidate or organisation sparks interest, initial contact between the organisation and candidate is made via the website, where one invites the other to view their profile.
- If the interest is mutual, contact details are exchanged and further contact is arranged by the organisation and candidate.
- Candidates and organisations interview each other, and do their required 'due diligence'. Where there is mutual agreement, the candidate joins the board of the organisation - much like a job interview process.
Over 50 matches have been made since the service started in July 2005, with over 400 candidates registered since then. Some comments from users to date:
"Boardmatch is a fantastic opportunity for those who have always wanted to make a positive contribution in the voluntary sector but do not know where to start. It really does open up a whole new world".
Matched Candidate
"As a small community and voluntary sector organisation, it can be sometimes difficult to find Board members with specialist expertise who can add value to your organisation and its activities. That's where Boardmatch came to the rescue. From the time I logged onto the site and registered my organisation details, the service seemed to operate in a seamless fashion. Within minutes I had details of five suitable candidates to fill the position of Financial Advisor to our Board. I subsequently met with two of the candidates and invited one to come on board. The insight and advice that this person brings is invaluable and is already influencing the strategic direction of the organisation. I cannot recommend the service offered by Boardmatch highly enough and I will continue to use them for future Board vacancies."
BOND, Dublin
If you are interested, register with Boardmatch, either as an Organisation seeking additional skills at Board level, or as a Candidate willing to volunteer your skills to a Board.
If you are a business or professional association, Boardmatch would be very interested in talking with you about integrating Boardmatch into your leadership development processes.
Contact Boardmatch if you would like any further information at info@boardmatchireland.ie
Contact Details
Boardmatch Ireland
35 Exchequer St
Dublin 2
Ireland
t: +353-1-6715005
e: info@boardmatchireland.ie