FORT WORTH (UNTHSC) and DENTON (UNT), Texas - The UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth and UNT have joined together to introduce a new program that matches people who want to serve on nonprofit boards with nonprofit organizations seeking board members.

Boardography began recently in the North Texas region when Kimberly Mills, the program’s director, approached the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at the HSC and the College of Public Affairs and Community Service at UNT to give her project two bases of operation.

Boardography is designed to match professionals who have a desire to volunteer their time and knowledge with nonprofit organizations who need volunteers to serve on their governing boards.

"I helped start a similar program at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa., that was wildly successful," Mills said. "So when my husband and I relocated here for his work and I saw that DFW didn't have anything like it, I started knocking on doors. The response has been tremendous.”

"Our community is filled with nonprofits," Mills said. "They all have boards, and they all need board members. At the same time, there are lots of professionals who really want a chance to develop personally and professionally through leadership experiences."

Mills facilitates the process by meeting personally with people who sign up for Boardography to determine each candidate's interests and skills. She also works directly with nonprofit organizations to determine what their specific needs are for new board members. After finding candidates and nonprofits that match, she sends the nonprofit organizations information about the candidates, at the candidate's requests.

"At that point, it's up to the candidates and the nonprofits to make a mutual decision to see if the nonprofit wants to invite the candidate to join the board and if the candidate wants to accept," Mills said. "So this program doesn't actually make matches, it makes introductions."

The new program is free to both nonprofit organizations and candidates. It is supported by donations from individuals and groups. RadioShack is the founding funder.

"Everyone in the community benefits from this program," Mills said. "Nonprofits get stronger board members; people in need get stronger nonprofit organizations; professionals get to join boards that they are interested in, and corporations get employees who are more engaged in the community."

Note: For more information on Boardography, contact Mills at 817-735-0177, e-mail her at kmills@hsc.unt.edu, or visit the web site at www.boardography.com.

UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Roddy Wolper (940) 565-2943
Email: rwolper@unt.edu