Board Connect 'speed dating' matches Tri-State nonprofits with volunteers who want to help lead them

Board Connect is designed to help nonprofits create boards that are WIDER, an acronym that stands for welcoming, inclusive, diverse, equitable and representative.

NOW WE HAVE A STORY FOREVERYONE OUT THERE WHO CARESABOUT GREATER CINCINNATI ANDWANTS TO GIVE BACK.IT'S ABOUTTECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS CONNECTVOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS ANDNONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS KINDOF LIKE SPEED DATING.

WCPONINE NEWS REPORTER LUCY MAYEXPAINS HOW IT WORKS."We provide educationalservices to LGBT students andfamilies."NOAH KLING IS THE FOUNDER ANDC-E-O OF PROUD SCHOLARS.HESAYS HE KNEW EARLY ON THAT HEWOULD WANT A DIVERSE GROUP OFBOARD MEMBERS TO HELP LEAD HISNONPROFITORGANIZATIONhttp://www.proudscholars.org/http://www.proudscholars.us/"Supporting the LGBTcommunity isn't just about theLGBT community supportingthemselves.

It's about 100% ofthe community as a societysupporting everyone."THAT'S WHY KLING REACHED OUTTO CINCINNATI CARES.ITS BOARDCONNECT TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMHELPS CONNECT NONPROFITS WITHPOTENTIAL BOARD MEMBERS - KINDOF LIKE SPEEDDATING.https://cincinnaticares.org/https://boardconnect.org/"We use that term.

We try tomake sure we explain it sopeople don't get the wrongimpression."DOUG BOLTON IS THE C-E-O OFCINCINNATI CARES.CINCINNATICARES HELD FOUR IN-PERSONBOARD CONNECT EVENTS LAST YEARTO HELP NONPROFITORGANIZATIONS DIVERSIFY THEIRBOARDLEADERSHIP." the old ways of recruitingboard members to nonprofitboard seats essentially reliedupon the existing board.

Andin most organizations thatexisting board looked exactlylike me.

You know, so a bunchof old white guys, to behonest.""It's a social responsibilityis really what it comes downto."TYREE FIELDS IS A DOCTORALSTUDENT AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY.HE WENT TO ONE OF THOSE EVENTSAND SAYS HE APPRECIATED THEENERGY IN THEROOM."I think it's important withanything that you do to findways to ensure that people arebecoming engaged and involvedwith the entire conversationwith diversity, not just witha person's color or age or sexbut also if they have adisability, if they, you know,different types of opinionsand viewpoints andperspectives on things I thinkmake organizationsbetter."LUCY MAY, WCPO NINE NEWS.