In this blog, Vice President Kelsey Nelson draws from personal experience and candid conversations with leaders at three Chicago-based organizations with highly successful auxiliary boards to shed light on what it really takes to design and manage these groups thoughtfully.
Auxiliary Boards play a vital role in the nonprofit sector, serving as incubators for fundraising, leadership development, and community engagement. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on several Auxiliary Boards myself, and those experiences have shaped my understanding of what meaningful board service can look like as a young professional or emerging volunteer leader. I’ve seen firsthand how these groups cultivate community, build leadership pipelines, and drive mission impact in ways that are both strategic and deeply personal. I’ve also observed how auxiliary groups, if not thoughtfully designed and directed, can be a drain on staff resources and can generate programs and events that are misaligned with organizational strategy. For this blog, Campbell & Company invited three Chicago-based organizations we’ve had the pleasure of working with—Urban Initiatives, Shedd Aquarium, and Girls on the Run Chicago—to share their experiences and insights in their own words.
I’m especially grateful to the individuals who contributed their time and perspectives:
As Julie so aptly put it, Auxiliary Boards offer “structured opportunities to volunteer, build social capital, and move the needle on our mission.” That spirit of purpose and connection is reflected throughout the responses shared here.
How did you determine the size and composition of your Auxiliary Board(s)? How do you manage varying levels of engagement across members?
Urban Initiatives: We have asked ourselves every time we’ve created an auxiliary group, what is the unmet need and why are we adding this entity? Do we need a way to activate a specific group? Or are there people coming to us who want to service and support our mission in a similar way?
Our first board began as the Junior Board—now the Associate Board (learn more)—formed by a group of passionate young professionals eager to contribute. While the default idea was to “throw a party,” we challenged them to think bigger about their impact. With a mission centered on sport, play, and kids in a city like Chicago, we had an overwhelming number of people wanting to help. Managing them individually became unsustainable, so we leaned into a flywheel approach: when someone expresses interest, we find a way to plug them into the community.
Next was the Advisory Board, a group of smart, trusted folks in our orbit (think CPS leaders, city staff, researchers, alumni parents) who each offered advice in their own way. Then came the Partners Board, which filled a gap for people who had been rockstars on the Associate Board but were moving into new life stages (starting families, moving out of the city, getting promoted, etc) and still wanted to stay involved, especially with fundraising. Somewhere along the way, the Student Board (learn more) took shape too. It’s more of a pipeline than a mission-driven group. It builds affinity young and gives students meaningful engagement activities. Former Student Board members are now the heart of our Associate Board.
Shedd Aquarium: Per the Shedd Aquarium Auxiliary Board bylaws, the Auxiliary Board (learn more) should have a minimum of 45 members, and maximum of 80 members. Shedd’s Auxiliary Board was founded more than 30 years ago to connect young professionals with Shedd’s mission. The group is capped at 80, which ensures that there is both an opportunity for personal connection between members and ownership of the Auxiliary Board goals. Each member must be an active participant of at least one of the four Auxiliary Board committees: Advocacy, Membership, Development, or Engagement. Each committee is led by an Executive Committee member, who helps ensure that members are engaged in and connected to an area of Shedd’s mission, while at the same time keeping their focus on the best interest of the institution. To help foster deeper relationships and engagement, new members receive Auxiliary Board ‘buddies,’ who help them feel connected to Aux Board people and events right away.
Shedd staff and members of the Board of Trustees are closely engaged with the Auxiliary Board, with meaningful opportunities to connect with the Development team as well as Shedd’s leaders and mission drivers.
Girls on the Run Chicago: We know that people often become unengaged because of a mismatch between their expectations and that of the organization. We seek to address this up front by ensuring that the expectations and needs of the Associate Board are clearly articulated to new members when they come onto the board. We also make sure that our group is right-sized for the work so that people are engaged in meaningful committee and volunteer work. Beyond volunteer work as Associate Board members, we’ve centered volunteer engagement on playing key leadership volunteer roles at our annual 5k event. This event serves over 6,500 people and volunteers are absolutely critical to its success.
We also meet with the members of our Associate Board one on one on an annual basis to ensure that their talents and time are being utilized in the ways that are most meaningful to them. This also allows for conversations about instances where people’s engagement or capacity might have changed and allows for us to talk about other opportunities for engagement if the Associate Board is no longer the right place for them.
The takeaway: Allow for flexibility in Board size to align with organizational needs and staffing capacity; outline both baseline expectations that must be met and higher benchmarks to aim for; and keep Board members engaged through committee and volunteer assignments.
What does your recruitment process look like? How do you define criteria — including demographics, professional backgrounds, and financial commitments?
Urban Initiatives: We believe clarity is kindness. Expectations are transparent from the start, covering meeting attendance, volunteer hours, and giving. At the same time, we recognize that people engage for different reasons. For our Associate Board, for instance, we offer flexibility: higher volunteer engagement can offset lower giving. We seek diversity across identity, industry, and experience, and prioritize inclusive access points to ensure every member brings value and feels valued.
Shedd Aquarium: The Member Selection Committee proposes candidates to the Executive Committee twice a year. This committee connects with new members over 1:1 meetings, prospective member mixers, and invitations to Shedd programs. Candidates must be approved by a Shedd representative before the candidates are submitted to the Board for election, and this holistic process ensures that each new member is prepared to serve as an engaged representative of Shedd. Above all, Auxiliary Board members are expected to serve as ambassadors and champions for Shedd Aquarium by promoting its mission to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.
Girls on the Run Chicago: Each year, we work with the Board Development Committee of the Auxiliary Board to determine what the needs of the Auxiliary Board are. Are there skill gaps? Are there networks or corporations we would like to build partnerships with? Are we reflecting the communities we serve in the lived identities of our leadership volunteers? The answers to those questions help us build an ideal candidate profile. We share that with the larger group and then we set about adding potential candidates to our pipeline.
The takeaway: Effective auxiliary board recruitment starts with clearly defined expectations and a structured but adaptive process to ensure inclusive opportunities for members to contribute meaningfully.
What’s the relationship between your Auxiliary Board(s) and your governing Board? Are there formal or informal pathways between the two?
Urban Initiatives: There are informal but intentional pathways. Seven of our 22 current Board of Directors members started on other UI boards. We foster connection across all levels through shared events, collaborative service opportunities, and stewardship activities that build trust and familiarity over time. The magic of a board is bringing people together to build social capital and offer reciprocal benefits.
Shedd Aquarium: Shedd leadership, including the Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership team, continue to be invested in the success and development of the Auxiliary Board. For nearly twenty years, the Board of Trustees has invited the Auxiliary Board to attend their Q3 Meeting and Dinner. This meeting provides access to an exclusive governance/strategy-focused meeting… In the 30 years since the Auxiliary Board was founded, many members have become civic and business leaders in Chicago. They have also gone on to serve on governing boards either here at Shedd, or at other Chicago institutions and nonprofit organizations.
Girls on the Run Chicago: We have both formal and informal pathways between our governing board and Associate Board. For one, our Fundraising Committee is co-led and filled by both our Governing Board and Associate Board. This ensures alignment between the two groups on their fundraising actions and goals/strategy and provides a great opportunity for both Board and Associate Board members to learn from each other and collaborate.
The takeaway: Use structured, hands-on strategies to connect Auxiliary and governing Boards, creating clear pathways for leadership development and board advancement.
How does your Auxiliary Board fit into long-term fundraising and leadership development strategies?
Urban Initiatives: Auxiliary Boards are foundational to our strategy. After 20+ years, we’ve seen Student Board Members become Associate Board members, then move to our Partners Board or join our Board of Directors. We’ve even had alumni of our youth programs join these boards. They’re not only a leadership pipeline, they are community builders and fundraisers, helping us live our mission through expanded social capital and long-term engagement.
Shedd Aquarium: Auxiliary Board support and engagement is a critical factor in Shedd’s current and future strategic planning. In 2022, the Auxiliary Board launched an ambitious multi-year campaign in support of Shedd’s Centennial Commitment, aiming to raise $2M from 2022-2026. The Auxiliary Board’s goal is to raise $400,000 annually through their personal giving, and by activating their network of friends, family, and colleagues. They have exceeded this fundraising goal for the past two years and expect to do so in 2025 as well. Auxiliary Board members also have the opportunity to learn from and connect with Shedd’s senior leaders. Auxiliary Board members, in turn, give back by volunteering at the annual Auxiliary Board / Teen Council Career Day at Shedd, mentoring and inspiring the next generation.
Girls on the Run Chicago: Our Associate Board plays a vital role in advancing our long-term fundraising and volunteer leadership development strategies by focusing on four core priorities: 1) fundraising, 2) serving as key volunteers, 3) corporate and community engagement, and 4) public relations support. Each year, members reassess their collective goals within these areas to stay aligned with our broader strategic vision, ensuring their contributions continue to grow alongside our organization’s needs.
The takeaway: Define core strategic priorities for Auxiliary Boards, conduct annual and multi-year fundraising goal-setting sessions, and empower members to meet targets through personal giving and network activation.
As you reflect on these insights, consider how your own organization might adapt or build upon these practices. Auxiliary Boards are more than fundraising groups—they are communities of passionate volunteers, future leaders, and champions for mission-driven work.
Thank you to our current and former client partners for their candor and leadership, and to all who are working to strengthen the nonprofit sector through board service!
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