Jerome Hardaway, Executive Director @ Vets Who Code | AI Engineer | USAF Veteran, recently posted something that made me stop scrolling: "Finally updated and added every board member to the website. Thank you for supporting our work" and then he named the people who help steward the mission: Addy Osmani, Brian Holt, Alex Reyes, MBA, Jarrad Turner Sr., Natalia Bailey, Emily Freeman, Christina Morillo, Tim Banks, and Amanda Casari.

That is a small operational update, but it points to a big idea: nonprofit trust is built in the details. A board page looks like housekeeping, yet it is also governance, transparency, accountability, and community recognition all in one.

Below, I want to expand on what Jerome shared and turn it into a practical playbook for any nonprofit leader who wants their website and governance signals to match the quality of their mission.

The hidden importance of a simple website update

When Jerome said he "finally updated" the site, I hear a familiar tension: leaders are juggling programs, fundraising, staff, volunteers, and reporting. Website governance often sits at the bottom of the list until someone asks, "Who is on your board?" or a donor tries to verify that you are legitimate.

A board-members page is not just a directory. It is a trust asset that answers questions stakeholders already have:

Who provides oversight?
Who is accountable for fiduciary responsibility?
Who brings expertise and networks to the mission?
Is this organization active and cared for?

For nonprofits, clarity reduces friction. Friction costs donations, partnerships, and credibility.

"Finally updated and added every board member to the website." The word "finally" is the tell: this matters, and it is easy to delay.

Board visibility is a governance signal

Nonprofit governance is partly what happens in board meetings, but it is also what your public footprint communicates. Publishing board membership is a soft signal of hard practices.

1) Transparency without oversharing

You do not need to publish private contact info. But listing board members and roles (Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, committees) shows you take oversight seriously.

A practical baseline:

Name
Role or officer title
Short bio (1-3 sentences)
Optional: headshot
Optional: LinkedIn profile link

If you want to go a step further, add meeting cadence (for example, quarterly), committee structure, and a short statement about governance responsibilities.

2) Accountability is easier when it is public

When the board is visible, the organization feels more real. It also subtly raises the standard internally: if you publicly list leaders, you are more likely to keep information current, onboard responsibly, and avoid the awkwardness of outdated governance records.

3) Reduced due diligence pain for donors and partners

Major donors, corporate partners, and grantmakers frequently verify board composition. If they cannot find it quickly, they either email you (creating admin work) or move on (creating opportunity loss).

A clean board page is a fast lane for trust.

Recognition is leadership, not just courtesy

The second part of Jerome’s post matters just as much as the update: "Thank you for supporting our work" followed by specific names.

That public gratitude does three powerful things:

It honors time and expertise. Board service is labor.
It strengthens the relationship. People show up more consistently when they feel seen.
It makes support contagious. Others can picture themselves contributing.

Name people, and be specific about the kind of support

Even if you cannot list every contribution, you can acknowledge categories:

Strategic guidance
Fundraising support
Technical expertise
Community partnerships
Mentorship and hiring pathways

In Vets Who Code’s context, naming respected board members also communicates seriousness to the tech community. It tells readers: this mission is backed by capable people.

A public thank-you is a governance practice. It reinforces that leadership is shared.

A quick checklist for a board page that builds trust

If Jerome’s update inspires you to fix your own website, here is a practical checklist you can implement in an afternoon.

Content checklist

Current board list (verify terms and status)
Officer roles clearly labeled
Short bios that connect expertise to mission
Headshots that are consistent in size and style (optional, but helpful)
A brief paragraph on the board’s responsibilities

Accuracy checklist

Confirm spelling, credentials, and preferred names
Confirm pronouns if you include them (optional)
Confirm whether anyone should be listed as emeritus or advisory
Remove people who have rotated off (do not let the page become a history museum)

Governance checklist

Link to conflict of interest policy (if public)
Link to annual report or impact page (if available)
Include EIN and legal name in the footer or About page

Usability and SEO checklist

Make the page reachable in one click from About
Add alt text for images
Use a simple URL (for example, /board)
Add structured headings so screen readers work well

This is not just polish. It is accessibility and credibility.

Turning small updates into high-trust storytelling

Jerome’s post did not try to be a manifesto. It was a straightforward operational note. Yet it earned engagement because it was human and concrete.

This is also a lesson in content strategy for mission-driven leaders: you do not need to invent thought leadership. You can narrate real work.

Why this kind of LinkedIn content performs

Posts like Jerome’s work because they combine:

Progress (a completed task)
People (names and relationships)
Purpose (supporting the mission)

That formula is simple, repeatable, and authentic.

How to reuse the idea without being spammy

If you want to apply this content strategy, try a monthly cadence:

One "governance and operations" update (board, policies, reporting)
One "impact" update (numbers, outcomes, stories)
One "community" update (partners, volunteers, donors)

Then point each post to a durable website artifact: board page, impact page, volunteer page, or annual report. Over time, your LinkedIn content and your website reinforce each other.

The deeper message: governance is part of the mission

Nonprofit leaders sometimes treat governance as separate from impact, like paperwork that distracts from serving people. In reality, governance enables impact.

A board that is visible and engaged can:

Improve financial oversight
Support hiring and succession planning
Expand partnerships
Strengthen ethical decision-making
Protect the mission when trade-offs appear

So when Jerome updates the board page, he is not doing a cosmetic refresh. He is aligning the organization’s public presence with the reality that the mission is stewarded by a team.

What I would do next after a board page update

If you just updated your board page (or plan to), here are the next steps that compound the benefit:

Add an "About our governance" section with 3-5 bullet points.
Publish an annual snapshot: top metrics, major milestones, financial highlights.
Create a simple "Work with us" page for partners and sponsors.
Set a calendar reminder to review the board page quarterly.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is to stay current, clear, and trustworthy.

Closing thought

Jerome Hardaway’s quick note about finally adding every board member to the website is a reminder that credibility is built through small, consistent acts. When you make leadership visible and say thank you out loud, you invite the community into the work and you strengthen the governance that keeps the mission healthy.

This blog post expands on a viral LinkedIn post by Jerome Hardaway, Executive Director @ Vets Who Code | AI Engineer | USAF Veteran. View the original LinkedIn post →