Organization of a Guidance Program

Formation of Advisory Council

and Steering Committee

What is an

Advisory Council?

What is a Steering

Committee?

What are their

similarities?

What are their

differences?

Functions of an Advisory Council and a Steering

Committee

What is an Advisory Council?

An Advisory Board is a collection of individuals who bring unique

knowledge and skills whichcomplement the knowledge and

skills of the formal Board members in order to more

effectivelygovern the organization.

The Advisory Council does not have formal authority to govern the

organization, that is, the Advisory Council cannot issue directives that

must be followed as in the case with a governing Board. Rather, the

Advisory Council serves to make recommendations and/or provide

key information and materialsto the formal Board of Directors.

The Advisory Board can be standing (or ongoing) or ad hoc

(one-time) in nature. It can have a“personality” like governing

Boards.

What is a Steering Committee?

At its core, a steering committee is a "governing device" used to

organize a certain group of stakeholders and empower them to "steer" a project (or group of

projects) to successful conclusion.

Steering is not just managing.  Managing gets the job

done only, but steering determines what the

job is.  We all know that every project must be led by an

underlying purpose and a vision.  To deliver required results,

that purpose and vision must be clearly defined, it must be monitored and it must be

maintained.   

And that's the role of a steering committee - to

deliberate, make decisions, advise, provide strategic

oversight, and to serve as the primary “leader” for all the

assigned initiatives.

Similarities and Differences

All organizations are required to have a governing body, usually a

board of directors, that is responsible for the overall well-

being of the organization.

The committee hires, fires, and evaluates the executive director;

establish the organization’s vision, mission, and values; set strategic direction and monitor progress,

and ensure the fiscal health of the group. Committee members take on specific tasks on behalf of the group from time to time, but in

general they are not involved in the day-to-day implementation of

services.

Many organizations also create one or more advisory groups that can provide support and guidance

to boththe board and staff . Advisory

groups are usually more flexible in what roles they take on than most

the boards ofDirectors.

They do not have fiscal oversight and are not ultimately

responsible for the health and well-being of the organization,

but they often take an active role in helping

the organization implement its goals and objectives.

Why do we need an Advisory Council and a Steering Committee?

Functions of an Advisory Council and a Steering

Committee

An advisory council:

• Provides an independent source of information and advice to the directors on strategic issues or risks

confronting the organization• Create a “learning forum”

Each organization will need to determine the roles and

responsibilities of its advisory board to best suit its particular

circumstances and needs.

• Suggested roles and responsibilities for advisory

board members include:-Develop an understanding of

the business, market and industry trends

- Provide “wise counsel” on issues raised by the directors or management

- Provide the directors and management with insights and ideas which can only come with distance from the day-to-day operations

- Encourage and support the exploration of new ideas

- Act as a resource for directors - Encourage the development of

a governance framework that enables continued growth,

whilst not stifling the spirit or vision of the founders

- Monitor performance and challenge the directors & management

A Steering Committee:

• takes on responsibility for the project's feasibility, plan and

achievement of outcomes • ensure the project's scope

aligns with the agreed requirements of the Directors and key stakeholder groups

• provide those directly involved in the project with guidance on project issues

• ensure effort and expenditure are appropriate to

stakeholders’ expectations

• ensure that strategies to address potential threats to the project’s success have been identified, costed and approved, and that the threats are regularly re-assessed

• address any issue which has major implications for the project

• keep the project scope under control as emergent issues force changes to be considered

• reconcile differences in opinion and approach and resolve disputes arising from them

• report on project progress to those responsible at a high level, such as agency executive management groups, Heads of Agency, or Cabinet

• depending on the nature of the project, take on responsibility for progressing any issues associated with the project

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