nonprofit boards & effective governance
DESCRIPTION
The nonprofit governing board has been described as an ineffective group of effective people. Trustees are recruited for their stature, skills or connections, and then are not fully engaged. Why do nonprofits so broadly fail to use their boards wisely? And how might they do better? We will look at four interrelated areas: membership (including recruitment, development, self-assessment), process (including structure, meetings), capacity, and fiduciary issues.TRANSCRIPT
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance January 19, 2011
Sam Frank Synthesis Partnership
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Today’s Speaker
Assisting with questions: April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars
Sam Frank Synthesis Partnership
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Sam Frank Synthesis Partnership
Nonprofit Boards & effective governance
© Copyright 2010 Synthesis Partnership All rights reserved. Copies permitted only with full attribution
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Overview
Fiduciary responsibilities
Common issues / essential tools
Variations
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT
SELF-PERPETUATION
STRATEGY / PLANNING HIRING / ASSESSING CEO
FUNDRAISING
MEMBERSHIP
CAPACITY
STRUCTURE & PROCESS
Cultivation
Orientation Nomination
Service Plan Self Assessment
Reappointment
Recruitment Committees Meetings Policies / Procedures Retreats Work Process
Leadership
Board Size Fundraising
Board Development
CONSORTIA MULTI-TIER BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Fiduciary responsibilities
One definition ���of a nonprofit board—���an ineffective group ���of effective people
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Financial oversight Fundraising Strategy / Planning Hiring & assessing the CEO Self-perpetuation
Fiduciary responsibilities
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Fiduciary responsibilities
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Cultivation Nomination Orientation Individual Service Plan Self Assessment Reappointment
Common Issues Membership
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Common Issues Membership
Cultivation Nomination Orientation Individual Service Plan Self Assessment Reappointment
Nomination to the Board of Trustees
© Copyright 2010 Synthesis Partnership All rights reserved
www.synthesispartnership.com 683 Commonwealth Avenue Newton MA 02459 [email protected] 617 969 1881
Nominee:
Nominated by: Expertise Geography Interest
Area
Nominee profile compared to profile of current members For each person, check as many boxes as applicable Current board term name La
w
Acc
ount
ing
Gov
erna
nce
Com
mun
icat
ions
Fu
ndra
isin
g Pl
anni
ng
2007-10 Trustee A 2007-10 Trustee B 2007-10 Trustee C 2007-10 Trustee D 2008-11 Trustee E 2008-11 Trustee F 2008-11 Trustee G 2008-11 Trustee H 2009-12 Trustee I 2009-12 Trustee J 2009-12 Trustee K 2009-12 Trustee L Nominee
Who is the nominee? (brief description of the nominee in relation to the profile categories above; include any knowledge you have of the nominee’s participation on other boards) What important qualities will the nominee bring to the board? Do you have direct experience with the nominee in a situation of group deliberation ? If so, please describe What is this nominee’s capability to contribute financially and to provide access to major contributors? What other information do you feel would be valuable for us to know about this nominee?
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Cultivation Nomination Orientation Individual Service Plan Self Assessment Reappointment
Common Issues Membership
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Common Issues Membership
Cultivation Nomination Orientation Individual Service Plan Self Assessment Reappointment
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Cultivation Nomination Orientation Individual Service Plan Self Assessment Reappointment
Common Issues Membership
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Common Issues Structure & Process
Board Policies and Procedures Role of the Board Structure of the Board • Members • Officers • Committees • Committee Membership Nomination Process Expectations for Trustees Deliberations and Decisions Financial Policies and Procedures Human Resource Policies and
Procedures Board Development Meetings Evaluations
Recruitment Policies and procedures Committees Meetings Retreats
Work process
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Recruitment Policies and procedures Committees Meetings Retreats
Work process
Common Issues Structure & Process
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Common Issues Structure & Process: Meetings
Agenda February 17, 2010
Consent agenda 5 minutes Item Action Minutes of previous meeting Approval Finance Committee report Approve budget changes Development Committee report Approve position descriptions Committee on Trustees Approve new board development
program Approve changes to trustee manual
Discussion agenda 15 minutes Executive Director’s report Discuss flagged issues
Meeting topic 30 minutes Governance as leadership
Other Business 10 minutes - Old - New - Announcements
Roundtable evaluation of meeting Review of actions from meeting Adjourn
Contents of pre-meeting packet Meeting agenda Minutes of previous meeting Executive Director’s report Finance committee report Development committee report Board development program Proposed changes to trustee manual
Recruitment Policies and procedures Committees Meetings Retreats
Work process
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Leadership Board development Board size Fundraising
Common Issues Capacity
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Executive committee Advisory board Consortia
Variations Multi-tier Boards
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS P A R T N E R S H I P
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
SYNTHESIS
P A R T N E R S H I P
Advising nonprofits in strategy, planning, ���
and organizational development
683 Commonwealth Avenue��� Newton MA 02459
617 969 1881��� [email protected]
www.synthesispartnership.com���[email protected]
© Copyright 2010 Synthesis Partnership All rights reserved. Copies permitted only in entirety and with full attribution
Questions?
Resources Sources of more information • Google • BoardSource www.boardsource.org • Critical Issues 4: On Boards http://bit.ly/SyPci04 • Blog (entries on governance) http://bit.ly/SyPblog Sample documents • Some Board Basics http://bit.ly/SyPbasics • Sample Board Manual Outline http://bit.ly/SyPoutline • Sample Board Nomination Form http://bit.ly/SyPnomform • Sample Individual Service Plan http://bit.ly/SyPISP Brainstorming • Complimentary consultation
[email protected] (by e-mail, or make telephone appointment)
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