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Your board plays a critical role in overseeing your organization's mission, finances and strategic direction. So it's equally critical that these board members are supportive of the changes in tools and practices necessary to help your organization stay relevant and viable in today's rapidly changing world. For the March 2014 Nonprofit Insights webinar hosted by VolunteerMatch focused on how to cultivate, engage and retain great board members that are "future-friendly." Jenifer Holland, Director of Consulting at BoardSource, shared best practices and strategies for finding and engaging the best board members for your organization. We were also joined by Shayla Price, Executive Director for the National Search Dog Alliance, who shared her first-hand experience working with boards from the nonprofit side, as well as serving as a board member herself. Wondering how to build a board that will support your organization as it moves forward into the future? This webinar will provide ideas and strategies so you'll never need to "fight" your board for change again.
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Building a Future-Friendly Nonprofit Board
#vmlearn
March 19, 2014
Meet Our Speakers
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#vmlearn
Jenifer HollandDirector of ConsultingBoardSource@[email protected]
Shayla PriceExecutive DirectorNational Search Dog [email protected]
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Building a Future-Friendly Nonprofit
BoardJenifer Holland, Director of
Consulting
© 2014. Not to be reproduced or distributed without express permission from BoardSource.
#vmlearn
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About BoardSource
• Advances the public good by building exceptional nonprofit boards and inspiring board service
• Supports and promotes excellence in nonprofit board service
• Is the premier source of cutting-edge thinking and resources related to boards
• Engages and develops the next generation of board leaders
© 2013 BoardSource #vmlearn
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Before– Identify board
needs– Cultivate & Recruit
On Board– Orient– Involve & Educate
Over Time– Evaluate, Rotate &
Celebrate!
Identify
Cultivate
Recruit
Orient
Involve
Educate
Evaluate
Rotate
Celebrate!
Context: The Board Building Cycle
#vmlearn
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“Identify” Step: Whose Job is It?
Nominating Committee• Short-term• Narrow focus
– Elections– Officers
• Self-contained
Governance Committee• Ongoing• Holistic focus
– Composition– Policies and
Practices• Involves others
Sample committees that have responsibility for identifying board candidates
#vmlearn
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Nominating Committee
Governance Committee
Nominating• Short-term• Narrow focus
– Elections– Officers
• Self-contained
Governance• Ongoing• Holistic focus
– Composition– Practices
• Involves others
Evolution of Board-Related Committees
Board Developme
nt Committee
Board Development
• Ongoing• Broader focus
than Nominating
#vmlearn
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Poll
Does your board have a:
• Nominating committee• Governance committee• Nominating and governance combined• Other• N/A or don’t know
#vmlearn
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Identify Your Board’s NeedsThink Strategically: What skills and talents
does your organization need to drive its mission forward and to advance key strategies over the next 2, 5 and 10 years?
Identify Gaps: Which of those skills and talents are currently represented on your board, and which ones are missing?
Be Specific: How would you describe the skills, expertise, and personal attributes of the “ideal candidate”?
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Tool: Board Matrix(exerpt)
1 2 3 4 5 6 A B C D E F
Areas of Expertise
Marketing
Program focus
Strategy
Technology
Financial
Fundraising
Investments
Legal
Fundraising Abilities
Personal financial giving
Access to corporate & philanthropic connections
Access to individuals with gift potential
Ability to support special events
Which Best Describes You:
Bridge builder
Leader/Strategist
Visionary
Worker bee
Current Members Prospective Members
S A M P L E
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What does your board need?
Good Board Members Typically Possess
• An Ability to:– listen, analyze, think clearly and creatively, work well
with individual people and groups
• A Willingness to:– prepare for and attend board and committee
meetings, ask questions, take responsibility and follow through on a given assignment, contribute personal;
– financial resources in a generous way according to circumstances, open doors in the community, evaluate oneself; and
– develop certain skills if they don’t already have them
#vmlearn
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Step 1: IDENTIFY Board Needs
• Skills, knowledge, perspectives, and connections, etc., needed to implement strategic plan.
• Board needs assessment– What expertise do you have? – What is missing?
• Identify sources of board members with the desired characteristics.
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Step 2: CULTIVATE Potential Leaders
• Ask current board members and others to suggest potential candidates with needed characteristics.
• Find ways to connect with those candidates.• Get them interested in your chapter, and keep
them informed of your programs.
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Step 3: RECRUIT Prospects
• Describe why a prospective board member is wanted and needed.
• Explain expectations and responsibilities of board members, and don’t minimize requirements.
• Invite questions, elicit their interest, and find out of if they would be prepared to serve.
• Recruit a diverse board.
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Step 7: EVALUATE Board
• Evaluate the board as a whole, as well as individual board members.
• Examine how the board and chief executive work as a team.
• Engage the board in assessing its own performance.
• Identify ways in which to improve. • Encourage individual self-assessment.
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• Identify gaps between expected and actual performance
• Ensure that all board members have a shared understanding of the board’s roles and responsibilities
• Provide a context for discussing opportunities to strengthen the board
• Model accountability and enhance credibility for the organization among staff, volunteers, donors, and other constituencies
Board Self-Assessment
© 2014 BoardSource#vmlearn
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BSA data sets the stage forboard development plan
0 = Poor , 1 = Fair , 2 = OK, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent
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How are Assessment Results Used?
© 2014 BoardSource
DATA seldom leads to action if the numbers aren’t explained
INFORMATION exchanged between you and your BoardSource team gives data meaning
KNOWLEDGE is created when experience and context is blended with information
WISDOM occurs when knowledge is applied
D = Data
E = Expertise
C = Coaching
K = Knowledge
#vmlearn
+Cultivating Future-Friendly Boards
Identifying Board Prospects
Engaging Board Members
Retaining Board Members
#vmlearn
+Identifying Board Prospects
Past Experiences
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+Identifying Board Prospects
Soft Skills
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+Poll
#vmlearn
Do you ask board prospects
about industry trends in their professions?
+Identifying Board Prospects
Knowledge of Industry Trends Books, Blogs Connect the Dots Areas of Interest
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+Identifying Board Prospects
Individual Development Plan Goals Interconnection Time Investment
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Engaging Board Members
+Engaging Board Members
Brainstorming Prompts Wouldn’t it be great if… If I had total control, I… Because we have excess resources, we can…
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+Engaging Board Members
Cheerleaders Guest Speakers Attendance Door Prizes
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+Question
#vmlearn
How do you currently motivate your board
members?
+Engaging Board Members
Cross Sector Collaboration
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+Engaging Board Members
Personal Commitments I will accomplish X
before the next meeting.
Visuals Reminders
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Retaining Board Members
+Poll
How often do you ask for feedback from your board
members?
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+Retaining Board Members
Ask for Feedback SurveyMonkey Updates Improvements
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+Retaining Board Members
Create a Valued Culture Norms Acknowledgements Implementation of
Ideas
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+Retaining Board Members
Support Members’ Goals Speaking Opportunities Workshops/Seminars Recommendations
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+Retaining Board Members
Show Appreciation Honor Their Service Highlight Achievements Say “Thank you”
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Questions?
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#vmlearn
Jenifer HollandDirector of ConsultingBoardSource@[email protected]
Shayla PriceExecutive DirectorNational Search Dog [email protected]
Next Webinar:
How Nonprofit Data and Volunteers Can Save the World
http://learn.volunteermatch.org
#vmlearn
April 8, 2014
