national diaper bank network vicki clark, building the capacity of organizations memphis, tn
TRANSCRIPT
Getting The Most From Your Volunteers:
Especially Board MembersNational Diaper Bank Network
Vicki Clark, Building the Capacity of OrganizationsMemphis, TN
1. What is the mission?
2. Who is the customer?
3. What does the customer value?
4. What are our results?
5. What is the plan?
Peter Drucker’s “5” for Leaders
Definition of Governance From Greek word “kebernon,” to steer To govern is to steer, to control, and to influence from a position of authorityGovernance deals with the legitimate distribution of authority throughout a system – whether a country or an organization
Logic Model
Good
Success
Stewardship
Great
Significance
Exceptional Leadership
Context …
Context
Dysfunctional
Functional
Responsible
Exceptional
dramatic
disengagement,conflict
of no real consequence
compliant
anticipates, plans, sees opportunities
1. Determine the organization’s mission and purpose. A statement of mission and purpose should articulate the organization’s goals, means, and primary constituents served. It is the board’s responsibility to create the mission statement and review it periodically for accuracy and validity. Each individual board member should fully understand and support it. 2. Select the chief executive. Boards much reach consensus on the chief executive’s job and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position. 3. Provide proper financial oversight. The board, in order to remain accountable to its donors and the public, and to safeguard its tax-exempt status, must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities
4. Ensure adequate funding. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to provide adequate funding for the organization to fulfill its mission. The board should work in partnership with the chief executive and development staff, if any, to raise funds from the community. 5. Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability. The board is ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to legal standards and ethical norms. Solid personnel policies, grievance procedures, and a clear delegation to the chief executive of hiring and managing employees will help ensure proper decorum in this area. The board must establish pertinent policies and adhere to provisions of the organization’s bylaws and articles of incorporation. 6. Ensure effective organizational planning. As stewards of the organization, boards must actively participate with the staff in an overall planning process and assist in implementing the plan’s goals.
Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities
7. Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance. All boards have a responsibility to articulate and make known their needs in terms of member experience, skills, and many other considerations that define a balanced board composition. Boards must also orient new members to their responsibilities and the organization’s history, needs, and challenges. By evaluating its performance in fulfilling its responsibilities, the board can recognize its achievements and reach consensus on which areas need to be improved. 8. Enhance the organization’s public standing. An organization’s primary link to the community, including constituents, the public, and the media, is the board. Clearly articulating the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public, as well as garnering support from important members of the community, are important elements of a comprehensive public relations strategy.
9. Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization’s programs and services. The board’s role in this area is to determine which programs are the most consistent with the organization’s mission and to monitor their effectiveness.
10. Support the chief executive and assess his or her performance. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization. The chief executive, in partnership with the entire board, should decide upon a periodic evaluation of performance.
Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities
1. The leadership challenge2. Technology/Online Giving3. Owning our costs4. What is a “Nonprofit” new structures5. The upward spiral of need6. Advancing missions through advocacy7. Increased scrutiny8. Transparency about outcomes9. Data driven environment10. The resource squeeze
2014 Nonprofit Trends to Watch
Being expected to govern not manage
Smaller Boards Open Board recruitment Transparency in all
matters Clarity about
roles/responsibilities Varied means of
communication More effective
committee work/ad hoc teams
Meeting less often as a “Board of the whole”.
Having sufficient insurance/risk management plan
Formal Board orientation Formal Board assessment Focusing on the life,
expectations, accomplishments of the Board, as well as the agency
Increasing diversity of members
Trends in Nonprofit Boards
Board Building Challenges
Clear call for leadership
Implications of changing demographics
Sustainability is critical
Board Development – Trends Composition: From personal
connections to strategic diversity Orientation: From informal to formal Education: Mission-related issues, as
well as board responsibilities Evaluation: Accountability at all levels Leadership: More intentional
preparation for leadership succession
Board Structure – Trends
Movement away from a “one-size-fits-all” view of nonprofit governance
This does not mean that “anything goes”
Focus on simplicity and strategic structures
Board Size – Trends
Size: Whatever is needed to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making
Average board size = 16 voting members
Generally want the board to be big enough to incorporate a diversity of perspectives and small enough to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making
Board Size – Trends (cont’d)
Sweet Spot = 15 to 22 More effective More policies in place Attendance matters Better governance practices
Board and Committee Composition – Trends
Term limits and regular infusion of “new blood”
No automatic re-election
Using non-board members on committees and advisory councils
CEO as non-voting member of the board
Committee Structure – Trends• Boards have
average of 5.4 committees
• 27% have an Advisory Council
Governance Committees Promotes and provides education about the
organization, field, and governance
Assesses the organization’s governance needs
Identifies, nominates, and orients new members
Conducts board self-assessment
Organizes the annual board retreat
Nominating vs. Governance Committee
Nominating Short-term Narrow focus
◦Elections◦Officers
Self-contained
Governance Ongoing Holistic focus
◦Composition◦Policies and Practices
Involves others
Generative
Fiduciary Strategic
Governance as
Leadership
The Governance Triangle
Note: A “culture of inquiry” cuts across all three
The Fiduciary Mode
Board’s core work: Ensure legal complianceEnsure fiscal accountabilityConserve organization’s resources, public stewardship for assets of the foundationEvaluate process, hold leadership accountableOversee operations
Monitor results
The Board Building Cycle
Identify
Cultivate
Recruit
Orient
Involve
Educate
Evaluate
Rotate
Celebrate!
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
Avoid Tokenism No board member wants to fill a quota
◦ Identifying needs will help focus skills, knowledge, and representation
No one is able to represent an entire subsection of the population
Treat each board member equally and expect the same from everyone
Board Composition in the U.S.
Ethnic Representation◦86% are White (excluding Hispanic)◦ 7% Black/African America◦ 3% Hispanic/Latino◦ 2% Asian◦ 1% Two or more races◦ 1% American Indian/Native Alaskan◦ 0.30% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Current Board Composition Age Representation
◦ 2% under 30 ◦36% between 30-49 ◦49% between ages of 50-64 ◦13% 65 or older
Making the Case for Inclusiveness
Definitions
Why Cultural Competency and Diversity Matter
…the willingness and ability to value differences and be responsive to diversity at all levels of an organization, i.e., policy, governance, administrative, workforce, provider, consumer/client.
Cultural Competency
… the condition of being different; the fact or quality of being diverse; variety; includes, but is not limited to:GenderAgeReligionSexual orientationRace/ethnicity Language
Socio-economic status Legal statusDisability Geographic basePolitical viewpoint
Diversity
Inclusivity
…the involvement of diverse individuals and the incorporation of diverse perspectives, needs, contributions, and viewpoints. These organizations are diverse at all levels.
Barriers to Age Diversity on Boards
Board members often recruit members from their own circles of influence
Preference for a “C-Suite” or corporate officer type profile on the board
Skepticism about the need to have younger generations on boards
Uncertainty of where to find younger board members
Concerns of isolation
Generational Definitions 1925-1945: Silent Generation
1946-1964: Baby Boomers
1965-1980: Generation X
1981-2001: Generation Y (aka Millenials/Gen@/Nexters)
Generational Key Points
• No generation is a single homogenous entity
• Sensitive to age perceptions• Sophisticated consumers – want
choices• Time is a valued and scarce commodity• Motivated to volunteer for different
reasons
Benefits of Silent Generation on Boards
Often retired with time to volunteer History of the organization and
community Contacts and connections Professional and personal experiences
Benefits of Boomers on Boards
Already volunteering at highest rate in the country
Have resources they can contribute as they begin to retire
Possess many skills and professional training
Want to leave a legacy
Benefits of Gen X and Y on Boards
Access to new networks and donors Fresh perspective on old problems Results-oriented thinking Passion for the mission
Generational Helpful Hints Language is important Challenge with meaningful, interesting work
with a beginning and an end Make recognition fun and meaningful Create a Generational Task Force Others
Generational Discussion Questions1. Do we have a good age diversity and
representation on our board? How can we do better?
2. How can we keep the pipeline of younger potential board members full? Who do we need to be in touch with – high schools, colleges, military organizations, church youth groups?
3. What can be done to accommodate our older board members as well as our young ones? How can we give both a sense of community?
4. What about mentoring on the board (in all directions)?
(Adapted from Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for your Nonprofit by Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Fieldstone Alliance,
2007)
Three Strategies for Building an
Inclusive Board 1. Communicate Facilitate Discussions Appoint a Task Force Develop Your Case Statement
2. Assess Organizational & Board Culture Board Needs
3. Commit Assign Roles & Responsibilities Measure Results
Step 2: CULTIVATE Potential Leaders
Openly recruit for Board members with needed characteristics
Find ways to connect with those candidates Get them interested in your organization, and
keep them informed of your progress
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 if they would be prepared to serve
Step 4: ORIENT New Members
To the organization:
Issue/Mission History Programs Pressing issues Finances Facilities Structure
(organization chart)
To the board: Committee
structure Board member
responsibilities List of board
members and key staff
Bylaws Recent minutes
Orientation Tips and Tools
Tips Be honest, but
don’t overwhelm Include full board Make room for
team building Follow up with
individuals
Tools Orientation
meeting Board
portal/materials Site visit/facilities
tour
Step 5: INVOLVE Discover board member interests and
availability. Involve them in committees or task
forces. Assign them a board “buddy.” Solicit feedback. Hold everyone accountable. Express appreciation.
Step 6: EDUCATE Provide information concerning your
mission area and services. Promote exploration of issues facing the
organization. Hold retreats and encourage board
development activities by sending board members to seminars and workshops.
Don’t hide difficulties.
Step 7: EVALUATE Boards 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.
Step 8: ROTATE Board Members
Rotate board members. Establish term limits (and enforce them!). Do not automatically re-elect for an
additional term; consider the board’s needs and the board member’s performance.
Explore the advisability of resigning with members who are not active.
Develop new leadership.
Step 9: CELEBRATE!
Recognize victories and progress – there are no small victories.
Celebrate accomplishments. Appreciate individual contributions – to
the board, the organization, and the community.
Make room for humor and a good laugh.
Questions All Boards Should be Asking
Do we have the right leaders in place to lead us into tomorrow?
Do we have a governance structure in place that allows the board to function effectively?
Are we talking about the right things/the issues of greatest importance?
Do we have a culture in our boardroom that welcomes diversity and new perspectives?
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”
Dolly Parton