Developing a Strong Board
First, let’s talk a little bit about the
importance of developing an effective nonprofit board.
Board development seems to be one of the most
frequently written about topics for nonprofits, and with good
reason. Here are some of the reasons:
·
Without a strong board of directors, the executive
director and staff are expected to not only have the vision for
what the organization can become, but also to do all of the
work.
·
An effective board can provide a foundation for
the mission of the organization and a framework of expectations
that make it possible for the management, staff, and volunteers
to focus upon the day-to-day tasks of making that mission a
reality.
·
The bottom line: Without a strong board, nonprofit
organizations show limited success in meeting both client and
community need.
Steps to Board Building
Building an effective board is similar to
creating a winning sports team. Recruiting talented players that
fit the team and training them to play their best are key
ingredients.
Board members join an organization for a limited
amount of time and pledge their personal, professional, and
financial resources to advance the mission of the organization.
Some helpful questions for board member
“recruiters” to ask include:
·
What gaps in expertise exist on the current board?
·
Who is likely to be interested in the mission of
the organization?
·
What does the position offer to the prospective
board member? Why join?
Even the best of teams experience challenges, so
providing a “playbook” of policies that build unity and
enthusiasm for the mission and define how conflict will be
resolved will go a long way toward making sure that the board
fulfills its purpose.
If you need a written step by step guide on what you need to do
next
click here!
Board Building Resources
Below are just a few of the
websites online filled with information to help you have a
better board of directors!
NonProfitExpert want to thank all the
organizations listed below that contribute greatly to the
collective knowledge of how nonprofits should go about
developing their respective board of directors! We also have
additional information about boards at our category site link
titled:
Board Guide
Board Cafe
An online newsletter with brief commentary, news and information
on nonprofit topics. Contains over 60 archived copies of the
newsletter.
Board Development
A Canadian nonprofit site with useful ideas that apply to all
boards. For example, it suggests that one of the basic
responsibilities of the board is to “ensure its own renewal and
development.” The site describes the cycle under the following
topics:
Develop a Board Profile,
Recruit and Select New Board
Members,
Election,
Orientation,
Ongoing Support &
Recognition,
Training and Development,
and
Evaluation.
BoardSource
Provides articles on many aspects of governance, such as forming
an audit committee and evaluating the performance of the chief
executive. There is also a Q&A section with practical advice for
enhancing day-today operations.
Brody · Weiser · Burns helps nonprofit organizations
accomplish their missions. They work with all types of
nonprofits, helping them become stronger through strategic
planning, research, board development and organizational
capacity building. Also another resource they provide is an
insightful web blog: Nonprofit Board Crisis
http://nonprofitboardcrisis.eponym.com/
Free Management Library
Complete, highly integrated library for nonprofits and
for-profits created by Carter McNamara of Authenticity
Consulting. Covers over 75 topics of interest, including: crisis
management, business operations, sample job descriptions, and
conducting effective meetings.
The Community Development Network
A site of the Portland, OR Community Development Centers, with a
list of “Top 10” nonprofit management sites and a specific
section for board governance.
The Non-Profit Risk Management Center
Books, articles and web seminars on many aspects of managing
risk in the nonprofit sector.
Volunteer
Today
A journal that provides the fundamentals of volunteer management
and increases awareness of the volunteer management profession.
The following is a list of FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is
based on questions and answers about nonprofit organizations
exchanged on the Internet since 1994 and provided by
www.idealist.org
Please click below to search by category:
Organization
Management
Regulation
To Recap:
·
Strong nonprofit boards are essential to achieving
the mission of the organization.
·
Recruiting board members who support the
organization and providing training to help facilitate board
work are critical elements of success.
·
Many resources to guide board recruitment and
development are available online at the sites listed above and
at
www.nonprofitexpert.com.
Great
Boards for Small Groups
Author: Andy Robinson; Buy
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