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developing a nonprofit board

How to Build an Effective Nonprofit Board of Directors

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Build an Effective Nonprofit Board of Directors

As any nonprofit leader knows, an effective and engaged board of directors is crucial to an organization’s long-term resilience and success. Healthy and productive boards don’t just happen, though. They require careful recruitment, consistent communication, genuine relationship-building, and clear expectations.

Organizations that are backed by strong, active board members, who work in partnership with your staff and one another, are typically able to accomplish much more than nonprofits that don’t prioritize board management. Paying attention to board development can bring greater satisfaction to staff, board members, and your supporters by boosting morale and organizational impact.

Strengthening your board to succeed in all aspects of your mission is an ongoing process, but the results are certainly worth the extra effort. To help your nonprofit cultivate a more effective board of directors, we’ll cover how to:

  1. Recruit the right individuals.
  2. Create a solid board structure.
  3. Communicate everyone’s responsibilities.
  4. Regularly evaluate the board’s effectiveness.

At Boardable, we’ve worked with thousands of nonprofit organizations to empower their boards with the right tools and resources. We’ve seen which board management strategies work well for many organizations, as well as which management tactics tend to fall short. With this experience, we’re confident that these four tips will guide you along the path to more effective board management. Let’s dive in!

1. Recruit the right individuals.

An effective board of directors starts with the board members themselves. Too often, recruiting is done haphazardly, at the last minute, and without a sufficient pool of candidates. Instead of waiting until a board member’s term is about to expire, start the process early to avoid scrambling and ending up with a substandard replacement.

Right before embarking on the recruitment journey, evaluate the current composition of your team. This allows you to determine what skills are missing, so you can move forward with finding the candidates who bring the right qualifications to the table. From here, you can jump straight into the recruitment process. 

Boardable’s guide to welcoming new board members explores recruitment in-depth and explains the exact steps your team should take to identify the best candidates:

  1. Set up a nominating committee. Assemble a group of trusted advisors to assess the board’s strengths and weaknesses. Then, this group will locate qualified candidates to fill any gaps. Many organizations include this role in the governance committee as an ongoing responsibility.
  2. Consider your volunteers. These individuals are already committed to your cause and understand your organization’s backend processes. Look for those who possess admirable skills that would serve your board well.
  3. Turn to current donors. Donors are also excellent candidates. Particularly, consider your major and recurring donors who demonstrate a consistent commitment to your work. These individuals tend to have connections throughout the community as well.
  4. Broaden your search to the community. Go beyond your existing network by considering prominent community leaders and volunteers at similar organizations. Considering different individuals will help you to locate the best candidates.

Finding passionate board members who possess skills your board has been missing is a crucial first step to filling open positions and building an effective board. By following these steps, you’ll be able to set a solid foundation for organizational growth and vitality.

2. Create a solid board structure.

A committed, skilled, and diverse group of board members is only the first part of the equation. To make the most of these attributes, your nonprofit needs to put the right board structure in place. This entails a straightforward hierarchy among leadership positions, an agreed-upon process for decision-making, and clearly defined responsibilities.

Your nonprofit’s bylaws should spell out how your board conducts operations. Assess if these guidelines are outdated or overall ineffective, and take the time to refresh your approach if they are. Effective bylaws should clearly define factors such as:

  • Term limits. How long is a board member expected to serve? For instance, a common board member term structure is two consecutive three-year terms.
  • Roles and responsibilities. What are your nonprofit’s expectations for its board members? Be specific by defining the responsibilities for specific officer positions.
  • The process of removing board members. What steps will your board take to remove an ineffective board member from office? Board members who aren’t fully participating or are otherwise a hindrance can drag the rest of the board down.
  • Frequency of board meetings. How often will your board meet to discuss your nonprofit’s strategies? Some boards meet monthly while others only meet a few times a year.
  • The voting process. What procedures will your board follow to make decisions? This guide explains that your bylaws should outline what constitutes a quorum, which board members can vote, and what steps they should follow when voting.

Further, you should have a clear committee structure in place. There are common standing committees that are permanent (like finance and governance). You may also need to occasionally establish ad hoc committees to fulfill a specific function and then disband them once their purpose is fulfilled. With these structural elements in place, your team can stay on track by following the proper procedures.

3. Communicate everyone’s responsibilities.

In some cases, nonprofit leaders don’t sufficiently explain roles and expectations upfront. In turn, new board members might not fully understand the commitment they’re making when they accept a position. As we mentioned, your bylaws should cover these duties, but it’s up to your current board members and leadership to explain them and ensure they’re fulfilled.

Outline what duties new members will be responsible for, and who will be tasked with informing them. Here are a few common responsibilities that board members are expected to fulfill:

  • Attend and participate in meetings. Board members are expected to attend meetings unless there is an emergency. Further, they should proactively participate in discussions and be encouraged to respectfully challenge fellow board members on their ideas and opinions when necessary.
  • Serve on a committee. Nonprofit directors are often required to serve on at least one committee. The board chair appoints committee members and should select them based on past experience, skills, and interests.
  • Participate in fundraising. Some organizations expect board members to play a role in their nonprofit fundraising strategy. They might attend fundraising events, encourage their networks to donate, and contribute their own funds to the organization. 

While specific duties may vary from organization to organization, there’s one commonality between all nonprofits: board members should advance their nonprofit’s mission. These individuals are the face of your cause and should act as such. Passionate board members will already be eager to rise to this responsibility, but it’s still necessary to communicate your performance expectations to keep everyone on the same page. 

With the vast array of responsibilities your board members hold, you’ll likely find it best to implement board management software to assign tasks and discuss projects on a regular basis. That way, you can hold the team accountable for its work and ensure all expectations are met.

4. Regularly evaluate the board’s effectiveness.

Without an accountability system in place, it’s much more likely that standards will slip. Encourage everyone to continue doing their best work by conducting an annual review. There are a handful of ways you can regularly assess effectiveness. Four common options include:

  1. Self-assessment. Have the board evaluate itself. Each board member will evaluate their own performance based on a set of criteria. Then, they’ll assess the board’s performance as a whole.
  2. Peer-to-peer assessment. Board members can assess their own individual performance, then also evaluate their fellow board members. You may want to keep peer reviews anonymous, because some board members may be reluctant to call out problematic behavior if they anticipate a confrontation.
  3. Evaluation by the executive director. Have the executive director evaluate the board as a whole. Board members will be able to decipher the executive director’s comments without specifically calling out any one person, avoiding the tension of individual performance reviews.
  4. Assessment by a third-party consultant. An experienced consultant can offer an impartial opinion of your board’s performance. Cornershop Creative’s guide to nonprofit consultants explains that you should select one whose area of expertise aligns with your nonprofit’s overall mission and goals.

Whichever approach you take, it’s important to have an evaluation process in place. A standardized method for assessing effectiveness can help keep track of strengths and identify weaknesses in your board that may require attention. That way, you can determine which skills you need and begin searching for the right candidates to join your board in the future.

Building an effective board of directors may seem like a daunting task, especially since it’s an ongoing process. However, forming an engaged team and equipping these individuals with the right structure and a sufficient understanding of their roles will be invaluable to your organization’s continued success. 

Just because successful board management is an ongoing process doesn’t mean your team has to struggle to keep up. The right technology will be instrumental in your success by helping your board members stay in regular contact with one another, collaborate on your nonprofit’s mission, and hold each other accountable for staying on top of their tasks.

When it’s all said and done, you’ll have an effective board of directors that will go out of its way to make sure your organization can continue working toward its mission.

4 Tips on Being a Knockout Nonprofit Board Leader, Especially in Times of Uncertainty

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If you serve on the board of directors of a nonprofit organization, your leadership, vision, and initiative are more important than ever.

Nonprofit Board Leader

Are you keeping up with how the sector is both evolving and being impacted by, well, everything as we head into 2021?

Your nonprofit’s approach to its mission may have had to bend and flex in 2020, especially in the face of so much uncertainty.

Now, of course, some of these variables are a little less uncertain—we know who our next U.S. president will be, a couple coronavirus vaccines seem to have efficacy rates above 90 percent, the machinations of our economy and society are still functioning, to name a few—and what remains undone—racial equity, a divided nation, addressing poverty, climate change, among other issues—is more visible than ever. How is your organization moving forward in 2021?

Now is your moment to lead.

Here are four areas where you and your fellow board members would be wise to focus.

  1. Issues on the horizon. Take a deep breath and reflect on this long, arduous year. What are the issues your nonprofit is now facing, both internally and externally? Where has this year strengthened your team’s capabilities? Where has it weakened the organization? How is your staff doing? How are your constituents doing? How are your financial reserves? What do your donors and audiences need from your organization moving forward? How will your mission, and thus program strategy, need to evolve?

Action: Be a knockout board member by raising these issues along with ideas on how the organization might address them. Remember to be solution oriented so as not to overwhelm the staff with yet more problems.

  • Recasting your strategy. Face it. No matter what may be in your three to five-year strategic plan—this tool itself an antiquated notion—is obsolete. The world has shifted. Our societal priorities have changed. Your staff structure—and thus capabilities—may have changed. Your constituents may have new needs. Therefore, it is time for a new strategy. Preferably a one-year to 18-month strategy. And be ready to refine it every 90-days.

Action: Spearhead a strategy process—on your own, if you have the skills, or with an outside resource who maintains objectivity and will ask tougher questions.

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion. 2020 surely held a mirror up to our nation to confront our past and the ways racism has been woven into key infrastructures of our society—from healthcare to housing, education to environmental justice. It is up to each of us to undo these injustices and create equity, elusive for many for too long.

What are your organization’s hiring practices? What about board governance? Scroll through your organization’s web site and take a look at the headshots of staff and board members. Do you see diversity in ethnicity, age, gender, and sexual orientation? (And if names and photos are missing, consider adding so we know who you are.)

Do you see ways your organization can take on prejudice and discrimination within the context of your mission? What needs to be dismantled or taken on, head on? Are your programs truly open and available to all, despite economic means? Are you providing programs and services that diverse audiences need and will find of value? Or are they simply initiatives that allow your organization to check a box?

Years ago, working on a project that included qualitative research for an arts organization, a focus group participant who represented a regional school district shared the kind of critique that hits you in the gut. She noted that often times Black, African American, and Latinx students have the sense that all the arts education programs offered by the region’s nonprofits were more for the arts organizations than for them. Ouch.

Action: Identify at least one or two initiatives that the organization can take on and achieve success. Encourage the organization to learning and lifting up the cloaks that may blind some to practices that inadvertently cause exclusion to people of color.

  • Build relationships. As you know, your personal and professional network is a tremendous asset to your own life and career. When you join a board, this social capital can also be tremendously valuable to the nonprofit. If you’re passionate about the mission and trust the executive director, resource development team, the other board members, and the programs the organization offers, you’ll want to leverage your network here, too.

You may know potential donors. Or you may know professionals in positions to sponsor an event or underwrite a program.

Action: Have a conversation with the organization’s CEO and development officer to brainstorm who the right prospects are, how best to engage them, and what the next steps should be.

Take initiative. Have the mindset that you and the other board members serve the nonprofit; it doesn’t serve you. The organization’s leadership will appreciate it, especially at a time requiring all hands-on deck. Especially if 2021 turns out to be an awesome year.

Managing Board Member Conflicts in the Context of Real Estate Transactions

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Nonprofits often exist in a dynamic environment of shifting goals, priorities, external conditions, and constituent needs. Despite the fact that well-governed nonprofits prepare themselves for an ever-changing world, 2020 has tested the limits of the most stable entities throughout the country with a pandemic, massive unemployment, ever-changing equity and debt arrangements, and, in part the focus of this article, massive shifts in land use. Smaller and midsized nonprofits face these challenges even more acutely. However, this 2020 dynamism also offers new opportunities for nonprofits. At this time, then, charitable organizations, and more specifically, board members of such entities, should consider their responsibility to ensure they avoid conflicts of interest as they entertain creative solutions to their 2020 challenges.

This article will focus on how board members should pay close attention to their role in real estate transactions where conflicts may arise. First, organizations should understand the nature and scope of its board’s fiduciary duties. Second, they should understand the nature of the specific real estate transaction contemplated. Third, entities and their boards should identify whether and where conflicts exist by memorializing an articulation of their process for doing so. Fourth, nonprofits should document their method of minimizing those conflicts and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, customs and traditions, and regulations. Hopefully, following these four steps will not only help charities to properly close significant transactions but also strengthen their governance in the process.

The Nature and Scope of Fiduciary Duty

When serving on a board, members should learn about their duty to the organization and its constituents and continue to update their understanding throughout their term. Most discussions of fiduciary duty start with renowned Judge Benjamin N. Cardozo’s opinion in the landmark case Meinhard v. Salmon, 164 N.E. 545, 546 (N.Y. 1928):

A trustee is held to something stricter than the morals of the marketplace. Not honesty alone, but the punctilio of an honor the most sensitive, is then the standard of behavior.

Meaning transactions between individuals who owe a fiduciary duty either to each other or one to the other are not “arms-length” transactions but rather “insider” or “related” transactions in nonprofits. Therefore, fiduciaries must understand the various duties they owe in this context: (1) duty of care; (2) duty of loyalty; (3) duty of good faith and fair dealing; and (4) duty of obedience. These duties function interdependently, meaning the duty of care primarily concerns itself with the reception of the requisite amount of information in order to make decisions that a reasonably prudent director would make. In short, a board member cannot satisfy its fiduciary duties by ignoring important facts relevant to the organization. Having the requisite knowledge then impacts how a board member fulfills its duty of loyalty because it imposes on the board member the duty to act in the best interest of the organization irrespective of the board member’s personal interest. Sometimes, scholars and cases incorporate the duty of good faith and fair dealing into the duties of care and loyalty. Generally, the duty of good faith takes into account the fiduciary’s subjective understanding of a particular transaction. “Good” faith does not just mean the absence of bad faith but rather encompasses a higher duty to make decisions in the best interests of the organization. Related to the duty of good faith, the obedience duty requires fidelity from the board member to the mission of the nonprofit. In this context, we will look at important considerations for real estate transactions and how these duties play out in board decision-making processes.

Requisite Information Necessary for Real Estate Transactions

With respect to their duty of care, the board member should consider what information they need for a decision relating to a real estate transaction. The information collection requires a review of a board member’s own financial and familial interests, the identity of all “interested” parties, and any necessary incidental transactions.

A board member must identify their own ownership interests and those of close family members, who, if involved, would constitute “interested” parties. A board member cannot excuse failure to disclose such conflicts based on a simple lack of knowledge without proper diligence. Most statutes focus on “full disclosure” of conflicts when considering whether a particular transaction is voidable (capable of invalidation). However, if a board member does not investigate and disclose either their own or close family interests to the board, such disclosures will not have been made and the entire transaction could be threatened, or worse, the organization could lose its charitable status.

Related to the identity of a board member’s ownership interest, boards must investigate the identity of the entities involved in the real estate transaction. These terms may vary depending on the type of transaction involved. Questions to investigate include: (1) what entities are involved in financing the transaction? (2) What affiliates, subsidiaries or parents own the entity involved in the transaction? (3) What natural persons advised, consulted, or otherwise have a relationship directly involved in the transaction? If either the board member or a close family relationship has an interest in any of the identified entities, the interested board member should disclose these facts to the board.

Finally, the board should also consider important incidental aspects to the transaction. For example, does the transaction involve historic preservation, environmentally sustainable improvements, or other special expertise that may implicate board members during the completion of the project? If so, the board should disclose and memorialize such conflicts.

Memorialization of Conflicts

Once the board has identified and disclosed those conflicts, they should memorialize them through both meeting minutes and requisite corporate resolutions when necessary. The board must identify which members of the board are disinterested and which are not and ensure that, when relevant, deliberations are held separate from the interested board members and that a majority of disinterested board members approve the relevant transaction. The board should memorialize the process and use it consistently.

Generally, the process should have three steps, a fact-finding step, wherein the organization and its board members locate the conflicts; disclose and memorialize those conflicts; and agree upon the implementation of deliberation and decision-making processes wherein the conflicted board members do not have influence on the organization’s decisions. Preferably in the corporate bylaws, organizations have implemented such conflict of interest policies long before the discovery of a conflict.

Conflict Mitigation

To minimize conflicts, nonprofits need to demonstrate two important items: (1) disclosure and proper safeguards from interested directors (as discussed above) and (2) fairness to the corporation. With respect to the second item, corporations use a variety of ways to demonstrate fairness, but generally, courts look for the payment of “market rates.” If the transaction is the acquisition of real estate, that can mean a proper appraisal. If it pertains to services related to a piece of real estate, it could mean a bidding process. If board members anticipate a conflict, they can decide between an open, blind, or double-blind bidding process to mitigate potential conflicts. At bottom, however, the board should try to have systems for mitigating conflicts long before they are even anticipated.

Conclusion

While the world has only gotten more dynamic particularly when it comes to real estate in the nonprofit sector, these general considerations should help boards make decisions in a compliant and well-governed manner. Board members should think first and foremost of their fiduciary duties and implement decisions in a manner that documents and honors those duties through clear and effective procedures that provide fairness to their corporate beneficiaries.

About Culhane Meadows
With nearly 70 partners in eleven offices across the country, uniquely structured and cloud-based Culhane Meadows’ (www.culhanemeadows.com), Disruptive Law® business model delivers outstanding, partner-level legal services to major corporations and emerging companies across industry sectors more efficiently and cost-effectively than conventional law firms. Clients enjoy exceptional and highly-efficient legal services provided exclusively by partner-level attorneys with significant experience and training from large law firms or in-house legal departments of respected corporations. US News & World Report has named Culhane Meadows among the country’s “Best Law Firms” in its 2014 through 2019 rankings.

Nonprofit Board Leadership: 6 Strategies to Steer the Ship

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Nonprofit Board Leadership

Your nonprofit’s board is one of your most valuable assets. A successful board will play an important part in fundraising initiatives, generate community support, and create energy for your mission.

Although governance models vary based on the needs and goals of every nonprofit, the underlying concept is the same. Your board members should provide key advice and amplify your impact. 

But in order to fully leverage the power of your board members, you need to spend time improving board leadership and building a high-impact team. Without the right leadership in place, your board may lack a unified direction or struggle to move your mission forward.

With many ongoing responsibilities, executive directors often encounter challenges with developing a highly motivated, productive board. 

However, leadership can make or break your board’s effectiveness, so to help, we’ve gathered a few proven best practices for effective nonprofit board leadership, including:

  1. Understand your role and your goal.
  2. Create structures for a strong foundation. 
  3. Set clear expectations and hold members accountable.
  4. Cultivate connections and establish a collaborative culture.
  5. Respect the value of your board members.
  6. Keep your eye on the big picture.

By putting these strategies into action, you’ll be better prepared to steer your nonprofit board in a direction that effectively supports your mission. Let’s get started.

  1. Understand your role and your goal.

Running your nonprofit board successfully is about more than just planning retreats and running effective virtual board meetings—though of course, those are important too! 

Taking the time to define and understand your job will set you apart from other nonprofit leaders. And we mean this literally: an estimated 51% of board chairs do nothing specific to prepare for the role.

The exact nature of your role will depend on your title. There are two main titles that have a hand in board leadership, and while they may sound interchangeable, they are actually very different. The “leader” in nonprofit board leadership refers to two primary positions, including:

  • The executive director. This individual is in charge of a nonprofit’s day-to-day operations. They do the on-the-ground work of directing employees and volunteers to fulfill a nonprofit’s mission. Typically, this role has less turnover over time.
  • The board chair. This person focuses more on big-picture goals and initiatives, and they usually don’t have any operational responsibilities. However, one big obligation handled by the board (and the chair) rather than the ED is fiduciary responsibility. Finally, board chairs usually serve for a specified term of just a few years.

The responsibilities of the board chair and executive director do often overlap, and nonprofits will be most successful when they work in agreement. Both are key to running a sustainable and effective nonprofit, which is why clearly defining each role is so important. 

Once you understand your role and responsibilities, identify what success in this position would look like for you. Consider the overall goals of your organization and how you hope to mobilize your board to reach them. You’ll likely have some measurable indicators in place to track the entire board’s progress, but it’s also wise to set personal goals for your leadership.

  1. Create structures for a strong foundation.

The best way to ensure long-term growth of your nonprofit board is by establishing a strong starting point. A few important building blocks involve training, communication, and key systems. Having these in place from the outset will save you time and frustration down the line.

First, it’s always a good idea to provide information and training resources to new board members. But even if you’re working with a more experienced board, consider formalizing key protocols so that everyone is on the same page. 

By laying the groundwork for training and development, you’ll set your board members on a path for continuous improvement.

Strategic communication is also a key element of board leadership. We recommend implementing communication best practices including:

  • Providing a roadmap. Make sure everyone understands roughly when and how often they’ll hear from you. Sticking to a schedule will help your board stay engaged and help you stay on track.
  • Surveying current needs. Especially if you’ve just taken the helm of your nonprofit board, you’ll want to assess the current communication plans to see what is working well and what needs to be revamped.
  • Listening. In any sector, a good leader is one who listens. Establish clear channels so that your board members always know how to approach you. And when they do, practice active listening and take action on their suggestions!

You’ll also want to work with your team to decide what tools you’ll use to stay in touch and execute tasks. You could use a group messaging system, email, or something with more features. We recommend dedicated board management software to keep everything in one place.

  1. Set clear expectations and hold members accountable.

To be successful, everyone on your board needs to understand what is expected of them. Before joining the board, there should be a frank discussion about the necessary time commitment so that nobody is taken by surprise.

But that should be just the start of the conversation. Set clear expectations for all levels of involvement, including big-picture responsibilities as well as the minutiae of day-to-day tasks. 

Each board member will have their own set of responsibilities depending on their own specialized skills and the needs of your nonprofit. Take the time to define these so that there’s no uncertainty.

And when smaller tasks come up, have a plan in place for assigning them. Many of us have experienced the challenge of wondering, who was supposed to take care of that?

This is especially critical for one-off projects or needs that arise in the middle of a meeting. As Boardable explains in their guide to board meeting minutes, dedicated board software can help you clearly define even small responsibilities so that nothing falls through the cracks.

Once everything is defined, you’ll be well-positioned to follow up with members and ensure they are achieving their individual goals. This will keep the overall board moving in the right direction.

  1. Cultivate connections and establish a collaborative culture.

Efficiency is important, but a truly successful board is driven by a sense of community. Strong leaders provide opportunities for board members to connect with each other and engage with the mission.

One way to accomplish this is by holding an in-person or virtual board retreat where members dedicate an afternoon or a weekend to your nonprofit. Depending on your plans for the retreat, this can knock out several goals at once, including strategic planning and culture building. 

For a year-round approach, create a mentor system among your board members. Newer members will appreciate having a veteran to show them the ropes, and more seasoned individuals will enjoy being able to provide advice and expertise. This can also boost motivation and accountability for both parties.

Finally, there’s also the tried-and-true method of doing an icebreaker activity at board meetings. Although some of the ideas out there may be a little corny, they really do help your members engage on a personal level. Even a simple conversation prompt like sharing a favorite memory with the nonprofit can help form connections and get the conversation flowing.

  1. Respect the value of your board members.

Your board members lead busy lives and often have limited time and energy. Respect the commitment they’ve made to your nonprofit by honoring their valuable time. 

One key way to do this is by running efficient and well-planned board meetings. Your board members should never finish a lengthy meeting and think, That could have been sent in an email. Ineffective meetings are a recipe for burnout and disengagement.

Luckily, it’s simple for board chairs to avoid those outcomes with the right strategies in place. This guide to board meeting agendas offers some key tips for planning your next meeting:

  • Set and distribute an agenda ahead of time. This gives your board members the opportunity to prepare effectively. You don’t want to blindside someone by asking for a project briefing that they weren’t expecting to give! This will also help everyone come to the table with insightful ideas and thought-provoking questions.
  • Create a logical order. A well-organized agenda will keep your board from jumping around randomly to different topics. You could organize by type of item, by the associated board member, or by importance.
  • Note goals for each item. For every point of discussion, your agenda should say whether the goal is to inform, generate ideas, or reach a consensus. This makes it clear whether the meeting has accomplished everything you intended.
  • Limit length. Each item on the agenda should have a prescribed length of time for discussion—keep it as short as possible! This rule of thumb also applies to the length of the agenda as a whole. 

Incorporating these tips into your board leadership strategy will help keep meetings productive and on-track. Ultimately, this will convey that you value your board members’ time, encouraging them to stay engaged.

  1. Keep your eye on the big picture.

While it’s important to keep routine responsibilities like meeting planning running smoothly, that’s just a small part of your role.

As board chair, you’ll have a key role in strategic planning for your nonprofit. While the exact nature of each plan varies, it will include measurable goals, initiatives to prioritize, an assessment of strengths and weaknesses, and a roadmap for the future.

According to Bloomerang, your board should meet to revisit your strategic plan every 3-5 years. But as the leader of the board, your big-picture strategic plan should always be in the back of your mind.

As you help your board oversee the details of event organizing, campaign planning, and resource allocation, try to view everything through the lens of your strategic plan. Ask yourself: Is this course of action taking us closer or further away from our organization’s goals?

With practice, this perspective will become second nature, and you’ll be able to confidently lead your board in the right direction.

Especially in a time of uncertainty for many organizations, nonprofit boards need skilled leaders to drive success. These actionable strategies will help you provide board members with the environment and tools they need to support your mission. Good luck!

Using Strategic Communications to Increase a Nonprofit Board Effectiveness

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Nonprofit Board EffectivenessWant to take your nonprofit to the next level? Your board can help you do that. A strong nonprofit board offers insights and resources that help the organization solve complex problems and achieve bold goals.

However, recruiting smart leaders and planning productive meetings isn’t enough. Developing an effective nonprofit board requires strategic engagement and consistent communication.

Your board members won’t be able to offer meaningful help unless your organization makes them feel connected, appreciated and informed. And for them to feel this way, you have to invest in thoughtful onboarding when they join your team and outreach throughout their time of service.

Each nonprofit board member must understand how their strengths intersect with your needs. They require tools that allow them to share their passion for your work. And they need an authentic relationship with your organization that motivates them to roll up their sleeves when it matters most.

Build a Strong Foundation From the Beginning

Set clear expectations. Ask your board members for help with co-creating a nonprofit board performance policy. The policy should outline the key ways you expect each member to support your nonprofit. Be explicit about how you would like them to use their resources to elevate your work. Include a copy of the policy in your board toolkit, explained below.

Provide a nonprofit board toolkit. As part of on-boarding, give new board members the tools to understand and promote your work. Providing digital and print materials such as:

• Your nonprofit’s elevator speech
• One pagers on fundable programs
• Attractive and inspiring flyers and brochures
• Merchandise featuring your brand
• Social media content to share on their channels

Since social media is a key way for them to engage their networks, include social media tools such as suggested post copy, graphics and photos for social posts, profile cover photos, and profile frames. Give your nonprofit board members content they can use throughout the year and special assets for holidays and campaigns.

Explain their role in your culture of philanthropy. Ensure that your nonprofit board understands the importance of fundraising to your organization’s financial health and community leadership. Explain the key role everyone plays—including board members—in meeting your fundraising goals. When you share fundraising updates with them, emphasize the connection between your achievements and their individual efforts.

Build authentic connections. Create opportunities for your nonprofit board members to build relationships with the people inside your organization. This will help them forge a deeper connection to your mission. It will also help them better understand various facets of your work.

Familiarize nonprofit board members with the populations you serve. The best way to do this depends on the nature of your work, but board volunteering days can make a big impact, emotionally and intellectually.

When appropriate, invite them to staff activities like lunch and learn seminars, happy hours, or quarterly meetings. However, if your board will be in attendance, be sure to notify staff beforehand and give them background information on the members who will be there.

Keep Them Engaged Over Time

Develop a nonprofit board communication plan. Map out an annual calendar that outlines when and how you’ll communicate with your board. This will ensure this key group of stakeholders doesn’t fall through the cracks as you reach out to key audiences. It will also keep you accountable to sending them regularly scheduled updates.

Don’t just share major announcements and board meeting materials. Reach out with compelling news and updates from across your organization. Your communications will keep them interested while also reducing any blind spots they may have about how you operate.

Create an email newsletter. Make an email newsletter one of the key communications in your board communication plan. Your board members are already accustomed to building and maintaining relationships via email, so use this important channel to share helpful tools and information with them. By repurposing your nonprofit’s existing communications when possible, develop a brief, attractive newsletter with content such as:

• Relevant news stories
• Recent press releases
• Top-performing blog posts
• Short, simple program updates
• Major fundraising achievements
• Expressions of gratitude (highlighted below)

Keep asking for input. Request your nonprofit board members’ help when you see a connection between their resources and your needs. Just be sure your leadership team is aligned on the ask before you reach out.

For example, ask nonprofit board members for help with donor identification and cultivation. Be open, letting them know that you would be grateful if they’d strategically reach out to any contacts who may have an interest in your cause. Invite them to participate in conversations with like-minded donors. They can strengthen your outreach to donors with similar backgrounds.

And if other opportunities come up where board members can make a meaningful difference, don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t ask, they may not realize how they could be supporting you.

Honor and thank your board. Weave gratitude into all of your board communications. When new members join, proudly announce their appointments internally and externally. This will demonstrate your appreciation to new members, acquaint staff with the board, and elevate your organization’s thought leadership in the public eye.

Share success stories with your board often, connecting mission impact with their dedication and support. Help them see themselves among the heroes in your organization’s story.

Follow your nonprofit board members online to stay in-the-know about what’s going on in their lives. Connect with them on LinkedIn and create Google alerts for their names so you don’t miss anything. Congratulate them on their accomplishments to show that you are invested in their success.

Commit to Invest in Your Board

An effective nonprofit board helps a mission-driven organization reach new heights. But to build a successful board, you must develop cohesive communication and engagement plans.

It’s crucial to reach out to your nonprofit board with transparent, informative and authentic communications. And you need to provide every member with tools and opportunities to share your work with their communities.

The good news is that if you invest in creating an environment where your nonprofit board can thrive, you’ll also be helping your nonprofit’s mission thrive.

The Nonprofit Board’s Role in CEO Selection

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Nonprofit CEOHistorically, incumbent CEOs of not-for-profit organizations anointed their successors, by preparing one or two strong internal candidates, thereby ensuring leadership continuity and the CEO’s legacy. However, that often doesn’t work. Too often, when I’ve assessed internal candidates to replace a retiring CEO, I find no one ready to take the helm. Then the search for external candidates begins.

In all cases, selecting the right person from among internal and external candidates remains the single most critical task the nonprofit board has. This requires a systematic three-step process that readies both internal and external candidates for transition to the executive chair.

Nonprofit Board CEO

Step One: Revisit the Mission and Strategic Principle

Success depends on a strong strategic principle—a shared objective about what the nonprofit organization wants to accomplish. The mission explains why the organization exits, and the strategic principle guides the company’s allocation of scarce resources—money, time, and talent. Revisiting both when a new CEO takes over helps to ensure a successful future.

Directors of successful nonprofit boards assume the roles of the architect, steward, and guardian of the strategic principle. This job cannot be outsourced, completed, or scheduled, and it’s the most uncertain thing directors do because it involves speculation about unknowns and requires a journey into murky waters.

nonprofit leader rolesThe strategic principle doesn’t merely aggregate a collection of objectives. Rather, this simple statement captures the thinking required to leverage a unique contribution that forces trade-offs among competing resources, tests the soundness of initiatives, and sets clear boundaries within which decision-makers must operate. When leaders face change or turmoil—and CEO selection brings both—the strategic principle acts as a beacon that keeps the ships from running aground. Even when the leadership changes, or the economic landscape shifts, like the mission, the strategic principle remains the same.

Assuming the nonprofit board started CEO succession 3-5 years before the incumbent’s departure, directors have already committed to identifying and developing internal candidates. They have given these candidates exposure to the board, key clients, and stakeholders. Similarly, the board has at least a rudimentary plan for transitioning leadership.

Sometimes directors don’t have the luxury of developing and monitoring a succession plan and then creating a timeline for transition, however. Too often, a crisis shortens the timeline and forces the board into an even higher-stakes situation with the cost of picking the wrong CEO even more ominous.

The transition from one CEO to the next is a risky endeavor fraught with opportunities to lose top talent, stakeholders, and key customers. When the board takes its eyes off the strategy, these risk factors become more threatening. Ideally, directors have consistently and conscientiously monitored the company’s strategy to determine how to align their objectives with the company’s current leadership capabilities to set the stage for the future leader.

Step Two: Set Criteria for Selecting the New CEO

Directors who have focused on CEO competencies through systematic evaluations start the selection process ahead of the game. These boards have regularly considered potential replacements, should the incumbent CEO leave suddenly and unexpectedly, and they have ensured the organization is sufficiently talent-laded to allow for a seamless succession. These kinds of boards are as stellar as they are rare.

Setting the criteria for the new CEO starts with decisions about what the success factors for the new CEO will be. These decisions often begin with an evaluation of the incumbent CEO, but they can’t stop there. The board’s tendency will be to try to select a clone of the existing CEO, even though the strategic direction of the company promises to vary drastically from the current one.

Directors should develop a clear view of what will make the new CEO successful and express their expectations about financial targets, the complexity of the changing organization, the scope of the CEO’s role, and general market conditions. If no agreement about the abilities and vision of the next CEO exists, agreeing on a candidate will prove impossible.

When directors develop a shared perspective about the future and the strategic challenges the company and the new CEO will face, however, they take the first critical step toward a successful transfer of power. The next step involves defining the capabilities the new CEO will need and the specific qualities, skills, and behaviors the person should demonstrate.

When I work with nonprofit boards on CEO selection, I start with general questions that include the following:

  • What type of person will “fit” the needs of the future company?
  • How will want this person to demonstrate a passion for our mission?
  • Should the new person fit the existing culture?
  • Or, should a new leader use a turnaround style to overcome obstacles the culture has created?
  • What values should the new CEO evidence?

I ask nonprofit board members to start the selection process by finding candidates that I call “multi-business leaders.” In large organizations, these people typically run a major part of a large organization or smaller organizations that report to the parent. At other times, the candidates have managed other managers. Keep in mind that often the best candidates will not come from the nonprofit arena. Rather, they will have gained valuable experience in running a for-profit company that will easily apply to a nonprofit.

In all cases, taking on the CEO’s role should represent a significant step up—not a huge leap. Candidates should evidence all the multi-business success indicators and demonstrate a willingness and ability to move to CEO-level performance. This is how I think about how a multi-business leader transitions to the CEO chair:

Decision Making / Problem Solving – Multi-Business Leader

  • Aptitude for making sophisticated financial decisions related to profit and loss
  • Three to five- year vision
  • Skills for blending specific business strategy with overall enterprise strategy
  • Talent for critiquing strategy by asking questions and requiring support data
  • Complex thinking to manage more than one business
  • Decisiveness
  • Global perspective
  • Creative problem solving

Decision Making / Problem Solving – CEO

  • The knowledge of how to use financially presented data to make sophisticated business decisions
  • Visionary thinking—five to ten-year focus
  • Ability to handle ambiguity and a willingness to embrace it
  • Skills for setting priorities effectively
  • The ability to see patterns and contradictions
  • A knack for anticipating consequences
  • Knowledge about how to grow the business organically and acquisitively
  • Insight to create policy that will affect everyone in the enterprise
  • A logical, dispassionate approach to problem-solving

Task Orientation – Multi-Business Leader

  • Strong change orientation
  • Ability to handle risk
  • Value of and responsibility for unfamiliar functions
  • Focus on both short- and long-term objectives
  • Resourcefulness to be alert to opportunities
  • Portfolio management
  • Talent for working under time constraints
  • Strong knowledge of operations
  • Industry knowledge
  • Evidence of a “can do” attitude

Task Orientation – CEO

  • Willingness to create disruption
  • Enthusiasm for creating risk
  • Stock price / shareholder value / financial solvency focus
  • Passion for developing business
  • An eagerness to form relationships with the company’s key customers
  • A persistence for achieving desired outcomes

Leadership Skills – Multi Business Leader 

  • Ability to trust others in the chain of command to handle the day-to-day decisions related to running the businesses
  • Strong commitment to developing the bench
  • Strong delegation skills
  • Willingness to remove “C” players
  • Talent for asking the right questions to draw out the ideas of others
  • Obvious maturity in use of power
  • Proven track record for selecting top talent
  • Strong conflict resolution skills

Leadership Skills – CEO

  • Willingness to develop a successor
  • Takes charge and stays in charge
  • Capacity to lead disparate entities, often geographically dispersed
  • Ability to set the pace of change and to orchestrate it well
  • Capability to serve as a trusted exemplar
  • Skill for articulating the vision
  • Crisis management experience
  • Commitment to ongoing learning
  • Management of top and bottom lines
  • Emotional fortitude
  • Courage
  • Ability to handle failure
  • Talent for building cohesive efforts
  • Strong persuasion and negotiation skills
  • Ability to inspire followership
  • Experience in leading rapid growth

People Skills – Multi Business Leader

  • Succession planning—ability to select and develop leaders of leaders
  • Facility for serving as a source of advice and wisdom
  • Cross cultural awareness
  • Agility to balance the different needs of various stakeholders
  • The skills to put others at ease in social situations
  • An ease in most social situations

People Skills – CEO

  • Contagious enthusiasm that gets people excited
  • Expertise in serving as a sounding board for those facing tough calls
  • Proficiency for building strong Board of Director relations
  • Experience in building investor relations
  • A strong community orientation
  • An understanding of natural sources of conflict and the competence to work through them
  • Strong command of the language
  • Readiness to create a culture characterized by results, respect, and integrity

Once the search committee has set and prioritized the criteria for selection, it is ready to develop the roadmap for a successful transition.

Step Three: Develop the Process for Selection

The CEO selection process should be a systematic, thorough process that gives the board impartial, indispensable data they will need to make selection decisions. Done well, this process will protect the financial aspects of the organization, prevent the departure of key talent, avoid costly hiring mistakes (usually four times the CEO’s base salary), build confidence among all stakeholders that the board has selected the best person, and engender legally defensible hiring decisions—thereby reducing risk.

I recommend the following ten-step approach:

  1. Create a profile of the leadership attributes and behaviors needed to successfully fulfill the role and responsibilities.
  2. Review the profile with the entire Board of Directors and refine as needed.
  3. Conduct individual discussions with each board member regarding the nonprofit organization, strengths, challenges (internal as well as industry-driven), and leadership needs in the future.
  4. Explore recruitment options for finding this person if no internal candidates appear to be ready.
  5. Set the ideal timeline for hiring and transitioning leadership.
  6. Evaluate all internal candidates by doing following:
    – Assess performance in their business units.
    – Review personal performance for the past three years.
    – Interview each candidate.
    – Conduct 360 interviews of their peers, direct reports, and board members.
    – Administer assessments to internal candidates to determine decision making skills, learning ability, financial acumen, critical thinking, business-related personality traits, and leadership style.Debrief each internal candidate’s data, pointing out how to leverage their strengths and mitigate their limitations, thereby improving performance in the short run.
  7. Debrief all findings with the search committee to make recommendations about developmental needs for candidates and likelihood that each will be successful in the CEO role.
  8. Review the process and candidate evaluations with the full board, recommend one of the candidates for promotion, or when necessary, suggest opening the search to external candidates.

Plan the Transition

I cannot overstate the value of choosing an internal candidate. When this happens, there’s very little that needs to change about pre-boarding, exposure to the board, structured time with the current CEO, and getting to know the executive team. When the board has chosen an internal candidate, therefore, directors should concentrate on developing and implementing a communication strategy for the entire nonprofit organization and a timeline for the transfer of leadership. A major concern should be retaining the other candidates who did not receive the promotion. The chairman of the board and the incumbent CEO should have private conversations with each candidate before telling anyone else inside or outside the company what the decision has been.

When directors cannot promote from within, they need a different approach. First, they should tell any internal candidates before opening the search. Some people may be disappointed, but if the company’s leaders treat them with respect, they are much more likely to remain in place. If they feel blindsided or deceived, you can bank on one of two things: the loss of a top performer or a decline in performance from that candidate. Effectively managing the transition brings other benefits too.

  • People experience fewer distractions.
  • Customers don’t feel the change.
  • Revenue remains steady.
  • The risk of losing talented people abates.
  • Repute in the industry increases.
  • Morale improves.

Conclusion

Nonprofit organizations experience vulnerability during any major change in leadership, but a well-defined approach to CEO selection significantly mitigates those risks. However, all the effort is only worthwhile if the board makes the right decision. Interviews, resumés, and references won’t give directors all the vital information they’ll need to make one of the most critical decisions that they simply can’t get wrong. They need more than subjective opinions that can be both biased and wrong. Instead, they require objective data and reliable data to help them choose the person who will have the most power in the organization. 

How to Keep Your Board Members Engaged All Year

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Nonprofit Board HelpThere are volumes written on staying engaged with your professional work, how to motivate employees, and communication in the workplace. That’s great for businesses, but how do nonprofits keep volunteer board members engaged in their work? Busy professionals who are donating their time to a cause want to do well in their board service, but they may need a little help. Here are some ways to keep them excited, involved, and effective with nonprofit board work all year round, even if they are remote or only meet quarterly.

Make It Personal

Humans are hard-wired to pay more attention to human faces than any amount of text or audio presented in a meeting. If many of your board members are remote or rarely meet in person, it is crucial to maintain that human element in your communication and meetings.There are a number of ways you can do this. Provide a people directory with everyone’s photo to help new members feel familiar with the other board members. If you have remote meetings, ask everyone to use their video cameras during the meeting. You might be surprised at how much this simple measure does to personalize the experience.

Create even more rapport by developing a buddy or board mentor system. Sometimes just the accountability of knowing even one person will be working with you on specific goals or looking for your attendance at the meeting is enough to get that extra effort from a board member. Additionally, it is a great opportunity for members to learn from each other and discuss how they can advance initiatives. This works especially well at knitting a geographically far-flung board closer together.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Have you ever heard the advertising adage that a person needs seven impressions of your brand before it “sticks” in their mind? Obviously, you don’t want to bother your board members seven times about every initiative, but it is hard to underestimate the value of multiple nudges. Some board members will favor email while others may prefer to keep tabs on goals with your board portal. Regardless of the medium, don’t be shy about sending a variety of updates, reminders, and nudges for key deadlines. The first reminder might catch a board member at a busy time, but the second could allow them to take action on the goal.

It isn’t enough to just communicate regularly, however. It is also helpful to make the communication as specific as possible. Many people will ignore an email to the whole board, but it is much harder to sleep on an email that starts out with their name and has information specific to something that board member is working on at that time. Be sure to keep it balanced between reminders or asks and recognition or celebration. If every time you contact your board members it is to nag them about some initiative, they will quickly learn to dread (and eventually ignore) your communication. Everyone appreciates someone noticing their hard work and small successes. Get to know your board members well enough to know if they’d appreciate a public shout-out or prefer a personal note.

Progress Should Be Visible

Similar to our propensity to react to human faces, people love visually scannable information when possible. There are two big advantages to this. First of all, with publicly visible graphs or charts, it is simple for your busy board members to glance at the dashboard and see how things are trending. You could send a three page report that no one has time to read, or you could provide three visuals that get eyes on them every time.

Second of all, visuals have a wonderful way of “gamefying” board service.Is it halfway to your big event and only a fraction of the tables are sponsored? Time to kick it into high gear. Are you just dollars away from reaching the campaign goal? Every board member wants to be the one that closes the gap. Celebrate progress and ask for help as transparently as possible with a real-time, visual representation of your goals.

Keep It About the Mission

We all know about creating “mission moments” in a meeting to keep board members in touch with the effects of their work. You can take this a step further to increase the connection. Have board members take turns every month reporting on a specific chapter or organization and some interesting results they’ve had in the recent past. Board members also feel more connected to something that they can articulate themselves. Research activities you can do with your board, such as practicing elevator pitches of why they’re invested in the organization, brainstorming sessions on the vision of the nonprofit, or interviewing each other about how they came to the organization and summarizing it in a sentence or two for the board. Not only do activities like these get board members thinking about why they volunteer their time for board service, it also offers great discussion material during meetings about the direction of the organization.

Connection Is Crucial

It can be a huge challenge to keep a group of perhaps spread out, busy, volunteer board members thinking about their board service between meetings. It’s not impossible, though. With some effort around building rapport, making information easily digestible, and motivating for progress, your board can stay a productivity machine all year long.

 

About Boardable:

Boardable is an online board management portal that centralizes communication, document storage, meeting planning, and everything else that goes into running a board of directors.

 

 

How to Get on a Nonprofit Board

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How to Get on a Nonprofit BoardSo you want to join a nonprofit board. Whoa, back up, really? That’s terrific, but can we explore the why before we get to the how? Hopefully you are driven to seek a seat at the table in order to take personal action using your experiences, skills and connections to solve a problem or address a challenge in your community or anywhere else on the planet. Think hunger, homelessness, poverty, a particular health crisis, uneven educational opportunities, unsafe relationships, aftermath of wars, as a start. Let’s begin with the assumption that you are joining others driven by the same degree of passion. If they aren’t . . . that is a topic for another day. You are going to develop an intimate knowledge of how your fellow board members analyze opportunities, how they communicate, what talents they bring to the table, and how you might learn from them, and utilize their connections to expand your own network. These are good things, and you will be bringing your own value adds to share.

Do you know what it means to be a board member for a public charity? Do you understand the fiduciary, fundraising, volunteering and advocacy responsibilities that are expected by law and by the public? Not all boards introduce and onboard with the same degree of clarity, so you need to know what kind of a board and what kind of participant you want to be. There are online resources to learn more and help you answer these questions, and in some communities you will find organizations that offer related workshops for preparing to become a nonprofit board member.

When you join a nonprofit board, you will have motivating ideas of how you can support the organization and even what you might gain by doing so. You may rightfully anticipate the connections you can make to further your ability to put your passions to work with a team of like-minded individuals. Board service can expand your business and community networks, as you learn from others with a variety of experiences that have shaped their attitudes and paths. You may see board participation as a chance to stretch your leadership style in ways that everyday life and work experiences don’t readily offer. You may be hoping for a place to leave legacy footprints, making a purposeful difference where it matters most to you. The right board match can help you achieve these goals.

On some corporate boards members can be compensated for their participation. “Compensation” looks very different and special for nonprofit board members. As a nonprofit board member you are expected to make a financial contribution, beg your friends to donate as well, spend hours (mostly evenings) in meetings, buy tickets and tables to events, and operate often without an exit strategy of when to step away from this “privilege.” If you are not deterred, then thank you! Nonprofit board service can be the most intense, important and satisfying volunteer commitment you can undertake. And quite honestly, there are many, many benefits you should enjoy as a result.

Don’t shy away from the win-win of board service. If you are going to spend that much time, energy and philanthropic dollars, you better get something in return. It can be a warm feeling in your heart, a warm lead to a new customer, or the satisfaction that you actually took action to solve a thorny problem. Go for it.

Now as for how to join a board, please keep in mind that there are a variety of nonprofits just as there are a variety of for-profit businesses. How you proceed to join a “Fortune 500” nonprofit board will be different than the path to joining one that is a startup. The bigger the budget of an organization, the broader its geographic reach, the more “prestigious” the current board, the more likely it is that you will need to be willing to write a big personal check or deliver a sizable donation from your company on a regular basis. You may already be a significant donor. You may already have a large reputation for direct involvement in the organization’s mission or in a related area.  The closer to a Fortune 500 type nonprofit, the more likely it is that you will be head-hunted for the board because nonprofits of this size and scope understand that many others are fishing in the same pond for potential additions. They have determined that it is worth the investment to professionally search for key thought leaders and those who could add cache in some way. If you want to be considered for one of these boards, you likely already know how to go about it.

The path to joining any nonprofit board, but certainly one of a small to mid-sized or startup organization, must start with passion. Ask yourself, “What do I care about; what keeps me up at night?” and then look for organizations working on solutions. If your passion is solving a problem that is halfway around the world, you are honestly less likely to find a board opportunity in your backyard, but you can certainly find ways to donate money or volunteer your time. For example, Google “solving water pollution.” You will find organizations that tell you how to donate, volunteer and advocate to this end. This may never lead to a board position, but you might find your engagement to be equally satisfying.

The closer your interests are to local problem solving, the better the chances of eventual board service.  You want to get to know an organization from the inside as early as possible to confirm that this is a place where you want to invest your time and resources more deeply. Maybe you already have your eye on a local nonprofit. Explore their website and see who is on the board and who is in leadership on staff. You may already have connections so that you can learn more about how the board operates and what the expectations of a member. In the meantime, note any volunteer opportunities posted on the website or reach out to see if there are ways that your skills (marketing, HR, accounting, legal, etc.) could be utilized on a committee or special project. See if there is an event where you could participate in its planning or execution. Ask if there is a need for advocates to speak out or write on behalf of the organization. All these activities will give you a chance to get to know the organization and, equally important, give the board and staff a chance to know you and what you can bring to the table.

If you have the interest but don’t have connections or don’t know where to begin, don’t despair. Read local media with an eye to organizational leadership commenting on issues you care about. Use LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see which organizations and people are engaged. See if there is a volunteer connector organization or local affiliate of Points of Light in your area and explore volunteer opportunities. Ask local thought leaders in government, civic organizations, business networking groups, and faith-based institutions for names of nonprofits doing good work and introductions to learn more.

After spending thoughtful time, if you are still interested in joining the organization’s board, let it be known. Usually a conversation with the Executive Director, Board Chair, Governance Committee Chair or a key program officer will get the ball rolling, but it doesn’t guarantee an instant or eventual place at the table. The best boards aren’t just looking for warm bodies with deep pockets, to be crass. The best ones are looking for new additions who are passionate about the mission; can fill particular skills and knowledge gaps around the table; bring diversity of opinions, backgrounds and experiences; understand what their role will be; recognize they will be expected to make financial contributions and introductions to others; anticipate that there will be personal and professional fulfillment; and are ready to roll up their sleeves and make a difference.

Not every date leads to a permanent lasting relationship, but good things will always come from getting to know key nonprofits and the boards that lead them. Enjoy the search for a great board to join. It’s out there, and the benefits are going to be as personally rewarding for you as they will be to the nonprofit.

Improve Your Nonprofit’s Leadership: 4 Top Tips

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Nonprofit Leadership TipsLeadership plays a crucial role in the success of any nonprofit. While your board and executive director might not typically be on the very front lines of fundraising, these bodies are the ones that create the strategic plan for that initiative and greenlight any funding put toward it. Both are essential tasks.

However, from tension within nonprofit boards to leadership that is disengaged from their organization’s work, sometimes sub-par nonprofit leadership is an organization’s biggest complication.

Just consider the Survey on Leadership and Management in the Nonprofit Sector conducted by Stanford University’s graduate school of business. When given a list of 11 options, 38% of respondents noted weak or ineffective management as a top challenge in the nonprofit sector as a whole.

If that sounds like your organization, it’s time to make a concentrated effort to improve your nonprofit’s leadership. We’re going to explore the following strategies to help you do so:

  • Outline roles and expectations for each leader clearly.
  • Cultivate a culture of philanthropy.
  • Bring in professional help.
  • Recruit quality leadership from the start.

Strong leadership will have a domino effect on your organization, motivating every team member of your nonprofit to perform at their best. Continue reading to learn how to improve your nonprofit’s leadership today!

Outline roles and expectations for each leader clearly.

Consider how your organization would fare without a nonprofit strategic plan in place. While you might be able to easily navigate short-term fundraising efforts, any longer-term efforts (such as building fundraising capacity or even projecting your annual fund needs) would be significantly more difficult without a 3-5 year plan in place.

It’s a very similar scenario for your leadership! Without clearly outlined operating rules, your leadership’s “strategic plan,” successfully completing their job is significantly more difficult.

This doesn’t just mean copying standard nonprofit bylaws from a digital template and calling it a day. Rather, in addition to bylaws tailored to your organization, you should outline clear roles and expectations for each leader on paper.

What are the expectations of a board member? What are the expectations of executive directors? Answer those questions clearly and concisely and make sure every leader is aware of it.

Just like your bylaws, revisit these documents regularly to make sure they’re still relevant for your organization and leadership.

Cultivate a culture of philanthropy.

When discussing nonprofit leadership, there are generally two facets considered: executive leadership and board members.

While the former (directors and other salaried leaders)  play hands-on roles in your organization by mere definition of their role, the latter (board members) can often be found in distant roles in many organizations.

Think of it like this: your executive directors coordinate the planning of fundraising activities, while board members simply sign off on the funds needed to hold the initiative. Of course, the exact level of board involvement will vary greatly from one organization to another. The main point is that board members typically have their own very separate lives and careers that occupy most of their time.

Whether filling a less-present role or not, it’s crucial that all members of your leadership feel connected to your organization and cause. They need to feel the philanthropic spirit that fuels your cause because that’s what will motivate them to fulfill their role to the highest degree.

There are a few different ways to cultivate this culture of philanthropy in your leadership:

  • Encourage leaders to participate in fundraising efforts. This could be as simple as writing giver thank-yous as a capacity-building task after a major campaign.
  • Set an expectation of board member fundraising. During each fundraiser, your board members should be making gifts and reaching out to their networks to do the same.
  • Hold leadership retreats. Bring your leaders together for a weekend of training on fundraising best practices. Bonus points for adding a volunteer aspect to the retreat and incorporating nonprofit-branded t-shirts into the mix!

Regardless of how you get there, it’s important that each leader in your midst pitches in to your cause.

Bring in professional help.

Sometimes, improving your nonprofit’s leadership is simply too large a task to handle within your team. It makes sense— evaluating where your leadership is failing and instructing your peers on how to improve is a sensitive task.

If that sounds like your organization, consider bringing on a nonprofit consultant to help navigate the improvements. Consulting firms offer a variety of leadership-strengthening services, including conducting leadership learning events and embedding expert staffers in your team to provide in-person, daily training.

An outside perspective will notice issues in your leadership that you might not notice yourself. After all, it’s hard to see all of the details of a picture when you’re standing too close to it! Plus, consultants can help guide critical but necessary conversations with your organization’s leaders.

Learn more about hiring a fundraising consultant, and the associated fees, through this guide by Averill Fundraising Solutions.

Recruit quality leadership from the start.

Improving your nonprofit’s leadership doesn’t always refer to improving those already serving in your nonprofit’s highest ranks. It could also mean hiring new leaders to enhance (or replace) those already in position. Or, it could mean building your leadership from the ground up if you haven’t had much of a formal body before!

Regardless of why you’re hiring new leaders, it’s crucial that you recruit quality team members from the start. Evaluate each board member and director you hire against specific criteria most important to your organization.

For board members, consider the following criteria:

  • Is the candidate considered a thought leader, or a “go-to” expert in their industry or your greater community?
  • Does the candidate have an impressive social following, specifically on social networks?
  • Do they have experience relevant to your nonprofit’s cause, or nonprofits in general?
  • Do their interests align with your organization’s values?

For executive directors, consider:

  • Does the candidate have stellar communication skills?
  • Do they have extensive knowledge of fundraising and the nonprofit sector overall?
  • Do they have technical skills specific to your organization’s fundraising efforts?
  • Are they able to keep a level head under pressure?
  • Do they have a long-term vision for your nonprofit that aligns with yours?

This is another task where it might be helpful to bring in a nonprofit consultant. Some consulting firms offer executive search services, through which they recruit impressive executive leaders that fit your organization’s existing culture. Further, these consultants can help create a strategy for successfully onboarding new leaders! Check out this guide to learn more about nonprofit fundraising consultants and strategy development experts.

Conclusion 

Having strong leaders at the helm of your nonprofit is crucial for future success. Luckily, improving your leadership doesn’t have to be a difficult task!

Consider incorporating any of the above strategies and watch your leadership become more engaged, more philanthropic, and more helpful participants in your organization.

Conflict on the Board of Directors? Four Tips to Defuse Tension

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Nonprofit Board Conflict ResolutionMembers of a nonprofit board of directors are wonderful people. They are often accomplished professionals, visionary leaders, and passionate supporters of the cause. Interestingly, these characteristics of excellent directors can also set the stage for tension in the boardroom. Let’s look at four tips for defusing any conflicts.

Clearly define roles and rules of conduct.

The most effective boards and meetings have one thing in common: clear expectations. Board conflict prevention starts with everyone knowing who is in charge and what is expected. I encourage boards to actually make a board member commitment “contract” that spells out the roles and responsibilities of being a director. There should be a similar description for each of the board officers, too. That way, no one is confused about who should be reporting on which areas and who is responsible for certain decisions. Make sure there are also procedures spelled out for meeting discussions and votes. If everyone is aware of the rules ahead of time, it is much easier to address conflict later.

Be hard on ideas, not people.

This is a great mantra I learned from our board governance coach, Kim Donahue. It’s all about cultivating a culture that can pick apart ideas as needed without making it personal. This is a fairly intuitive way to behave, but reminding board members about it in a fun informational session can go a long way towards boardroom decorum. Additionally, make sure that your board is building in enough social time to grow real trust and respect between members. It is much easier to express an opposing view if you believe that your fellow board directors all have the organization’s best interest in mind.

Enlist the troublemakers.

I use the word “troublemakers” loosely here to mean the people who might be more inclined to dominate a discussion or always be the first to offer their opinion. Sometimes this happens organically as other directors look to a few strong leaders to see how they feel about an issue before weighing in. If you find your meetings always revolving around the opinions of one person, elist this person to lower tension in the boardroom. Try pulling them aside and saying something like, “Brenda, everyone values your point of view so much. I wonder if we could try an experiment in this meeting. I really want some feedback from the others on this agenda item, so it would be interesting to see what would happen if you withheld your ideas for a minute to see what they come up with.” Win the more opinionated board members over to your side and you might find that the people who were previously a challenge become the peacekeepers.

While some dissent is healthy, everyone needs to come together after a vote.

 Disagreement is a part of discussion, but everyone should understand that the vote on the motion should be the end of that discussion. The board will vote yes or no, and all board members should know that is the time to accept the decision of the board. This can sometimes be difficult for board members who disagree. Consensus means that even though I may disagree, I can support this decision because the majority of board members believe it is the right thing to do. It is not a bad idea to remind board members that the decision of the board should be supported by everyone in the room. Being considerate of dissenting opinions will go a long way toward resolving any differences.

Conflict in the boardroom can take time to resolve.

Don’t be discouraged if it seems like certain disagreements keep flaring up over and over. There will be times that people simply don’t like each other that much, and that’s okay. As long as you have started implementing the four steps above, you will be on the way to reining in any disputes. Don’t be afraid to periodically take a step back and ask board members what is working and what isn’t. With some careful thought, board feedback, and proactive practices, your board will be on the right track.

 

About Boardable:

Boardable is an online board management portal that centralizes communication, document storage, meeting planning, and everything else that goes into running a board of directors. Founded in 2016 by nonprofit leaders and founders, Boardable has a mission to improve board engagement for nonprofits. Boardable is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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