Three Things We Can Do Right Now To Be Better Board Members
This week, Alicia Oberman and I will tackle the changing nature of the nonprofit board’s…
The Board Give or Get Quandary
This is the final post in our summer series on board development, and we’ve saved one of the meatiest issues for last. One of the most common questions I receive about board leadership relates to the board’s role as fundraiser (for) and donor (to) the organization: Should my board have…
Onboarding Your New Board Members
So you have some new board members joining you this fall, which is exciting, but what’s the plan? How will you introduce them to the work of your organization, familiarize them with your case for support, engage them in committee work, and integrate them into your current board team? Sound…
Four Easy Steps to Committee Member Recruitment
Now is the time of year when we tend to think about our standing and ad hoc committee structures and wonder if we have a) the right people; b) enough people; and c) a clear understanding of what it is the committee is supposed to do. A few weeks ago…
Committee Goals and Work Plans – Do I Really Need Them?
If you are following my blog lately, and you’re interested in board development, you may have noticed that I’ve referenced the need for board members to be spending spring and summer months planning for the year ahead (assuming a July 1 fiscal year) – and that the outcomes of this…
Training Your Board Committee Chairs
Two weeks ago, we talked about standing board committees – I described the typical standing board committee structure. Now, as you close in on the end of summer and think about getting your board back to work (unless they have been working all summer, and if so, good for you!)…
Do You Have the Right Standing Board Committees? First, Ask the Four Questions…
We’ve spent the last several weeks discussing optimal board performance and functioning. Last week I promised to spend some time discussing the standing board committee structure. Summer is a great time to consider this structure and review the reference to committee types, executive committee makeup and committee charters in your…
Setting the Board Retreat Agenda
This being the third post in my blog series about the best use of your board’s time this summer, and after several references to the critical nature of the board retreat (I’m hoping I’ve convinced you to set a date for the retreat by now), I thought it made sense…
Board Retreating: 6 and 6
Last week we talked about the actions your board must take this summer in order to ensure success in 2017-18. One of these actions was the planning of a board retreat. I want to spend a few minutes expanding on the value the retreat brings to the board team so…
5 Reasons Your Board Should Not Disappear This Summer
School’s out for summer, right?! Think again… I’ve heard far too many board members remark that our work will pick up again in August or September because either, a) “our board does not meet in the summer,” b) “no one is around over the summer,” c) “I can’t get anyone’s…
Yes, Your Board Must Fundraise.
When prospective clients call and ask us to engage in a campaign management project, one of the first questions we ask is about lay leadership. “Tell us about the board’s role in fundraising…” we inquire. Or “…do you have a development committee?” Our first line of questioning tells us a…
The Importance of a Good Nominating Chair
Like food, non-profit boards can get stale. Even for those serving with the best of intentions, things can stagnate. When they do, fundraising becomes more difficult. It’s important to renew and revive the Board, preferably on an annual basis, in order to keep juices flowing and ideas coming to reach…
The Fine Line Between Professional and Lay Leadership
Professional staff and lay leadership work together on a weekly if not daily basis. While each group has different roles in the organization, these roles and responsibilities often become blurred by working hand-in-hand to achieve one mission. It is important to clearly define the roles of each group to ensure…