Covering Your Governance Bases

JOINING THE TEAM: COVERING YOUR GOVERNANCE BASES

Emily Davis, MNM, CGT Emily Davis Consulting

December 5, 2013 #svpgovernance101

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WHO AM I?

•  Nonprofit professional •  Founder •  Board member •  AFP Author •  MNM •  21/64 Consultant •  BoardSource CGT •  Donor •  Translator


QUICK POLL

How many of you are…

q Serving on 1 committee? q Serving on 2 or more committees? q Interested in joining a board for

the first time? q Currently serving on 1 board? q Currently serving on 2 or more

boards?


30 SECOND CHALLENGE

•  Name •  Organization(s) •  1 thing you are hoping

to get from today

AGENDA

•  Personal planning •  Board roles &

responsibilities •  Shared leadership •  Examples


WHAT ARE YOUR FEARS?


PERSONAL PLANNING

•  How many boards will you sit on?

•  Board terms •  Type of board •  Board size,

demographics •  Financial support •  Clarity of expectations


10 BASIC BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Determine mission & purpose

2.  Select the chief executive

3.  Support & evaluate the chief executive

4.  Ensure effective planning

5.  Monitor & strengthen programs & services

6.  Ensure adequate financial resources

7.  Protect assets & provide financial oversight

8.  Build a competent board

9.  Ensure legal & ethical integrity

10. Enhance the organization’s public standing


BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1.   Set Organizational Direction

2.  Provide

Oversight 3.  Ensure

Necessary Resources

ü Long-term planning (strategic plan)

ü Philosophical direction

ü Not tactical

ü What does the board NOT do?



1.  Set Organizational Direction

2.   Provide

Oversight 3.  Ensure Necessary

Resources

ü Program

ü Financial

ü Risk management

ü Legal & moral oversight

ü ED evaluation



1.  Set Organizational Direction

2.  Provide Oversight 3.   Ensure Necessary

Resources

ü  Identify resources needed

ü  Establish how resources are acquired

ü Determine how committee will actively participate in resource development

ü  Financially – contribute, access &, org stability


WHY 100% BOARD GIVING??

•  Demonstrate personal commitment

•  Gives confidence to ask others

•  Encourages foundations to give

•  Creates board “ownership” •  Board is ultimately

responsible for financial stability of organization


THE DIFFERENT HATS WE WEAR…

Legal Hat

Ambassador Hat

Volunteer Hat


BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: LEGAL HAT

Duty of Care: Using best judgment, paying attention, asking pertinent questions



Duty of Loyalty: Avoiding conflicts of interest, putting aside personal & professional interests



Duty of Obedience: Staying true to the mission, obeying the law (public & organizational)


BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: AMBASSADOR HAT

•  Be an advocate •  Share info with org •  Separate personal

& organizational opinions

•  ED is the spokesperson


BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: VOLUNTEER HAT

Board member (staff accountable to board) vs. volunteer (accountable to staff)


BOARD/ED PARTNERSHIP

•  Inherent tension – Both govern –  Intersection of

governance & management

– Board oversees ED’s work

–  Calls for clarity of mutual expectations

•  Requires respect for… –  Differences in roles –  Differing

responsibilities –  Personal styles

•  Needs regular communication

•  Benefits from board and ED assessments


ENSURE BOARD & ED ENGAGEMENT*

ED is displacing board

GOVERNANCE AS OBSERVATION

ED is in constructive partnership with board

GOVERNANCE AS

LEADERSHIP

ED is going thru the motions with the board

GOVERNANCE AS

ATTENDANCE

ED is displaced by board

GOVERNANCE AS MICROMANAGEMENT

ED ENGAGEMENT

BOARD ENGAGEMENT

* Source: Richard Chair et. al. “Governance as Leadership”


SHARED LEADERSHIP

Board Leads

Shares values thru policies that put mission in action

Hires, supports, assesses ED

Opens funding resources in community

Oversees financial due diligence

Recruits & retains new board members

ED Leads

Develops/ Proposes policy questions

Hires, supervises, motivates staff

Develops & implements programs

Shared Leadership

Strategic plan

Fundraising plan & strategies

Evaluations

Prep board meetings


CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

•  Don’t be afraid of conflict! •  What is the process for

conflict resolution? •  Don’t take it personally •  What is best for the

mission? •  How will you demonstrate

excellent leadership?


SAMPLES

•  Types of meetings •  Running effective

meetings •  Policies and procedures •  Professional

development •  Assessments •  Recognition


RESOURCES

•  BoardSource •  IdeaEncore •  The Policy

Governance Model (Carver)

•  Council of Nonprofits •  Roberta’s Rules of

Order •  A Fundraising Guide

for Nonprofit Board Members

•  Nonprofit Board Answer Book

•  Creating Caring and Capable Boards

•  10 Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards

•  The Board Building Cycle

•  The Nonprofit Policy Sampler


DRAWING & SIGNING!

Books for sale & signing with a 30%

discount:

$34.95 for nonprofits

Credit card & check


Emily Davis, MNM Emily Davis Consulting

(720) 515-0581 [email protected]

emilydavisconsulting.com emilydavisconsulting.com/blog

WHO Nonprofits & Philanthropy

WHAT Charitable Advising Communications

Fundraising Governance

HOW Consulting Speaking Training

Facebook.com/emilydavisconsulting

twitter.com/edaconsulting

linkedin.com/in/emilylariedavis


Covering Your Governance Bases

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