Getting The Most From Your Volunteers:

Especially Board MembersNational Diaper Bank Network

Vicki Clark, Building the Capacity of OrganizationsMemphis, TN

1. What is the mission?

2. Who is the customer?

3. What does the customer value?

4. What are our results?

5. What is the plan?

Peter Drucker’s “5” for Leaders

Definition of Governance From Greek word “kebernon,” to steer To govern is to steer, to control, and to influence from a position of authorityGovernance deals with the legitimate distribution of authority throughout a system – whether a country or an organization

Logic Model

Good

Success

Stewardship

Great

Significance

Exceptional Leadership

Context …

Context

Dysfunctional

Functional

Responsible

Exceptional

dramatic

disengagement,conflict

of no real consequence

compliant

anticipates, plans, sees opportunities

1. Determine the organization’s mission and purpose. A statement of mission and purpose should articulate the organization’s goals, means, and primary constituents served. It is the board’s responsibility to create the mission statement and review it periodically for accuracy and validity. Each individual board member should fully understand and support it. 2. Select the chief executive. Boards much reach consensus on the chief executive’s job and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position. 3. Provide proper financial oversight. The board, in order to remain accountable to its donors and the public, and to safeguard its tax-exempt status, must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.  

Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities

4. Ensure adequate funding. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to provide adequate funding for the organization to fulfill its mission. The board should work in partnership with the chief executive and development staff, if any, to raise funds from the community. 5. Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability. The board is ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to legal standards and ethical norms. Solid personnel policies, grievance procedures, and a clear delegation to the chief executive of hiring and managing employees will help ensure proper decorum in this area. The board must establish pertinent policies and adhere to provisions of the organization’s bylaws and articles of incorporation. 6. Ensure effective organizational planning. As stewards of the organization, boards must actively participate with the staff in an overall planning process and assist in implementing the plan’s goals.

Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities

7. Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance. All boards have a responsibility to articulate and make known their needs in terms of member experience, skills, and many other considerations that define a balanced board composition. Boards must also orient new members to their responsibilities and the organization’s history, needs, and challenges. By evaluating its performance in fulfilling its responsibilities, the board can recognize its achievements and reach consensus on which areas need to be improved. 8. Enhance the organization’s public standing. An organization’s primary link to the community, including constituents, the public, and the media, is the board. Clearly articulating the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public, as well as garnering support from important members of the community, are important elements of a comprehensive public relations strategy.

9. Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization’s programs and services. The board’s role in this area is to determine which programs are the most consistent with the organization’s mission and to monitor their effectiveness.

10. Support the chief executive and assess his or her performance. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization. The chief executive, in partnership with the entire board, should decide upon a periodic evaluation of performance.

Basic Board Roles and Responsibilities

1. The leadership challenge2. Technology/Online Giving3. Owning our costs4. What is a “Nonprofit” new structures5. The upward spiral of need6. Advancing missions through advocacy7. Increased scrutiny8. Transparency about outcomes9. Data driven environment10. The resource squeeze

2014 Nonprofit Trends to Watch

Being expected to govern not manage

Smaller Boards Open Board recruitment Transparency in all

matters Clarity about

roles/responsibilities Varied means of

communication More effective

committee work/ad hoc teams

Meeting less often as a “Board of the whole”.

Having sufficient insurance/risk management plan

Formal Board orientation Formal Board assessment Focusing on the life,

expectations, accomplishments of the Board, as well as the agency

Increasing diversity of members

Trends in Nonprofit Boards

Board Building Challenges

Clear call for leadership

Implications of changing demographics

Sustainability is critical

Board Development – Trends Composition: From personal

connections to strategic diversity Orientation: From informal to formal Education: Mission-related issues, as

well as board responsibilities Evaluation: Accountability at all levels Leadership: More intentional

preparation for leadership succession

Board Structure – Trends

Movement away from a “one-size-fits-all” view of nonprofit governance

This does not mean that “anything goes”

Focus on simplicity and strategic structures

Board Size – Trends

Size: Whatever is needed to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making

Average board size = 16 voting members

Generally want the board to be big enough to incorporate a diversity of perspectives and small enough to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making

Board Size – Trends (cont’d)

Sweet Spot = 15 to 22 More effective More policies in place Attendance matters Better governance practices

Board and Committee Composition – Trends

Term limits and regular infusion of “new blood”

No automatic re-election

Using non-board members on committees and advisory councils

CEO as non-voting member of the board

Committee Structure – Trends• Boards have

average of 5.4 committees

• 27% have an Advisory Council

Governance Committees Promotes and provides education about the

organization, field, and governance

Assesses the organization’s governance needs

Identifies, nominates, and orients new members

Conducts board self-assessment

Organizes the annual board retreat

Nominating vs. Governance Committee

Nominating Short-term Narrow focus

◦Elections◦Officers

Self-contained

Governance Ongoing Holistic focus

◦Composition◦Policies and Practices

Involves others

Generative

Fiduciary Strategic

Governance as

Leadership

The Governance Triangle

Note: A “culture of inquiry” cuts across all three

The Fiduciary Mode

Board’s core work: Ensure legal complianceEnsure fiscal accountabilityConserve organization’s resources, public stewardship for assets of the foundationEvaluate process, hold leadership accountableOversee operations

Monitor results

The Board Building Cycle

Identify

Cultivate

Recruit

Orient

Involve

Educate

Evaluate

Rotate

Celebrate!

Step 1: IDENTIFY Board Needs Skills, knowledge, perspectives, and

connections, etc., needed to implement strategic plan

Board needs assessment◦ What expertise do you have? ◦ What is missing?

Identify sources of board members with the desired characteristics

Avoid Tokenism No board member wants to fill a quota

◦ Identifying needs will help focus skills, knowledge, and representation

No one is able to represent an entire subsection of the population

Treat each board member equally and expect the same from everyone

Board Composition in the U.S.

Ethnic Representation◦86% are White (excluding Hispanic)◦ 7% Black/African America◦ 3% Hispanic/Latino◦ 2% Asian◦ 1% Two or more races◦ 1% American Indian/Native Alaskan◦ 0.30% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Current Board Composition Age Representation

◦ 2% under 30 ◦36% between 30-49 ◦49% between ages of 50-64 ◦13% 65 or older

Making the Case for Inclusiveness

Definitions

Why Cultural Competency and Diversity Matter

…the willingness and ability to value differences and be responsive to diversity at all levels of an organization, i.e., policy, governance, administrative, workforce, provider, consumer/client.

Cultural Competency

… the condition of being different; the fact or quality of being diverse; variety; includes, but is not limited to:GenderAgeReligionSexual orientationRace/ethnicity Language

Socio-economic status Legal statusDisability Geographic basePolitical viewpoint

Diversity

Inclusivity

…the involvement of diverse individuals and the incorporation of diverse perspectives, needs, contributions, and viewpoints. These organizations are diverse at all levels.

Barriers to Age Diversity on Boards

Board members often recruit members from their own circles of influence

Preference for a “C-Suite” or corporate officer type profile on the board

Skepticism about the need to have younger generations on boards

Uncertainty of where to find younger board members

Concerns of isolation

Generational Definitions 1925-1945: Silent Generation

1946-1964: Baby Boomers

1965-1980: Generation X

1981-2001: Generation Y (aka Millenials/Gen@/Nexters)

Generational Key Points

• No generation is a single homogenous entity

• Sensitive to age perceptions• Sophisticated consumers – want

choices• Time is a valued and scarce commodity• Motivated to volunteer for different

reasons

Benefits of Silent Generation on Boards

Often retired with time to volunteer History of the organization and

community Contacts and connections Professional and personal experiences

Benefits of Boomers on Boards

Already volunteering at highest rate in the country

Have resources they can contribute as they begin to retire

Possess many skills and professional training

Want to leave a legacy

Benefits of Gen X and Y on Boards

Access to new networks and donors Fresh perspective on old problems Results-oriented thinking Passion for the mission

Generational Helpful Hints Language is important Challenge with meaningful, interesting work

with a beginning and an end Make recognition fun and meaningful Create a Generational Task Force Others

Generational Discussion Questions1. Do we have a good age diversity and

representation on our board? How can we do better?

2. How can we keep the pipeline of younger potential board members full? Who do we need to be in touch with – high schools, colleges, military organizations, church youth groups?

3. What can be done to accommodate our older board members as well as our young ones? How can we give both a sense of community?

4. What about mentoring on the board (in all directions)?

(Adapted from Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for your Nonprofit by Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Fieldstone Alliance,

2007)

Three Strategies for Building an

Inclusive Board 1. Communicate Facilitate Discussions Appoint a Task Force Develop Your Case Statement

2. Assess Organizational & Board Culture Board Needs

3. Commit Assign Roles & Responsibilities Measure Results

Step 2: CULTIVATE Potential Leaders

Openly recruit for Board members with needed characteristics

Find ways to connect with those candidates Get them interested in your organization, and

keep them informed of your progress

Step 3: RECRUIT Prospects Describe why a prospective board member

is wanted and needed Explain expectations and responsibilities of

board members, and don’t minimize requirements

Invite questions, elicit their interest, and find out if they would be prepared to serve

Step 4: ORIENT New Members

To the organization:

Issue/Mission History Programs Pressing issues Finances Facilities Structure

(organization chart)

To the board: Committee

structure Board member

responsibilities List of board

members and key staff

Bylaws Recent minutes

Orientation Tips and Tools

Tips Be honest, but

don’t overwhelm Include full board Make room for

team building Follow up with

individuals

Tools Orientation

meeting Board

portal/materials Site visit/facilities

tour

Step 5: INVOLVE Discover board member interests and

availability. Involve them in committees or task

forces. Assign them a board “buddy.” Solicit feedback. Hold everyone accountable. Express appreciation.

Step 6: EDUCATE Provide information concerning your

mission area and services. Promote exploration of issues facing the

organization. Hold retreats and encourage board

development activities by sending board members to seminars and workshops.

Don’t hide difficulties.

Step 7: EVALUATE Boards Evaluate the board as a whole, as well as

individual board members. Examine how the board and chief

executive work as a team. Engage the board in assessing its own

performance. Identify ways in which to improve. Encourage individual self-assessment.

Step 8: ROTATE Board Members

Rotate board members. Establish term limits (and enforce them!). Do not automatically re-elect for an

additional term; consider the board’s needs and the board member’s performance.

Explore the advisability of resigning with members who are not active.

Develop new leadership.

Step 9: CELEBRATE!

Recognize victories and progress – there are no small victories.

Celebrate accomplishments. Appreciate individual contributions – to

the board, the organization, and the community.

Make room for humor and a good laugh.

Questions All Boards Should be Asking

Do we have the right leaders in place to lead us into tomorrow?

Do we have a governance structure in place that allows the board to function effectively?

Are we talking about the right things/the issues of greatest importance?

Do we have a culture in our boardroom that welcomes diversity and new perspectives?

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”

Dolly Parton