Jennifer Orme Consulting provided by Bravenet.com

Board Info (cont)

5. Resources to help you - Resources for nonprofit boards 6,300,000 hits on Google!

Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership & Management (Robert D. Herman & Associates 2005 www.josseybass.com)
Web based resources Free Management Library www.managementhelp.org) Approximately 650 topics in the Library, spanning 5,000 links.
Board Café (www.boardcafe.org)
Charity Channel (www.charitychannel.com)
ePhilanthropy (www.ephilanthropy.org)
The Board Building Cycle, Second Edition:
Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting, and Engaging Nonprofit Board Members
Board Source www.boardsource.org
State nonprofit associations www.ncna.org
www.sawanetwork.org Professional affiliation; network with others; SAWA list serve; CAWA (Certified Animal Welfare Administrator) Exam - Jacksonville, FL November 3 - 6, 2007; Upcoming management training - Indianapolis, IN June 9 - 11

6. Applause for board members!!

Volunteers of your agency Value of a volunteer hour* (2006) reached $18.77 per hour They are legally responsible for the organization & for directing it *Source: www.independentsector.org
Fiduciary responsibility "Boards of directors (or trustees) of nonprofit organizations are legally responsible for the conduct of organizational affairs and are expected to provide leadership in defining their organizations’ missions, values, and strategies"**Source: Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership & Management

7. Review of board duties

Loyalty - Put the interests of the agency first.
Confidentiality - Never disclose confidential information regardless of his/her views even after they have left the board.
Ambassadorship - Speak supportively of the agency.
Disclosure of conflicts - Disclose any real or apparent conflicts.
Contribute - Every board member to contribute to the organization in a way that is meaningful to them.
As board members:Volunteers of your agency; Have the legal power and authority to guide the direction of the agency.Being a board member has significant responsibilities that has legal ramifications.

8. Your plan of action…

Figure out your tactics.
Think in small steps What do I need to do to accomplish this
Limit the number you take on.Don’t tackle more than one goal at a time
Build on your skills! You know more than you think you know!
Embrace change. Change is the only constant

More Information

Contact Jennifer for more information on consultations and trainings for boards.

SAWA

If you're not a member of SAWA, visit their website www.sawanetwork.org to find out the benefits of joining and upcoming trainings and seminars.

Do you have the Board Flu?

Do you have the board flu? Creating a healthy governance board for your private or public animal care/control agency. (HSUS Expo Workshop-May 12, 2007)

1. Workshop goals

Identify challenges of boards & common "illnesses"
Look at remedies and structures for "healthy" boards
Outline resources & review duties of board members
Develop a mini action plan for you to implement

2. About change….If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain. Maya Angelou

3.Common challenges of boards

Behaving ‘naughty’ at meetings
Board members acting out
Falling asleep at the wheel (aka as ‘bobble-heads’) or no "designated driver"
Other challenges….
On a heavy dose of executive director’itis
Micro-managing operations & staff
Wearing multiple hats of volunteer dog walker & board member & routinely forgetting which hat is on
Other challenges?
Dazed & confused (no road map-strategic plan)
Dancing with the Stars - different galaxy (Unclear & unrealistic expectations)
BORED members? "Too many boards are performing below par & individual board members are under-deployed." Resource: Jossey-Bass Handbook-Herman (2005 p. 131)
What about "Founders Syndrome" Primarily an organizational problem -- not primarily a problem of the person in the prominent position. Situation where the organization works according to the personality of the founding chief executive.
Special challenges
SUPER hero!
The Martyr
Two-faced & slippery…

4. Find out where your challenges are!

Your agency needs to be: Where it is based on the current needs & demands
Good boards do not just happen. They take care, thought, and planning. Source: Board Source (www.boardsource.com)
Common denominator of successful agencies? Forward Vision
1. Training? Job descriptions (yes, for the board) Expectations of conduct (code of ethics-agency wide) Spell out responsibilities and what they are expected to do! Board manual Attendance? Fundraising events? Contributions? References - Micromanaging
Help for Nonprofits www.help4nonprofits.com
2. Skills? Get background information; Organizational skills to do the job; Project management skills
3. Communication? Is there internal communication flow; Committees utilized; action plan and agenda for board meetings; Timely and accurate information to do their jobs;Strategic Plan!
4. Leadership Both within the agency CEO/Executive Director and board president; Guidance & mentoring; Modeling of behavior; Recruitment! Who’s on board? Recruitment is your most effective means in board development. Know what talent you need & want and PLAN accordingly. Financial planner? Attorney? Fundraising? Strategic planning? Recruitment www.boardnetusa.org.