Board Training Essentials
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www.goalbusters.net Board Training Essentials Presented for Stevenson, Inc. June 2, 2010 Alice L. Ferris, ACFRE James S. Anderson GoalBusters Consulting, LLC www.goalbusters.net
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Fundamentals on training for boards of directors for nonprofit organizations. Presented by GoalBusters LLC for Stevenson Inc. June 2, 2010.
Transcript of Board Training Essentials
www.goalbusters.net
Board Training Essentials
Presented for Stevenson, Inc.June 2, 2010
Alice L. Ferris, ACFREJames S. Anderson
GoalBusters Consulting, LLCwww.goalbusters.net
www.goalbusters.net
Poll Question
What is your primary role today? Board member Top nonprofit executive-Executive Director,
President, CEO, etc. Nonprofit manager-Director of Development,
Marketing Manager, etc. Support staff Other
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Your goals
What questions would you like answered today?
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Our goals for today
Board roles and responsibilities Assessment Tools for training
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Our Philosophy about Boards
Board members are the organization's top leadership
Recruit and retain these leaders just like you would recruit your top executive: take it seriously!
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Gallup's Employee Satisfaction Survey
12 questions summarized I know what is expected of me I have the tools and training to do what I need to do Someone recognizes and seems to care about my
work The mission is important to me and I can make a
difference within it I have had opportunities to learn and grow
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What is expected of me:
Board roles and responsibilities
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What do boards do? Selects and evaluates executive Determines mission and vision Sets organizational policy Ensures effective organizational planning Monitors programs & services Promotes organization in community Ensures and manages adequate resources
Managing what we have Going and getting more
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What should boards NOT do?
Micromanage staff Be involved in the minutia of day-to-day
operations Change the mission and vision too frequently Bad-mouth the organization or its decisions Ignore financial responsibilities
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What can boards do if they want to?
Volunteer in program services Speak on behalf of the organization in public
relations situations Ask people for money
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Board Recruitment:
Proper training begins at the beginning!
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Who should you recruit?
People first, then skills Need to care about the mission/your organization Need to be a good personality fit Need to have time available
Preferred skills Business savvy Nonprofit volunteer experience
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How should you recruit? Take it seriously Invitation: don't make it seem like a sure thing
(even if it is) Interview: get a board member or several
involved Selection: review assessment matrix and select
based on match Nomination: explain expectations up front Acceptance: provide orientation
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Board Assessment:
Determining your training needs
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What are we measuring?
Knowledge base Availability or willingness to provide access to
that knowledge base Diversity Length of tenure Performance General attitude/satisfaction with one's role
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Knowledge Base
Financial Legal Nonprofit
management Program
understanding Marketing Audience connection
Client Fundraising Business community Leadership Technical knowledge
about your mission Others?
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Availability
Don't always go to the people who do what you need for a living and expect them to donate time
Assess comfort level with using their knowledge base for your organization
Determine how much time they realistically have available to provide their knowledge
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Diversity
Beyond standard race categories Age Geographic distribution Political persuasion Faith Employment background More...
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Length of Tenure
Importance of term limits Staggering board terms
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Performance: Self Evaluation
Ranking questions (scale of agreement): The board has a full and common understanding of
the roles and responsibilities of a board Board members understand the mission and
programs The board has clear goals and action steps
resulting from annual planning The board receives regular reports on and
understands finances and budgets, program performance, and other important matters
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Performance: Self Evaluation
Ranking questions (scale of agreement): The board is actively involved in fundraising The board effectively represents the organization to
the community Each member of the board appears to be involved
and interested in the organization's work
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Performance: Self Evaluation Yes or no questions
I attend meetings regularly and participate in discussions
I feel informed about the mission and vision and support it
I contribute my time to the best of my ability I contribute money to the best of my ability I am serving on a committee or task force I encourage others to support when I can I find my participation to be rewarding I am satisfied with my current contributions
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Gap Analysis
What gaps are because people are missing? Knowledge base for professional skills Availability Diversity
What gaps are because people don't have the training or tools? Knowledge base for fundraising and nonprofit board
governance Performance and attitude
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Board Training: Opportunities to learn and grow
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Adult Learning PrinciplesDr. BJ Bischoff, AFP Faculty Training Academy
Focus on “real world” problems Emphasize how the learning can be applied Relate the learning to the learners' goals Relate the materials to the learners' past experiences Allow debate and challenge of ideas Listen to and respect the opinions of learners Encourage learners to be resources to you and to
each other Treat learners like adults
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Training format:Half Day or All Day Retreat
Advantages Concentrated time More comprehensive
information Opportunity for hands
on practice Possibly more focus
from participants
Disadvantages Hard to get people to
commit People who need to be
there most will be the ones that don't come!
Distracting if people come and go
Brain burnout by end of day
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Training format:Add on to Board Meeting
Advantages They're already there Focused on one topic Short, concentrated
information
Disadvantages Depending on where
you place it, people may leave or come late
May not be enough time to fully develop concept
Probably not as much time for exercises and activities
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Training format:One on One
Advantages Customization Focused
Disadvantages That's a lot of trainings Consistency of
message People who need it
most won't participate
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Training Environment
Participant comfort Use of handouts: all at once v. hand them out
as you need them Vary teaching methods
Lecture Discussion Activities
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So what do we want to learn?
What the staff wants to teach
What the board wants to learn
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So what do we want to learn?
What the staff wants to teach Major gift fundraising
What the board wants to learn Programmatic
planning and implementation
Impact on community How to read financials Special event
fundraising
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Teaching about Program Operations
Points to cover How your organization is structured What you do
Teaching tool: can be add-on or all day Staff introductions Site tour Immersion program: “A Day in the Life” “Mission minute”
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Sample Immersion Program
Breakfast with the Executive Director Sign any disclaimers if needed
Site tour Extended stops in areas that are most “hands on”
or most directly seen by the public Make it “exclusive”: provide access to areas not
normally open to the public if possible Conclude with refreshments and debrief
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Teaching about Financials
Points to cover Difference between balance sheet and income
statement Where your revenues come from Where your expenses go to
Teaching tool: add-on or during orientation Use mock financials for balance sheet/income
statement discussion Use pie charts
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Sample Financials
Foundations
Corporate
Direct mail
Special events
Major gifts
Fees for service
Government grants
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Teaching about Fundraising Points to cover
General philanthropic information, like Giving USA stats
What portion of operating budget is dependent on successful fundraising
What tools you are using now What tools you would like to use What roles can they play
Connector Expert Closer
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Teaching about Fundraising Teaching tools: can be add-on or half to
all day Structured discussion Role play
Scripted role play Team role play
Game show http://jeopardylabs.com/
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Sample Half Day Training
Breakfast with all development personnel Introductions and icebreaker
What's the most unique thing you ever donated to a nonprofit (or heard about being donated)
General information: can do this as a game show if people are more savvy National trends Our trends Tools we're using now
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Sample Half Day Training
Tools you want to use or tools you want to better implement
Role identification (connector, expert, closer) Role play exercises Debriefing and refreshments
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Orientation
Important first step to establish expectation of ongoing training
Demonstrates commitment and seriousness
Points to cover “Socialization” Program operations Board manual Expectations Financials Major issues Board mentor
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Orientation agenda
Recommend half to full day Breakfast with current board (45 minutes) Staff introductions and site tour
If half day, 30 minutes If full day, 1 hour or up to half day if conducting the
immersion program
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Orientation agenda
Review board manual (30-60 minutes) Meeting schedule Board roster Policies Past minutes (for later review) Conflict of interest policy statement for signature Expectations of the board, including financial
commitment form
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Orientation agenda
Review financials from last board meeting (30 minutes) Financial basics (pie charts)
Where our money comes from Where it goes
Preferably ask the current board treasurer to present
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Orientation agenda
Major issues (15 minutes to an hour) Are there any pending or in progress discussions
that you wouldn't want to walk into the middle of and feel uninformed?
Board president should facilitate this discussion
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Orientation agenda
Assign a board mentor Preferably someone they know Have them join at lunch or assign at breakfast if half
day Expect follow up from board mentor within 10 days
and at least one day prior to next board meeting
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Questions
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GoalBusters Consulting LLC
Alice L. Ferris, MBA, [email protected]
James S. [email protected]
www.goalbusters.netTwitter: goalbusters
Facebook: facebook.com/goalbusters
