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CAA Board Recruitment and Development

Organizational Standards Center of ExcellenceMarch 25, 2019

© 2018 CAPLAW & Community Action Partnership

Jarle CrockerDirector, Training and Technical Assistance

Jcrocker@communityactionpartnership.com

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Today’s Agenda

• Recruitment and development of CAA board members

• Key resources

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Key Resources: CAPLAW Board Training and Orientation Toolkit

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Key Resources: Partnership and ANCRT ROMA for Boards Series

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Strategically Recruiting and Selecting Board Members

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Elements of Effective Recruitment

Needs

Attributes

Mission, values, interests

Expectations

Commitment

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Key Skills for Board Members• Finance: CPAs, CFOs, business process, grants

management

• Law: JDs, paralegals

• Fundraising: fundraising/development professionals, individuals with business connections, event planners

• Administration: CEOs/EDs, CAOs, HR Directors

• Research: PhDs, MDs, program evaluation, performance measurement/quality improvement

• Advocacy/outreach: Communications, community organizing/engagement

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Board SourceBoard Member Recruitment Matrix

https://boardsource.org/board-recruitment-matrix/

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http://www.caplaw.org/resources/SelfAssessmentDocuments/CAPLAW_BoardComposition%20Matrix_April2012.xls

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Board Selection Procedure

Follow selection procedures

Require applications

Recruit smartly & strategically

Use board committee

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Governance/Board Development Committee

• Oversees processes for selecting board members and filling vacancies

• Standing Committee

– Meets throughout the year (not just before board elections)

• Works with ED to ensure board functions well

• Coordinates board orientation and training

• Implements board self-assessment process

• Coordinates periodic review of governing docs

Other Tasks

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A Note on Bylaws

• Ensure bylaws give board maximum flexibility in recruiting and selecting board members– Amend them if necessary

• Follow procedures outlined in bylaws

• Check that bylaws reflect grant requirements (CSBG, Head Start, etc.) for board composition and selection, as well as state nonprofit corporation law (nonprofit CAAs)

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Bylaws/Governing Documents

• Org’s bylaws have been reviewed by an attorney within the past 5 years (not applicable to public CAA).

Standard 5.3: Nonprofit

• Org/dept. documents that each board member has received a copy of the bylaws within the past 2 years.

Standard 5.4: Nonprofit/Public

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Recruitment Strategies/Succession Planning

• Encourage staff and board members to identify clients who may be able and willing to serve

– Develop recruitment materials for front line staff to distribute

• Invite prospective board members to serve in an advisory capacity to the board and/or committee

• Build connections to other public, nonprofit, and private service providers

• Identify other advisory bodies, committees, and commissions to engage

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Recruitment Strategies/Succession Planning

• Participate in or hold a community forum

• Offer leadership and community organizing training for clients and neighborhood residents

• Develop/manage a social media strategy for publicizing opportunities

• Recruit from natural constituencies (e.g. Head Start parents, school districts, neighborhood associations)

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Recruitment Strategies/Succession Planning

• Use standing Board Development Committee to actively, continuously oversee recruitment:

– Anticipates vacancies through succession planning

– Maintains a pipeline of potential board members

– Stays on top of board needs

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Tripartite BoardsComposition and Selection

1/3: Elected public

officials

Remainder: Private Sector

At least 1/3: Low-

income sector

• The org.’s governing board/advisory body is structured in compliance with the federal CSBG Act

Standard 5.1: Nonprofit/Public

• Governing board/advisory body fills board vacancies as set out in its bylaws

Standard 5.5: Nonprofit/Public

– 42 U.S.C. § 9910

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Low-Income SectorNonprofit CAAs

• Must be democratically selected to assure representative of low-income people in service area

• If chosen to represent a particular neighborhood, must live there

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Low-Income SectorPublic CAAs

• Must be representative of low-income individuals and families in service area

• Must live in service area

• Must be able to participate actively in development, planning, implementation and evaluation of CSBG programs

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Low-Income Sector

• Should represent current low-income residents, but don’t need to be low-income themselves

• Have at least some, if not all, low-income board members who are low-income themselves

Recommendation

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Low-Income Sector

Democratic selection options:

General election

Public forum

*PTA

*Policy council

*Faith-based group

*Tenants association

*Community health center

board

Micro-democratic election procedure:Group predominately made up of low-income individuals may elect someone from w/in the group to serve as the low-income rep.

‒ OCS IM 82

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Low-income Sector

CAPLAW Democratic Selection Procedures Case Studies, http://caplaw.org/resources/PublicationDocuments/raisingthelowincomevoice.html

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Developing Effective Board Orientation and Training

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Board Development Committee

• Works with ED to ensure board functions well

• Coordinates board orientation and training

• Implements board self-assessment process

Other Tasks

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Board Orientation/Training

• Org./Dept. has a process to provide a structured orientation for governing/ advisory board members within 6 months of being seated.

Standard 5.7: Nonprofit/Public

• Board members have been provided with training on their duties and responsibilities within the past 2 years.

Standard 5.8: Nonprofit/Public

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Orientation (and Training) Topics

1. Mission

2. History

3. Programs

4. Strategic direction

5. Financial oversight

6. Organizational structure

7. Board composition

8. Board roles & responsibilities

9. Board operations

Consider providing an annotated bibliography of reference resources

*

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Orientation (and Training)2. History

Resources

• Fact sheets

• Brief written history

• Board chair or other officers

• Brochures

• Newsletters

See Chapter Two, page 32 for history of Community Action

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Orientation (and Training)4. Strategic direction

Resources/Topics

• Strategic plan

• Board planning committee

• Recent news articles about programs/activities

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Orientation (and Training)5. Financial oversight

Resources/Topics

• CFO

• Treasurer

• Finance Committee

• Form 990

• Annual reports

• Financial Statements

• Audits

See Sections 2, 3 & 4 – Addressing audits, financial statements &

agency-wide budgets

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Orientation (and Training)6. Organizational Structure

Resources/Topics

• Org chart

• Key staff bios

• Board/staff relationships

Chart from Montgomery County Community Action

Agency, Maryland

Board of Directors

Executive Director

Org.Depart./Staff

Org.Depart./Staff

Org.Depart./Staff

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Orientation (and Training)7. Composition

Resources/Topics

• Board chair/officers

• Governance committee

• Current board member bios

• Bylaws

• Governance policies and procedures

See Chapter Two, page 40 for tripartite board composition

and selection

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Orientation (and Training)8. Roles and responsibilities

Resources/Topics

• Job description

• Expectations

• Fiduciary Duties

• D&O Insurance

• OCS IMs 82 Tripartite Boards and 138 CSBG Organizational Standards

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Orientation (and Training)9. Operations

See page 21 in Section 1 – Tip: Use minutes as board orientation tool!

Resources/Topics

• Bylaws

• Board manual, if exists

• Committee structure & schedules

• Attend meeting before seated

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Orientation and Training Methods

• Webinars

• Training modules

• Handbooks

• Mentoring

• Conferences

• Retreats

• One-on-One meetings

• Committee participation

• On-site tours

• Staff presentations

• Volunteering

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Board Training

• Regular board training

– Establish an advisory committee as a training ground for potential new members

– Require all board members to attend

– Consider ongoing concise training incorporated into meetings, especially on topics such as financial statements and audits

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Board Self-Training Tool

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Community Action Partnership YouTube Channel-Board Videos

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Building Capacity for New Board Members

• Connect new board members with a mentor from your board

• Help new board members identify specific areas of interest and associated committee assignment

• Ensure new board members connect with the mission of the CAA and Community Action

• Conduct a personal site visit to the CAA• Connect with the ED/CEO• Prioritize new board members for attendance at

conferences and other trainings