Red Flags to Watch For

When I write about nonprofit board governance I usually spend my time addressing current nonprofit leaders – either staff or volunteers. This article is for current leadership, and also for those who are thinking about joining the board of a nonprofit organization. 

I love connecting people to organizations that they care about. But serving on a board has to be about more than a passion for the cause. It’s a commitment that should be taken as seriously as a job. In order to make a good decision for yourself, you need to ask a lot of questions. What follows are questions and topics to dig into, so that you can make a great decision about how you donate your valuable time. 

When people get caught up in an organization that is a mess, they tend to become disenchanted with the whole nonprofit sector. And that’s just not fair. There are so many great agencies, working hard everyday, to make our communities and our world a better place. To make sure you don’t end up disillusioned by this sector, here are some red flags to look for when choosing where to serve:

  • “Nonprofit” is not the business plan
  • Agency lacks focus on the mission
  • People are undervalued
  • Fundraising comes first
  • Lack of board ownership
  • Organizations that don’t know who they are or what they need

Let’s dig into each of these issues and what to look for/ask about.

Nonprofit Business = Business

Despite the confusion caused by the title “nonprofit”, all nonprofit organizations are actual legit businesses. They have to make at least as much money as they spend each year. The term “nonprofit” is a tax designation from the IRS. It’s not a philosophy for how to run a business. 

In fact, many of these organizations generate a surplus. The difference comes in what they do with that money. A nonprofit organization is required to reinvest the surplus back into the organization. This could be in the form of equipment, supplies, salaries, training, facilities, investments, etc. With a for profit business, any surplus goes into someone’s pocket. 

Board members are responsible for the fiscal health of the organization. Before joining any board, ask a lot of questions about the agency’s finances. Even if their financial situation isn’t stellar, does the board have a plan to fix it? Is that the kind of problem-solving work you like to do? Avoid any board that has financial problems that they are refusing to address. 

Benefit the Community

Nonprofit organizations exist to make our world a better place. For profit organizations exist to make money for someone – the owner(s), shareholders, investors, etc. 

Governance volunteers are charged with making decisions that are in the best interest of the constituents served and the agency. This is why board members are volunteers. When money comes into the picture, there’s personal interest that may influence their decision making. Does the agency have a conflict of interest policy? 

Another thing to look for in this area includes ego driven leaders. Agencies with either staff or volunteer leaders who make themselves the center of the work can be extremely toxic. These leaders struggle to keep the focus on the cause. They make decisions based on how they will look/benefit, rather than what is best for the organization and its mission. 

Organization Values Its People

Reputable agencies believe in the importance of fair compensation for their employees. Just because someone works for a cause-driven business, it does not mean that they don’t need a livable wage. Caring about constituents at the expense of employees is a contradiction that should be examined. 

Young organizations sometimes hire or contract part-time staff to manage operations as they grow. This is fine, as long as they are not expecting full-time work on a part-time salary. Additionally, this should be a short-term solution, while the board figures out how to get to the level of staff leadership they need to be successful. 

Strategy Drives Fundraising

So far, I have never encountered a nonprofit that didn’t need money. It’s the nature of the game. Making our world a better place takes money. However, boards that focus on fundraising first are missing the point. Fundraising efforts need to be tied to strategies that have been developed to fulfill the mission. Without connecting those dots, it’s going to be extremely difficult to raise funds. 

Integrity

It is the job of the board to uphold the integrity of the organization. If something doesn’t seem right the board MUST speak up. By asking questions about accountability, generative discussions, and where the power of the organization lies, you’ll get a good idea about the board’s leadership. 

Red flags to listen for include any board that lets the staff totally run the show, unaddressed financial issues, lack of vision held by the board, and board meetings where the volunteers just come for a “sit & get”. 

Websites like Charity Navigator and GuideStar can help you with your research. These sites rate nonprofits based on their IRS compliance and verify good standing. They provide access to Form 990 data, giving you the ability to evaluate an agency’s financial health. These resources can help you decide if an organization is a good fit for you or not. 

Culture, Values, Structure, and Needs

Making a good decision about the kind of agency you want to volunteer with involves knowing yourself. What kind of culture do you want to be part of? What are your values and how do they align with those of the organization? Do you want to be part of building a young organization or will you be more comfortable with all the policies and procedures in place? Do the skills-based-needs of the agency align with your talents? 

Other things to consider include your tolerance for risk, what you want to get out of the experience, your time availability compared to the needs, and how you think you can make a difference. Just like every person is different, every organization is also different. Take the time to make sure you find one that aligns with your wants, needs, values and interests. 

None of this is meant to scare you away from governance work. It’s meant to give you the knowledge to ask good questions, get involved with reputable organizations, and have the impact that you want to have on your community! 

If you are on a board where you see some of these red flags, it doesn’t mean that you should quit and run away. However, you might want to start asking questions and using your influence to help move the agency in a positive direction. 

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss ways to advance your Board of Directors and the work of your agency. 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com 

 

Engaging Your Board Members

As I shared in my last article, the number one question I am asked by nonprofit leaders is “Where do I find good board members?” You can read here that it’s not about finding good board members, it’s about finding the right ones for your organization. The next most often asked questions are “How do I get my board members engaged?” and “What do I do with these people?” That’s what we’ll chat about today. 

Contrary to what most organizational leaders hope for, you can’t just recruit a great board member, then expect them to know exactly what to do and what your organization needs. They may be good, but they are not psychic. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to put it out there. If governance volunteers are not engaged, it’s probably not a “them” problem. It’s usually a board problem or an organizational problem. 

Let me ask a few questions:

  • Do you/does your organization know what you need from your board?
  • Have you/the organization engaged volunteers in planning?
  • What do you/your organization provide for the volunteers, to help deepen their connection?
  • Who do you/your organization have focusing on the health of the board as a whole and the engagement of individual volunteers? 

If your answers are: no, no, nothing and no one – that is probably a very big part of your engagement problem. Building off of those questions, there are the four components that I believe will set you up for developing an engaged board. Let’s dig in.

Knowing What You Need

As was discussed in the article on finding good board members, different organizations have different needs. This goes far beyond passion for the mission and the time they can commit. Think about:

    • How they want to give their time
    • Their comfort level with ambiguity
    • Experiences that align with your future goals
    • Connections in the community
    • Specialized skills 
    • Their goals for how they give their time

I would argue that you shouldn’t even start recruiting volunteers until understand your organizational needs. Maybe not ALL your needs, but have an idea of what you are asking people to do. 

Get Volunteers Involved in Planning

A board retreat or strategic planning session is a good way to connect your volunteers to the organization. While many organizations conduct very elaborate strategic planning processes, it does not have to be like that. Smaller organizations can’t always afford the time and money that it takes for a complex process. However, any agency can benefit from taking time to have deep-dive conversations about the future of the organization. 

Holding a planning retreat soon after the induction of new board members can provide several great outcomes:

    • Relationship-building between new and veteran volunteers
    • Education for newbies on the mission, vision, values, critical social issue the agency addresses, and the unique solutions the agency provides
    • Culture can be shaped based on how this event is planned and delivered
    • Volunteers will be much more connected to the strategies and action steps that they are involved in developing, than they would be in ones that are simply presented to them

I have heard the concern about brand new volunteers coming to a retreat and not knowing enough about the organization, what’s going on, or how to contribute. My argument to this is that your volunteers do not need to know all about your organization. In most cases, what nonprofits need from their volunteers is an understanding of the community or constituents they serve, business and leadership skills, and lived experiences. If your volunteers are getting down in the weeds of operations, they are not focusing on the right stuff. 

After any good retreat, you should come away with strategies for advancing the organization. Some of the action steps from the strategies may end up being staff driven; however, the goal is to come away with work for the board to focus on. Those actions should be assigned to a task force, an ad-hoc committee, or a standing committee. Again, if the volunteers have been involved in the creation of these plans, they are going to be much more invested in carrying them out. 

Make It a Two-way Street

A Board of Directors is not just about what the organization can get out of the volunteers. It should go both ways. Absolutely, the organization should benefit from having great volunteers, no question. But if you are not investing in them, they will not stick around for very long. 

Some of the ways that I have seen organizations value their volunteers include:

    • Providing a thoughtful welcome and orientation to the organization and to the board
    • Training them on things like: how to be a great board member, the critical social issues the agency addresses, community dynamics, organizational structure, etc
    • Implement a mentoring system to help newer volunteers become acclimated and provide a leadership role for seasoned volunteers
    • Send them to industry conferences
    • Provide networking opportunities with the organization’s board, community leaders, other leaders in the industry, or thought leader on the cause
    • Help them to develop their leadership skills by supporting them in projects, presentations, and community outreach
    • Recognition for their service and contributions
    • Spotlighting volunteer contributors through newsletters or at events

You could also have a generative conversation at a board meeting around ways to help volunteers grow, support them in their personal goals, and recognize their contributions. 

Board Development Committee

In my opinion, one of the best ways to engage volunteers and ensure their energy is focused on appropriate projects, is to create a Board Development Committee (also called a Board Governance Committee). This subset of the board has their finger on the pulse of the health of the board. 

There are so many ways that this committee can impact the engagement of your board. Here are some examples:

    • Establish and nurture the desired culture
    • Plan meeting structure, layout, conversations, etc.
    • Troubleshoot when problems start to surface
    • Have peer conversations
    • Evaluate the effectiveness of meetings
    • Recruit and onboard volunteers
    • Evaluate the board as a team and as individuals
    • Create social opportunities to strengthen relationships

Ideally, Boards should be self governing. With a little direction, this committee can ensure they are moving in the right direction. 

The role of your board is to look out into the community and into the future to make the best decisions they can for the organization and those served. This should be the focus of the work of your board. So often, organizations do not know what to do with their board, so they give them “check-list” items. Tasks to do that they can check off a list.

Governance leadership is not a checklist. It’s engaging people who care about your cause in high level conversations, to shape the impact and the future of the organization. If, after these suggestions, you’re still at a loss for what to do with your volunteers, below are some more ideas. 

  • Conduct program quality evaluations 
  • Examine the impact of programs
  • Drive donor appreciation 
  • Friend-raise
  • Survey – participants, the community, stakeholder, etc.
  • Plan a retreat
  • Hold community conversations around the critial social issue you are working to solve
  • Get involved in board development
  • Host new member or new participant receptions
  • Serve on a future-planning task force
  • Examine organizational succession plans 
  • Review bylaws and policies

I could truly go on and on. There are so many ways volunteers can contribute their expertise of the community, the constituents, business, leadership, planning, and more. It takes a bit of guidance to keep them out of the weeds, but once the big-picture culture is established, boards usually keep themselves future-focused. 

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss ways to effectively engage your organization’s Board of Directors. 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Where Do I Find Good Board Members?

This is BY FAR the most frequently asked question that I get. As if I have some secret lair where all the good governance volunteers hide. That question is followed closely by “How do I get my board members engaged?” and “What do I do with these people?” All of these questions are related. 

The fact is that someone who could be an amazing board member for one agency could be dismal for another organization. The needs of every single agency and every single Board of Directors is different. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to finding board members. 

Some of the factors to consider when you think about the kind of volunteers you need for your board include:

  • Organizational duration
  • Organizational size
  • Future vision and plans
  • Specialized expertise required
  • Mission, cause and values

There are probably more, but let’s start by looking at these factors. 

Organizational Duration

 A young organization is going to have different needs than one that is established and has longevity. Newer organizations are often still figuring things out. They are in “build-mode,” where they might be working on crafting their mission, vision and values. If they have that stuff figured out, they might have moved on to developing policies and procedures or establishing fundraising strategies. 

A newer agency will need volunteers who are comfortable with ambiguity and working on figuring things out. Someone who likes to have all their ducks in a row would not necessarily be a good fit for a young nonprofit. On the other hand, that person may thrive with a more established organization looking for stability and unfaltering leadership. 

Organizational size

Smaller nonprofits tend to be local – addressing issues in their community. These agencies are probably looking to attract volunteers in that community, who have the expertise of understanding the environment, and passion for fixing critical social issues. 

92% of nonprofits have budgets under $1 million a year and 88% are under $500,000. The level of financial expertise and strategizing required to lead one of these organizations is not going to be as significant as what is required to lead a $20M agency. Thus making smaller nonprofits great places for “beginner board members” to learn the ropes of serving as a governance volunteer. 

Larger agencies are likely going to need volunteers who know the ropes when it comes to serving on a board. They may require specialized expertise, significant relationships, regional representation, and more. If an organization serves the entire country, they may be looking for volunteers from all over to represent different parts of their constituency. 

Future Vision & Plans 

Agencies focused on remaining small and local will have different needs than those looking to go nationwide or worldwide. Similarly, those that want to stay narrowly focused on one strategy will differ from those looking to attack an issue on several fronts. 

Any organization looking to make big changes will need to consider the kind of expertise and leadership that they will need. If building a facility is in the plan, realtors, architects, contractors and developers may be good prospects. Significant expansion could cause an agency to look for volunteers who have grown other businesses. And when a nonprofit is committed to going deep in one area, they might want to find someone who is a subject matter expert in that specific solution. 

Specialized Expertise 

As stated before, the vast majority of nonprofits are small businesses addressing local social issues. In many of these cases, all that is needed is a passion for making the community a better place. However, some agencies have the need for specialized knowledge, expertise, or skills. For example, an agency addressing a local environmental issue will likely need some level of expertise helping to guide their work. 

Based on the work and goals of the nonprofit, they may decide that they need a financial expert to help make strategic decisions about their finances. Or a legal expert might be beneficial to their work. 

Having specialized needs does not automatically mean that the organization must recruit a volunteer with those skills to their board. Needs can be addressed by utilizing non-governance volunteers, contractors, or staff. The agency needs to decide what is the best way to acquire the specialized expertise required for responsible decision making. 

Mission, Cause & Values

I often tell nonprofit leaders that the most important quality in a board member is that they care about being part of the solution you provide. Everyone is busy, and if a volunteer doesn’t care, it’s easy for other things to get in the way of board meetings, events and service. 

Not only do they need to care about the issue you are addressing, but they need to align with your values and methodology. For example, if an agency is committed to getting rid of puppy mills, they likely attract a lot of dog lovers. However, if they do it through euthanizing, that is going to narrow the pool of potential volunteers who align with their strategies. 

Again, there are probably additional factors to consider that are unique to your organization. If you don’t know what you need, it’s going to be hard to find it. In marketing they call this finding your niche. It seems counter intuitive, but the more you narrow your focus on what you are looking for, the more likely you are to find it. 

When you put out a call for governance volunteers, and you say “we’re looking for anyone wanting to serve our organization” – you likely hear crickets. The more specific you can get, the better your chances of someone seeing themselves in the description of what you need. Or, they may think of another prospective volunteer based on your description. 

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss your organization’s wants and needs for your Board of Directors. 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Glossary of Terms

I work with a lot of people who are new to the nonprofit field. Some have decided to transition from working in the for-profit world to have more purpose in their work. Others have identified a problem, created a unique solution and started an organization to help make our world a better place. Still others are at a place in their lives where they are ready to start giving back to their community and are stepping into their first board governance role. 

Through working with these “newbies” I often get asked about different terminology. Words or phases that don’t quite make sense to them. Or they believe them to mean something different. It was out of one of those conversations that came the idea to write an article that is really a glossary of terms. 

Working or volunteering in the nonprofit sector can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging to navigate the unique language and culture of these organizations. Understanding the terms and titles used in the nonprofit sector is essential to effective communication. Below are some of the most common terms and titles used in the nonprofit sector.

  • Nonprofit Business – An organization that operates for the benefit of the public, rather than to generate profit for its owners. 
  • 501(c)(3) – A tax-exempt status granted by the IRS to nonprofit organizations that meet certain criteria, such as being organized and operated for charitable, educational, religious, scientific, or literary purposes.
  • Agency, Organization, Nonprofit or Charity – There are terms that refer to a nonprofit business. 
  • Mission Statement – A statement that defines the purpose and goals of a nonprofit organization.
  • Executive Director (ED) or CEO – In an organization with paid staff, this is usually the top staff person and chief spokesperson of a nonprofit organization. These terms are not generally used in smaller, all-volunteer nonprofits. 
  • Program Director (or Manager, or Coordinator) – Whether an organization has paid staff or not, this refers to the individual(s) responsible for overseeing programs or services offered. It’s usually a paid position, but there are many examples of volunteer program positions. 
  • Development Director – Usually a paid position, this role is responsible for managing fundraising and financial development activities of a nonprofit organization.
  • Fundraising – The process of soliciting and collecting donations from individuals, corporations, and other sources to support a nonprofit organization’s mission, programs and services.
  • Philanthropy – The origin of the word philanthropy is Greek and means love for mankind. Today, philanthropy includes the concept of voluntary giving by an individual or group to promote the common good. The giving can include time, talent, and treasure. 
  • Donors – Individuals, foundations, or corporations providing funding to a nonprofit. 
  • Grant – A financial award provided to a nonprofit organization by a foundation, corporation, or government agency to support a specific project or program.
  • Letter of Intent – A donor’s letter or brief statement indicating intention to make a specific gift.
  • Charitable Giving – The act of donating money or assets to a nonprofit organization for philanthropic purposes.
  • In-kind Donation – A non-monetary donation of goods or services to a nonprofit organization, such as donated office space or pro-bono consulting services.
  • Endowment – A pool of funds that are invested to generate income for a nonprofit organization over the long term.
  • Annual Campaign – Fundraising efforts that go to the annual operations of an organization. Sometimes called a Sustaining Campaign. 
  • Capital Campaign – A fundraising campaign intended to fund a large project, often a building or other physical structures. 
  • Bricks and Mortar – An informal term indicating grants for buildings or construction projects.
  • Donor Stewardship – The practice of cultivating relationships with donors to build trust, engage them in the organization’s mission, and ensure their ongoing support.
  • Volunteer – An individual who donates their time, skills and knowledge to assist a nonprofit organization.
  • Board of Directors – The governing body of a nonprofit organization, responsible for overseeing the organization’s management and making strategic decisions. Every nonprofit organization is required by law to have a Board of Directors. 
  • Board Members – These are volunteer governance leaders of a nonprofit. As a group they are responsible for making strategic decisions and providing oversight. 
  • ByLaws – This is a document that spells out how the Board of Directors and the organization will function. 
  • Board Development – The practice of developing and implementing strategies to recruit, train, and retain volunteers for a nonprofit organization.
  • Articles of Incorporation – A legal document filed with the secretary of state to create a nonprofit corporation. This process is called incorporating. In some states, they are called a Certificate of Incorporation or Corporate Charter.
  • 990 – An IRS form filed annually by nonprofit organizations. 
  • Constituents or Clients – These words refer to those who are served by or who benefit from the work of the nonprofit. They usually refer to people, but it could include animals, groups or other entities. 
  • Stakeholders – Individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the organization. These could include partners, donors, volunteers, clients, staff and community members. An agency’s stakeholders are usually defined by the nonprofit.
  • Audience – This refers to the people that an organization is trying to reach with their messaging. It could be potential donors or volunteers, the entire community, or a specific demographic. 
  • Advocacy – The act of developing and implementing strategies to advance a nonprofit organization’s mission and goals. Advocacy can also represent a cause served by many different nonprofit organizations. 
  • Social enterprise – A social enterprise is a business with social objectives. Maximizing profits is not the primary goal of a social enterprise as is with a traditional for-profit business. And unlike a nonprofit, social enterprises pursue endeavors that generate revenues, which fund their social causes.
  • Impact – Measurement of the value and effectiveness of a nonprofit organization’s programs and services to the community. 
  • Annual report – A document that provides information about a nonprofit organization’s activities, financial performance, and accomplishments during a given year.
  • Capacity building – The process of strengthening a nonprofit organization’s infrastructure, systems, and processes to improve its effectiveness and sustainability.

Wow! This list is so long!!! I could have gone on and on, but I think this is enough for now. If you’re new to nonprofits or just thinking about getting involved, I hope this guide provides a helpful introduction to some of the most common terms and titles used in the sector. Please share with anyone who you think will appreciate the insight. 

Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to learn more about the nonprofit sector, how to engage, and how you can help make our world a better place! 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Dealing with Challenging Board Members

What is a challenging board member? How do they compare to a difficult staff person? Some of the characteristics are probably pretty similar, right? Here are some of the most common complaints I hear about how board members frustrate agency leadership:

  • They don’t do what they said they would do or what they are supposed to do
  • They say one thing and then do another
  • They drop the ball
  • They don’t show up when expected
  • They fail to communicate effectively
  • They stir up conflict with other board members
  • They harbor hidden agendas
  • They dominate conversations and shut down other view points

Anyone who supervises staff can probably relate to one or more (or all) of these scenarios. In my continued comparison of leading staff and leading boards, today’s article is focused on how to deal with difficult volunteers. 

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Before we delve into how to address performance issues, let’s talk about some prevention strategies. By putting systems in place,  you can often stop problems before they occur. 

I often say that all business is people-business, and even more so when it comes to the nonprofit sector. Everything we do, from the people we serve, to the problems we solve, to the donors and shareholders who support our work – it all boils down to relationships. And you cannot have healthy relationships without clear and consistent communication. 

When it comes to leading board members (and staff), clear communication and healthy relationships are just the beginning. Afterall, volunteers are there for a reason! Establishing agreed upon expectations and consistently holding people accountable will create the foundation needed to drive the work of your board and your organization forward. It also gives clarity to board members who might not really know what is needed from them. 

It’s Not You, It’s Your Behavior

As with any performance issue – staff or volunteer – it’s important to focus on the behaviors. By valuing the individual and working with them to change counterproductive behaviors, you can avoid hurting feelings and often strengthen valuable relationships. Generally speaking, people are associated with your organization because they care about the cause, and making our world a better place. Sometimes they need help understanding what is helpful and what is not. 

Reality

Wouldn’t it be great if by putting expectations and communications systems into place, you were guaranteed smooth sailing? Since we are all human with different life experiences, ideas, passions, and priorities – it’s not always that simple. Sooner or later reality sets in and behaviors emerge that make it difficult to move the work of organization forward. 

When (not if) that happens, I recommend following a  process very similar to how we address performance issues with staff. Ideally this process is led by the Board Chair. If that position is not developed to the point of being able to address performance issues, this may fall on the shoulders of the Executive Director. In that case, another volunteer should be present during the conversation, representing the governance leadership. 

Addressing Board (or staff) Issues

  • Don’t delay – create a plan to address the problem as soon as it becomes apparent
  • Define the problem clearly – “Here’s what I perceive is happening”
  • Identify the effect of the problem – “When you do ______________ , the impact is ______________”
  • Listen to the response – “Tell me your thoughts”
    • Avoid getting sucked into a debate or argument
    • Listen to understand; reflect what you’re hearing or sensing
  • Re-examine expectations – “Our agency’s success requires board members to ______________”
  • Describe the specific corrective action – “Here’s what needs to be done differently”
  • Determine if issues exist that limit the volunteer’s ability to change the behavior – “What challenges remain that we need to address?”
  • Seek feedback – “I want to be sure we’ve communicated effectively, let’s summarize the changes we’ve agreed on”
  • Create mutual agreement for implementation – “How will the change be accomplished?”
  • Identify measurement and follow-up – “How will we know we’re being successful?”
  • Summarize the agreement
  • State the consequences of their not making agreed-upon changes – this is not a threat!
    • It’s stating what the organization needs from its governance volunteers
  • End positively – “When I do ______________ and you do ______________ , I’m sure we’ll be successful”
  • Document – since volunteers transition through roles, future leaders need to know about any issues that have been addressed

I often help organizations to put foundational processes in place and to establish a strong offense against board performance issues. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call to discuss creating a Board of Superheroes that will drive your organization’s success! 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com 

Board Member Accountability

I’m continuing my little blog project comparing leading a Board of Directors with leading a staff team. I meet so many great nonprofit leaders, who excel at developing and leading their team of employees. Yet they struggle with supporting their board in an effective way. So far I have covered the topics of Creating a Board Culture and “Supervising” Your Board. 

For this article let’s dive into holding your board members accountable. Or more accurately, creating the structure so that your board members can hold one another accountable. 

Board Expectations

Having clear expectations is foundational to holding anyone accountable. When it comes to staff, you establish the expectations through job descriptions, employee handbooks, performance standards and annual goals. Clearly communicating these expectations to your staff team will help set them up for success. 

As I shared in the article on “Supervising” Your Board, and went into more detail in here; creating board expectations establishes the foundation of a structure and culture of accountability. Your board has ByLaws, these define how the board functions and what they are legally obligated to. They also have Duties and Responsibilities, which are the generally accepted nonprofit board standards. The board expectations are more specific to the needs of your unique organization. 

In a perfect situation, board expectations will be developed jointly by the volunteers and the staff. I generally recommend looking at what the agency needs from its governance volunteers in the areas of: 

      • Attendance/Service Commitment
      • Executive Director/Staff Support
      • Community Connections
      • Fiduciary Governance
      • Intellectual Contributions
      • Mission & Outcomes
      • Fundraising & Storytelling

Once you determine the expectations needed to advance the work of the agency, the whole board should have the opportunity to review, debate and finally – to approve them. This piece of the process is powerful as it gives everyone the opporutnity to contribute, and ultimately, to commit to what the agency needs from them. Expectations are different from ByLaws in that they are not legally binding (more on that later) and they are easy to update as the needs of the organization change. 

Once you have clearly established expectations, use them! These should be included in your board recruiting process and/or packet. Being crystal clear up front about what you need from your board members ensures that you don’t end up with volunteers who don’t understand the organization’s needs or what is expected of them. This may eliminate some very attractive prospective board members. However, it’s better to do this in the beginning than to travel down a long frustrating road of unclear expectations and an inability to drive the governance work of the organization. 

Board expectations can be turned into a report card. This is especially useful if your board is working to transition to more accountability and productivity. Tracking attendance, board hours, committee involvement, friend-raising activities, and more will give a quick snapshot of who on the board is meeting expectations, and who is missing the mark. Some boards will even include the report card in the board packet at every meeting, providing for peer accountability. 

Since board expectations are not ByLaws, it is not a set of legal requirements. That said, if someone is not fufilling one or more of the expectations, it doesn’t mean you HAVE to do anything about it. Rather, it can be used to drive discussions around each person’s involvement. If a volunteer is really great at storytelling, inviting new people into the organization, and representing the agency in the community, but they struggle to attend board meetings due to timing; it doesn’t mean they need to be booted off. Tracking and knowing this information allows for the ability to have conversations about specific behaviors. 

I have one last point on board expectations. The Board Governance or Board Development Committee is a great place for this work to land. That committee can create the expectations, process it through the board, and manage the accountability report card. By proactively tracking and reviewing board engagement, this group can quickly address any issues. It also provides a structure for an annual board evaluation. 

Annual Goals + Board Meetings

Creating board expectations is not the only tool for holding board members accountable. Boards that do annual planning or strategic planning will usually come away with action plans and goals. Putting the goals into a tracking document, with assigned accountabilities can be used to monitor progress. Include this document in your board meeting packet and on your agenda. Using the action plan tracking document in combination with regular board meetings is an effective way to monitor progress towards your goals and to hold people accountable. 

To Do List + Board Meetings 

One last process that can be used to create a culture of accountability on your board is a simple “to do” system. This is also executed through the board meeting structure. When a volunteer commits to something, it is added to the “next steps” portion of the meeting agenda. Those “to do” items are reviewed at the end of the meeting and then included on the next meeting’s agenda and the group checks-in on their progress. This does two things:

    1. It creates peer pressure for volunteers to follow-through on their commitments, and
    2. If there are challenges to completing the task, it gives the whole board the opportunity to help problem-solve on how to move forward. 

Holding board members accountable can be a tricky thing. Afterall, they are volunteers; what are you going to do, fire them? Assuming positive intent, most people join boards to help advance the cause and make the world a better place. When they do not perform well as a board member, it’s often because they didn’t understand what was expected of them, or they aren’t being held accountable. 

By leading your board to create a culture of accountability and structures to support that culture, the great thing is – they hold themselves accountable. Unless your organization is very new, the role of having the “accountability conversations” should fall with the volunteers. Sometimes the Board Governance Committee will address issues, and other times the Board Chair needs to step in and drive the conversation. The Execuitve Director should not be put in the difficult position of “discipining” their board members (AKA – their bosses). 

Developing a Board Governance Committee or creating Board Expectations are great strategies for getting the most out of your Board of Directors. If you would like to visit about how to build up your Board of Superheros, email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call today. Let’s connect!

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com

Culture – It’s Not Just About Your Staff Team

In my years with the YMCA I thought a lot about how to lead my staff team, how to build a healthy culture, communication strategies, accountability, problem solving, and more. I also thought a lot about how to lead and engage my Board of Directors. But I didn’t think much about the crossover between these two functions of leading a nonprofit organization.

In fact, I thought these two areas of my job were very, very different. Now that I have some distance and my thoughts have evolved, I see that there are more similarities than there are differences. I’m going to spend the next few articles looking at the similarities and what we can learn from them. 

I’ve written more than a little about building healthy cultures, leading a team, communication, and more, more, more. Go check those out, if you’re so inclined. 

One of the most important roles of a leader is to create a healthy culture for their team. In the nonprofit sector, we usually think that this means our staff team. Right? A healthy staff culture is crucial to delivering quality services, caring for our constituents, and ensuring our staff are nurtured. Logic would tell us that the same is true for our volunteer teams, and even our governance volunteers. 

Think for a moment about your Board of Directors. How would you describe the culture of your Board team? Are they uber professional? Super laid back? Well connected to one another? Eager to help? Something else? Take a moment to jot down all the words that come to mind when you are thinking about the characteristics of your board. 

Once you can describe the current culture of your board, I’d like for you to think about how that compares to the culture of your staff team and/or the agency as a whole. Are they similar or different? Are the similarities intentional or by happenstance? There is nothing that says they have to be the same or different. 

After you do a little work to define the culture of your board and how it compares to the rest of your organization, a good next step is to decide if what you have is what you want. This project is an excellent way to engage volunteers in defining and creating the board culture that is best for your nonprofit! Your Board Governance or Board Development Committees can dig into everything from the board meeting agenda or room set-up to onboarding and engagement of the volunteers. 

The skills and strategies that create a healthy culture for your staff are pretty much the same for creating a healthy board culture. 

  • Aligning values:

    • If your organization has not gone through the process of clarifying and understanding your values, that’s a great first step! If you have gone through this process, the next step is to consider how they relate to your board. The values for the organization do not have to be exactly the same as the values for your board. They can be the same, similar, or even different. It’s based on the needs of the organization. 
    • For example, an organization that serves children may have a very lighthearted culture among its staff. Perhaps the kids need a positive atmosphere. At the same time the organization may be helping children escape really horrible situations. In that case the board likely has some very serious topics to discuss. The culture of the organization may be light and fun, while the culture of the board could be serious and more stoic.

  • Decide the culture is important

    • The main ingredient in any healthy culture is to be thoughtful about the experience of those involved. By simply being intentional about the type of culture you want – you’re taking a huge step towards creating a great experience for your Board team. 
    • A healthy culture requires that the organization and its leaders decide that the culture is a priority. You cannot create a positive culture without first deciding that it matters. When it comes to culture, the biggest problem I see is that leaders ignore the importance of being intentional about this piece of their organization.

  • It starts at the top

    • When it comes to the staff culture, the Executive Director or CEO sets the tone. They define the values and decide that the culture is important. However, with the Board of Directors, it’s not just about the Exec, it’s a combination of the Exec and the Board President. Between the two of them they drive the culture. The Exec connects it to the operations of the organization, and the Board President is the one who sets the tone for the governance volunteers. 

  • Listening and Caring

    • Creating a culture involves listening to what is going on with the members of the board. And not just listening, but also genuinely caring about how the volunteers are feeling and what their experience is like. This is how you keep your finger on the pulse of what is going on. 

  • Communications 

    • Circling back to #1, once you have established your values, you should talk about them. All. The. Time. Talk about what they mean to the board as a team. Use them when making decisions. Include them in opening thoughts, plan them into board meeting agendas, and use the language as you work to create the culture you want and need. 

As mentioned earlier, a Board Development or Board Governance Committee is an excellent group to tackle this project. Their role is to ensure healthy board dynamics. If you do not currently have a committee focused on the growth, direction and health of your Board of Directors, consider starting one and making this their first initiative. You could even start it out as a task force, with growth into a full committee coming next. 

Would you like help evaluating the culture of your Board of Directors? Or, do you want to start a Board Development Committee of your own? Let’s visit! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call today. Let’s connect!

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com

Mission Monday ~ Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Mayling Rodriguez, the inaugural Executive Director for the Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center. While this organization has been around a while, serving our community, it has just recently become a 501(c)3 and hired its first Exec. 

Their mission is to provide a community response working toward preventing and eliminating elder abuse in the Pikes Peak region and beyond, through identifying victims of mistreatment, creating safe shelter for them. Their new structure is giving PPEJC the opportunity to deepen their impact in the community. 

PPEJC envisions a community in which people in later life can live in safety, dignity and with respect. To do this they take a three pronged approach to supporting our most vulnerable seniors. Programming includes Elder Shelter, Fiduciary Education, and coordinated services through their Forensic Team. Learn more about their work on their website. 

I was surprised to learn of the proliferation of elder abuse in our society. Despite this sad trend, in Mayling’s new leadership role, she has chosen to focus the energy of the organization on hopefulness. Being a source for services and support makes PPEJC a beacon of hope in an otherwise devastating situation.

Mayling wishes more people knew about this problem and could help to expand the awareness of the resources and services available. You can help to spread the word by forwarding this article to others who may have interest or needs that PPEJC could help with. To learn more about their work, or to get involved, reach out to Mayling or follow them on Facebook.

Happy ThanksGIVING!

The season of giving is officially upon us. What a great time of year! People caring about their neighbors, and generosity for the community comes pouring out. However, let’s not sugar coat it, this can all become overwhelming. Fundraisers know that philanthropists feel extra generous this time of year, and they look to capitalize upon those warm, fuzzy feelings.

Organizations would be fools not to take advantage of this season. About one third of all giving takes place at the end of the year. Twelve percent occurs in the last three days of the year! For you statistics fanatics, here are some more interesting facts about fundraising and year-end giving.

As a consumer and donor, there are ways to minimize the stress that may come from this intense donor cultivation season. First, decide what issues are most important to you. Proactively make donations to the agencies you most want to support. It feels great to give with intentionality! Then when you are faced with an overwhelming amount of requests you can politely decline and let them know you have already made your seasonal contributions to causes you are passionate about.

Another tip, especially for those who hate to say ‘no’ to any good cause, is to set aside funds specifically for “pop-up” opportunities. Then you have a plan for the wrapping paper being sold by the youth choir or the round-up request at the convenience store. Build those unplanned donations into your budget. That way you can give cheerfully and without worry of overextending yourself.

Finally, keep in mind that no apologies are needed. If you can’t or choose not to give to a cause, that’s your prerogative. No good agency would want you to overextend yourself. And the best organizations want to cultivate donors who genuinely care about their work.

Nonprofits and fundraisers love a joyful giver. By creating a plan and sticking to it, that can be you! Your plan allows you to give on YOUR terms and make a difference for causes that you care deeply about. Want to read more about conscientious giving? Check out A Generous Heart by Kristen Corning Bedford.

I’m thankful for those of you who read my little musings! Have a grateful day.

Kim Stewart

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com

Mission Monday ~ First Tee impact story

I realize that I have already done a spotlight on First Tee last spring. I don’t usually do repeats, because there are so many great organizations out there to talk about! However, when Community Impact Coordinator, Lauren Graziano brought this story to my attention, I felt like I needed to share it. Especially since the organization is often misunderstood.

First Tee is a youth development organization that enables kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, they create active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.

This past summer, a young First Tee participant named Levi helped the team truly see the impact of First Tee’s youth programs and how important the mentorship First Tee coaches offer really is. The story is told from the coach’s perspective.

Levi is full of life, laughter, positivity, and so enthusiastic about everything he does. At First Tee, we only
see him on the golf course, but I had thought that was his personality in all aspects of life. The way he
encourages those around him is truly amazing. Even when his golf opponents hit a bad shot, Levi is
always cheering them on and encouraging them to do better on the next shot.

Little did I know, Levi is battling severe depression. His dad approached me while Levi was playing golf
and thanked me sincerely for the programs and camps we offer at First Tee and especially for all the
amazing coaches who have helped Levi throughout his golf career. His dad continued to tell me that
they have been taking Levi to counseling and therapy for severe depression and suicidal thoughts. He
said that when Levi steps onto a golf course that his whole mentality changes. Golf has been the one
thing to keep him stable and excited for life. His dad also said that Levi has mentioned my name
numerous times during therapy and that he feels so happy while he is golfing at First Tee and that he
loves his golf coaches.

While his dad was telling me this, I had a knot in my throat and a pit in my stomach. I never in a million
years would have known what Levi was going through if his dad had not told me this. Although my heart
aches so badly for Levi, I am filled with more passion and drive than ever before. It helped me realize
that what we do at First Tee is so much more than golf. These true-life moments, the impacts First Tee is
making outside of golf through the mentorship coaches provide is the heart of our mission. I am so
honored that I get be Levi’s happy place. And that he feels joy, excitement, and safe at First Tee.

If you would like to get involved as a volunteer, donor, mentor, or just want to learn more, go to their website. You can also reach out to Emily Smith, Director of Golf and Education.

Kim Stewart

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com