Non-Profit Boards Discussion with: SNAP

1. Non-Profit BoardsDiscussion with: SNAP June 9, 2011

2. Overview • Legality • Board Members Are Volunteers • Board Responsibilities • Board Membership Configuration • New Board Member Characteristics • Process Of Selecting New Board Members • Board Membership Requirements • Getting Off To A Good Start • Governance • Board Meetings 1

3. Overview (continued) • Frequency Of Meetings • Dismissing Board Members • Who Should Go • Keeping Board Members • Term Limits • Cultivating Past Board Members 2

4. Legality • Boards are legally required • Board members are liable • Serving on a board is a serious responsibility -Not to be taken lightly 3

5. Board Members Are Volunteers • We all know this • Volunteers are not always dependable • Volunteers have to be managed • Poorly performing volunteers have to be replaced 4

6. Board Responsibilities • Governance • Hire / Fire CEO • Approve Budgets and Plans • Monitor Finances • Set Policies • Enforce By-Laws, Policies and Legal Requirements • Monitor Operations 5

7. Board Responsibilities (continued) • Other – Unique • Serve as volunteers • Raise Funds • Represent Organization to the Community • Heighten the image of the organization 6

8. Board Membership Requirements • Policies should be established for continuing board membership • Records should be maintained to enforce policies • Policies should be enforced 7

9. Board Membership Configuration • Mix of skills • Representation from needed parts of community • Size 8

10. New Board Member Characteristics (Checklist) • Passion for the mission • History of success • Ability to work as part of a team • Brings needed skill • Brings needed community contacts • No conflicts of interest 9

11. Process of Selecting New Board Members • Establish nominating committee • Indentify needed skills (skill matrix) • Identify needed community contacts • Develop rating sheet • Have committee members “rate” potential nominees • Choose targeted individuals • Meet with targeted individuals to “sell” board membership 10

12. Process of Selecting New Board Members (continued) • In first meeting with prospect • Explain organizational mission • Explain why they were chosen • Discuss organization’s successes, issues, and problems • Discuss expectations of board members 11

13. Process of Selecting New Board Members (continued) • In first meeting with prospect (continued) • Attendance • Committee assignments • Volunteer expectations • Financial contributions • Fund raising • Discuss requirements for continuing membership 12

14. Getting Off To A Good Start • Special new board member orientation • Reiterate why each new member is so important • Orientation notebook • Organizational mission • Data on services provided • Data on size of needed services • List of past accomplishments • Statement of goals and objectives • Financial statements 13

15. Getting Off To A Good Start (continued) • By-laws • Board member expectations • Policies regarding board membership • Schedule of future board meetings • Schedule of important organizational events • Special reception or lunch to welcome new members • Make assignments in the very beginning • Committees • Volunteer assignments • Other 14

16. Governance • Individual board members have no authority • Board, acting as a whole only, has authority • Use of committees: • Executive • Financial management • Programs • Fund raising • Planning • Audit 15

17. Board Meetings • Strictly business • Specific agenda – distributed ahead of time • Board materials – distributed ahead of time • Board chair needs to balance discussion time • Enough time to adequately discuss • Time wasting discussions should be limited • Limit discussions prior to a motion • If no motion, then move to next agenda item • If motion, encourage discussion 16

18. Board Meetings (continued) • Board meetings should be limited to about 1 ½ hours • My preference : Have all action items come through appropriate committee • If someone has a good idea, refer it to the appropriate committee 17

19. Frequency Of Meetings • Depends on organizational needs and role of board • If heavy use of committees, every other month or quarterly • If not heavy use of committees, monthly or six week intervals • Often enough to conduct meaningful business • Not so often as to waste members’ time 18

20. Dismissing Board Members • Most organizations do a horrible job • Should have clear policies governing continuing membership • Some dismissals can be automatic, e.g. attendance at meetings 19

21. Who Should Go? • Those who do not participate • Disruptive members • Those who do not meet other requirements 20

22. Keeping Board Members • Give members meaningful jobs that match their skills • Do not give assignments that are in conflict with their skills • Routinely recognize board members’ contributions 21

23. Term Limits • Usually a good idea • Avoids board member “burn-out” • Opportunity to expand community support for organization • Brings in new members with new ideas and enthusiasm • Two three year terms often used 22

24. Cultivating Past Board Members • Don’t forget past board members • Great supporters of organization if contact maintained • Most organizations make the mistake of losing contact with past board members • At least, an annual reception for both current and past board members 23

25. Summary • Required by statute • Great source of support and guidance • Can destroy an organization • Members must be motivated and managed • Disruptive and non-contributing members need to be removed • Membership needs to be carefully recruited • Expectations need to be laid out in the beginning 24

26. Summary • Meetings need to be skillfully managed • Former board members need to be cultivated 25