How To Move From
Bored to Board
Finding, Recruiting and Keeping the Right People.
Presenters
Davies and Associates
Joan A. Minasian, MA
Carol Smith Davies, MPA
Allison Hensleit, MBA
Your presenter today is Joan Minasian. Joan has 35 years of
experience in the nonprofit sector. Her expertise is in board
development and fund development. She holds a masters in
Leadership and Organizational Studies and is a Certified Board
Governance Trainer through BoardSource.
Housekeeping
Features we will be using during this seminar include:
• Chat (for questions or comments)
• Feedback (to provide feedback on a particular question)
• Raised Hand (to verbally ask a question/share an
example)
You will find the icons for these features on the bottom Participant
Page.
Indicates a Toolbox item. This information will be
available for use by attendees after the webinar.
Goals
To gain…
1. A basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities
of the board and how it relates to good governance.
2. The basic understanding of how good governance sets
the stage in the identification, recruitment and
retention of board members.
3. The knowledge and tools to assess the functionality of
your current board.
4. A basic understanding of the Board Building Cycle and
how to use it.
Introduction
Tradition has produced boards that spend more time
looking over their shoulder than over the horizon.”
-John Carver, 2008
Definition
gov·ern·ance
/ˈgʌvərnəns/ Show Spelled [guhv-er-nuhns] Show IPA
noun
1. government; exercise of authority; control.
2. a method or system of government or management.
Good Governance
The Internal Revenue Service suggests that “under the
rubric of ‘good governance’, is the development by each
organization of a system of internal controls that is
appropriate to the organization itself.”
Three Roles of the Board
• To establish organizational identity (mission) and
strategic direction.
• To ensure necessary resources (funds & leadership).
• To provide oversight (legal & fiduciary).
Ten Basic Responsibilities
of the Board
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Determine mission & purpose.
Select the chief executive.
Support & evaluation the chief executive.
Ensure effective planning.
Monitor & strengthen programs & services.
Ensure adequate financial resources.
Protect assets & provide financial oversight.
Build a competent board.
Ensure legal & ethical integrity.
Enhance the organization’s public standing.
Ten Basic Responsibilities of the Board
Feedback
Using the Feedback Button located on the right bottom of the
Participant Page, please respond to the following statement:
All members of my board clearly understand their roles,
responsibilities and commitments.
Feedback
Using the Feedback Button located on the right bottom of the
Participant Page, please respond to the following statement:
All members of my board are engaged and participate fully.
The Board Building Cycle
Identify
Rotate
Evaluate
Cultivate
Celebrate!
Educate
Recruit
Orient
Involve
Step 1: Identify
• IDENTIFY the needs of the board: the skills, knowledge,
perspectives, connections, etc. needed to implement the
strategic plan.
Annual Board Evaluation
Board Skills Analysis
Board Skills Analysis
Board
Member
1
INFLUENCE
WITH
Board
Member2
Board
Member 3
Board
Member
4
Prospective
Board
Member 1
Prospective
Board
Member 2
Prospective
Board
Member
TOTAL
Step 2: Cultivate
• CULTIVATE the sources of potential board members and
individuals with the desired characteristics.
Step 3: Recruit
• RECRUIT prospects.
Recruitment is a three-step process:
1. A general exploration of the prospect’s interest in
board service.
2. Elicit a possible commitment to serve if elected.
3. Nomination and election.
Board Job Descriptions
Board Commitment Form
Step 4: Orient
• ORIENT new board members both to the organization
and to the board.
Board Binder
Step 5: Involve
• INVOLVE all board members and hold them accountable.
Board Attendance Matrix
Step 6: Educate
• EDUCATE the board by providing information concerning
your mission area.
• Annually & ongoing at every board meeting.
Step 7: Evaluate
• EVALUATE the board as a whole, as well as individual
board members.
Annual Board Evaluation
Step 8: Rotate
• ROTATE board members. Establish term limits.
Board Terms Matrix
Step 9: Celebrate
• CELEBRATE victories and progress.
Feedback
I have a basic understanding of the roles and
responsibilities of the board and how it relates to good
governance.
Feedback
I have a basic understanding of how good
governance sets the stage in the identification,
recruitment and retention of board members.
Feedback
I have a basic understanding of the Board Building Cycle
and how to use it.
Feedback
I have basic knowledge and a tool to assess the
functionality of my current board.
Resources
• CAPLAW, Board Composition/Selection Best Practices Checklist.
• Office of Community Services, CSBG IM#82 Tripartite Boards
• www.boardsource.org
• “The Board Building Cycle: Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting, and
Engaging Nonprofit Board Members”, BoardSource, 2007.
• “The Leadership Roll of Nonprofit Boards”, J. Minasian, 2010
This presentation was created by California/Nevada Community Action Partnership in performance of the California Department of Community Services and
Development CSBG Discretionary Grant #13F-3122. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
Contact Information
Joan A. Minasian, minasian@comcast.net
Carol Davies, carolsmithdavies@comcast.net
Allison Hensleit, ahensleit@yahoo.com