1. YWCA's of the Great Lakes Alliance Region Increasing Board Accountability July 26, 2012

2. Our Mission Demands Board Accountability for Performance

3. Increasing personal accountability is probably the most effective way to enhance the performance of board members James E. Klusman

5. Critical Board Issues The Board’s Role in . . .
Alliances, partnerships and strategic restructuring
Board and staff leadership succession planning
Assuring financial sustainability
Advocacy and public policy work
Strong Foundation Fearless Future

6. Six Practices Setting clear expectations and standards
Actively using policies regarding conflicts of interests,
Identifying and focusing on priorities
Maintaining strong communications with constituency groups,
Conducting assessments of meetings and board performance,
Experimenting with new approaches to getting the board's work done.

7. Governance Committee
Continuous focus on identifying, preparing and recruiting future board leaders.
Plan board education including new member orientation, ongoing training and board retreats.
Assess board, chair, individual directors, and board meetings.
Annually review governance practices and recommend changes.

8. #1 Setting Clear Expectations and Standards

9. Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities
Clarity re: management and governance.
Written individual board and committee descriptions that are current.
Maintain clarity re: board policy and oversight functions.
Ensure that current job description is in place for the President/Executive Director.

10. Board Job Description Attend all regular board meetings.
Serve as an active committee member.
Support fundraising activities.
Prepare in advance for board policy and decision-making.
Attend the annual board planning retreat.

11. Responsibility Matrix
Board Of Directors
President/
Executive Director
Finance and Accounting
Approves annual budget.
Reviews periodic financial reports (balance sheet, income statement, changes in financial position).
Ensures that proper internal controls are in place.
Prepares annual budget with input from finance committee
Oversees preparation of periodic financial reports.
Implements proper financial controls.

12. A Key Question
What are the consequences when a board member doesn’t meet expectations?

13. #2 Actively Using Policies Regarding Conflicts of Interests

14. Duty Of Loyalty
The duty of loyalty requires that board directors act in a manner that does not cause harm to the organization and requires directors to avoid leveraging their position to obtain improper personal benefit. In other words, board directors cannot put personal interests above the interests of the organization.

15. Conflict of Interest Policy
Written board approved policy
Require those with a conflict to disclose the conflict/potential conflict, and (b)
Prohibit interested board members from voting on matters that gives rise to conflict
Board minutes record
From 990 reporting
Circulate annual “conflict disclosure questionnaire”

16. #3 Identifying and Focusing on Priorities
It Starts with the Strategic Plan

17. The Board’s Role Strategic Plan
Major architects of the strategic plan
Fully engaged in the process  ownership
Structure the board’s work around advancing the strategic priorities
Align measureable committee goals with strategic plan
Progress reports at board meetings

18. Organizational Dashboards
Up-to-date information on key success factors
Maintain board focus on priorities
Increase effectiveness of decision-making
Corrective action taken before - a crisis erupts

19. Total Cumulative Costs
Average Unit Costs Compared to Target Unit Costs

20. “Can we cover our current obligations?”

21. Key Board Performance Indicators
Status
Actual
Goal
Key
Attendance at Board meetings
80% 
90% 
Green %
Yellow %
Red %
Participation in committees, work groups, task forces
70%
90%
Board meeting time devoted to strategy and generative issues
75%
Green %
Yellow %
Red <50%
Board action follow-up completed
80%
Green %
Yellow %
Red <60%
Percent of Board member giving
100%
Green %
Yellow %
Red <95%
Board member participation in annual giving
Yellow %
Red <80%

22. Board Fundraising
This organizational dashboard displays information about board performance in the area of board member contributions.
We can assume that in the job description for board members of this nonprofit there is a stated expectation that each board member makes an annual contribution.
USE POINTER
In this example the annual goal for Collective board member giving is $6000. Rising dollar amounts are displayed on the right side of the graph. On the left side the number of board members. Along the bottom the months in which this board meets. The blue bars show the number of board members who have made their personal contribution month by month.
This dashboard will help the board president know when to make phone calls to remind board members to make their contributions.
There is more information on organizational dashboards on page 16 of your print packet
PAUSE

23. New Thinking About Meetings
Traditional Approach
Board meetings emphasize transmission of information and reports
Same agenda structure
Focus on the past and present
New Approach
Emphasis on participation and action
Meetings are outcome driven
Use meeting for strategic and generative thinking
Consent agendas
Focus on the future

24. Board Calendar Clarify aspects of board’s responsibilities
Legal, financial and other obligations
Objective tool for keeping board on track
Informs the agenda for meetings

25. Board Calendar Items 990 Filing Audit Budget approval
Strategic plan review
Conflict of interest review
Bylaws and policies review
Board self assessment
YWCA Peer Review, other important responsibilities
Fundraising registration
Chief Executive performance evaluation

26. #4 Maintaining Strong Communications with Constituency Groups
Staying in Touch with the Changing Needs of Customers

27. Staying in Touch
Create opportunities for board members to "meet the customer.“
Tap staff experience and knowledge of clients to deepen the board's understanding of emerging community needs
Establish a strategic marketing information system to supply data to enhance its governing role

28. #5 Conducting Assessments Of Meetings and Board Performance

29. Why Board Assessment? Board self awareness
Strengthen board performance and accountability
Improved organizational effectiveness

30. Benefits of Assessment
Increase the board’s understanding of its purpose, roles, responsibilities
Promote accountability
Identify areas that need attention
Establish board values and set standards
Improve board recruitment
Encourage board “self-selection”

31. Board Assessment
Periodic assessment of board member and committee performance.
Board meeting feedback form.
Board follow-through.
Relate findings to board nominations process.

32. #6 Experimenting with New Approaches to Getting the Board's Work Done

33. 3 Modes of Governance Fiduciary Mode -- key questions
"How are we doing to date?"
“Are we in compliance?”
Strategic Mode -- key questions
"What should we be doing?”
"Where are we going?"
Generative Mode -- key questions
“What are the new possibilities?”
“What’s coming next?”

34. Board Committees As Powerful Engines of Governance
Doug Eadie

35. Committee Effectiveness
Committee participation as an expectation
Help the board do its governance work
Structure and work aligned with strategic plan
“The fewer standing committees the better”
Use of task forces and workgroups
Assign strategic thinking responsibilities

36. Committee Tools Committee accountability linked to strategic plan
Foremost critical issues worksheet
Critical issue briefing papers
Other planning approaches

37. Committee Report Format
Strategies Assigned to Committee
2012 Objective
Quarterly Committee Progress/Results
EXAMPLE: Generate more revenue from special events
EXAMPLE: The Fund Development Committee will generate at least $285,000 net from not more than 3 special events by December 31, 2012.
Annual Dinner in May raised $135,000 net.

38. Critical Issue Briefs Opportunities and threats for the YWCA
How others are responding
What major choices, decisions and/or shifts in direction does this issue challenge us to consider?
How can we increase organizational effectiveness and mission impact through new strategic partnerships?

39. Foremost Issues Worksheet
Foremost strategic issues and challenges that the organization will need to address over the 1-3 years
What roles would be appropriate for the board to play in addressing each issue listed in Column 1?
Clarify the board's need for information and education re: this issue. (To make good decisions in response to this issue, what will the board need to know and be able to do?)
What resources can the Board access to help address this issue?

41. Sharing What Has Worked for You

42. Board and Committee Action Plans
What Change or Practice
By When
Who Responsible
Evaluation Measure

43. Resources GLA Board Assessment Tool
Visionary Board Leadership Assessment
Resource Bibliography

44. GLA Governance Series
August 23 - Executive Evaluation and Compensation
Sept ember 27 - Effective Board Committees
October 25 - Developing an Effective Board-Executive Director/CEO Partnership

45. GLA Board Assessment Tool
To get the most out of the 2012 Governance Series, complete the new GLA Board Assessment Tool.

46. Complete the Evaluation

47. GLA Capacity Building Consultant
Contact Us
Frank Martinelli,
GLA Capacity Building Consultant