1. ORA’s Governance Model
An Environment to Support Future Growth
Presented at the 2017 AGM and Conference
John Voss, President

2. The Ontario Ringette Association
The largest Ringette association in the World
More than 12,000 registered participants
70 local associations
Budget approaching $1 million

3. The Ontario Ringette Association
The largest Ringette association in the World
More than 12,000 registered participants – but not growing
70 local associations – some growing, but some disappearing
Budget approaching $1 million – often not fully spent

4. The Challenge ORA needs to manage:
An effective marketing and promotion campaign
Well run athlete development programs with skilled coaches
Effective organization of programs and events
Appropriate risk management
Accountability and fiscal responsibility
It’s amateur sport but participants will not accept an “amateur” program

5. The Challenge
Association: “Groups of individuals who enter voluntarily into a collaboration or agreement to accomplish a purpose”
The ORA is largely dependent on volunteer resources to plan, develop and implement these programs and conduct these operations
This dependence on volunteers means the ORA cannot reliably access the type of expertise or the quantity it needs to support change or growth

6. Officiating Development
Current Structure
Board of Directors VP
Communications
Past
President
President
VP Finance 6
Regional
Directors VP
Administration
Athlete
Representative VP
Technical
Executive Director
Games & Tournaments
Membership Services
Adult Development
Coaching Development
Elite Development
Sport Development
Officiating Development
Technical Director
Administrator
= Executive responsibilities

7. Reliance on Volunteers
Dependent on who is willing to step forward
No certainty that the volunteers available will bring the technical or functional skills required for the task at hand
Well-intentioned volunteers simply “do the best they can”
Volunteers work on ORA business in their spare time
Tasks requiring many hours end up spread over weeks of elapsed time
Collaborative projects proceed at the pace of the least available member
Volunteers tend to focus on personal passions
Volunteers have a limited career, often with no succession planning
Volunteerism is in decline

8. The Solution

9. The “Ringette Ontario” model
Move beyond an “association” to a model that enables us to build the resources and capabilities we need to succeed
Move functional responsibilities from the volunteer executive board members to specialist staff members
Equip the Board of Directors to fulfill a governance or policy role, not an operational role
Designate the Executive Director to be the Chief Executive of the organization.

10. A Corporate Governance Structure
Board of Directors
Executive Director (CEO)
- marketing, promotion, sponsorship, communications
Director, Administration
- budgets and expenses, administration of policies and programs
Technical Director
- development of athletes, coaches, officials
Admin support
Coach Development
Elite Development
Sport Development
Officiating Development
Games & Tournaments
Membership Services
Adult Development

11. A Governance Board
The Board is responsible for Direction and Control, not for management or operations
“Nose in, fingers out”
Board holds the Executive Director responsible for operating within policy to achieve the organization’s goals
Executive Director oversees the staff
Breadth of experience on the Board will be more important than deep Ringette experience

12. The Executive Director
The Chief Executive Officer of the organization
Responsible for seeing that programs and activities are implemented to achieve the goals and objectives established in agreement with the Board
Growth targets, member satisfaction levels, specific events and programs
Responsible for recruiting and managing other staff in compliance with budgets and plans approved by the Board
Mike Beaton retirement planned for June 2018
New ED recruitment targeted for end of 2017

13. The Program Committees
Source of rich Ringette knowledge and experience
Resource to the staff member who has the related functional responsibilities
Can help to provide recommendations on policy and on program design
Regional co-ordinators will continue to have a role in program delivery at the local association level

14. Can we afford it?
Costs likely amount to less than $10 per member in Year 5
Cost per member would be lower if the new model and marketing initiatives help to increase membership
Transition costs
Executive search costs for ED recruitment
Period of overlap in ED transition
Potential staff costs related to search for functional specialists and transition
Legal costs related to change in corporate by-laws
Some reserve funds available to offset these costs

15. The Transition Pathway
Will not be a straight line!
Broaden Board eligibility
Job description and ED search
Board and new ED develop staffing and transition plan
Board and new ED work with legal advisors to revise by-laws, etc.

16. The Ringette Ontario model
We are blessed by the passion and commitment of our volunteers
Volunteers cannot take us to where the largest Ringette organization in the world needs to go
We need to harness specific functional expertise to become the BEST Ringette organization in the world
Ringette Canada, most other provincial Ringette organizations and many other PSO’s have already adopted this model
The transition is feasible and affordable
The ideal time is now

17. Your thoughts?