1. National Diaper Bank Network Vicki Clark, Building the Capacity of Organizations Memphis, TN

2. 1. What is the mission? 2. Who is the customer? 3. What does the customer value? 4. What are our results? 5. What is the plan?

3.  From Greek word “kebernon,” to steer  To govern is to steer, to control, and to influence from a position of authority  Governance deals with the legitimate distribution of authority throughout a system – whether a country or an organization

4. Logic Model

5. Good Success Stewardship Great Significance Exceptional Leadership Context …

6. Dysfunctional Functional Responsible Exceptional dramatic disengagement, conflict of no real consequence compliant anticipates, plans, sees opportunities

7. 1. Determine the organization’s mission and purpose. A statement of mission and purpose should articulate the organization’s goals, means, and primary constituents served. It is the board’s responsibility to create the mission statement and review it periodically for accuracy and validity. Each individual board member should fully understand and support it. 2. Select the chief executive. Boards much reach consensus on the chief executive’s job and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position. 3. Provide proper financial oversight. The board, in order to remain accountable to its donors and the public, and to safeguard its tax- exempt status, must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.

8. 4. Ensure adequate funding. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to provide adequate funding for the organization to fulfill its mission. The board should work in partnership with the chief executive and development staff, if any, to raise funds from the community. 5. Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability. The board is ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to legal standards and ethical norms. Solid personnel policies, grievance procedures, and a clear delegation to the chief executive of hiring and managing employees will help ensure proper decorum in this area. The board must establish pertinent policies and adhere to provisions of the organization’s bylaws and articles of incorporation. 6. Ensure effective organizational planning. As stewards of the organization, boards must actively participate with the staff in an overall planning process and assist in implementing the plan’s goals.

9. 7. Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance. All boards have a responsibility to articulate and make known their needs in terms of member experience, skills, and many other considerations that define a balanced board composition. Boards must also orient new members to their responsibilities and the organization’s history, needs, and challenges. By evaluating its performance in fulfilling its responsibilities, the board can recognize its achievements and reach consensus on which areas need to be improved. 8. Enhance the organization’s public standing. An organization’s primary link to the community, including constituents, the public, and the media, is the board. Clearly articulating the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public, as well as garnering support from important members of the community, are important elements of a comprehensive public relations strategy. 9. Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization’s programs and services. The board’s role in this area is to determine which programs are the most consistent with the organization’s mission and to monitor their effectiveness. 10. Support the chief executive and assess his or her performance. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization. The chief executive, in partnership with the entire board, should decide upon a periodic evaluation of performance.

10. 1. The leadership challenge 2. Technology/Online Giving 3. Owning our costs 4. What is a “Nonprofit” new structures 5. The upward spiral of need 6. Advancing missions through advocacy 7. Increased scrutiny 8. Transparency about outcomes 9. Data driven environment 10. The resource squeeze

11. Being expected to govern not manage Smaller Boards Open Board recruitment Transparency in all matters Clarity about roles/responsibilities Varied means of communication More effective committee work/ad hoc teams Meeting less often as a “Board of the whole”. Having sufficient insurance/risk management plan Formal Board orientation Formal Board assessment Focusing on the life, expectations, accomplishments of the Board, as well as the agency Increasing diversity of members

12.  Clear call for leadership  Implications of changing demographics  Sustainability is critical

13.  Composition: From personal connections to strategic diversity  Orientation: From informal to formal  Education: Mission-related issues, as well as board responsibilities  Evaluation: Accountability at all levels  Leadership: More intentional preparation for leadership succession

14.  Movement away from a “one-size-fits-all” view of nonprofit governance  This does not mean that “anything goes”  Focus on simplicity and strategic structures

15.  Size: Whatever is needed to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making  Average board size = 16 voting members  Generally want the board to be big enough to incorporate a diversity of perspectives and small enough to facilitate both active participation and effective decision making

16. Sweet Spot = 15 to 22  More effective  More policies in place  Attendance matters  Better governance practices

17.  Term limits and regular infusion of “new blood”  No automatic re-election  Using non-board members on committees and advisory councils  CEO as non-voting member of the board

18. Boards have average of 5.4 committees 27% have an Advisory Council

19.  Promotes and provides education about the organization, field, and governance  Assesses the organization’s governance needs  Identifies, nominates, and orients new members  Conducts board self-assessment  Organizes the annual board retreat

20. Nominating  Short-term  Narrow focus ◦ Elections ◦ Officers  Self-contained Governance  Ongoing  Holistic focus ◦ Composition ◦ Policies and Practices  Involves others

21. Generative Fiduciary Strategic Governance as Leadership The Governance Triangle Note: A “culture of inquiry” cuts across all three

22. Board’s core work: Ensure legal compliance Ensure fiscal accountability Conserve organization’s resources, public stewardship for assets of the foundation Evaluate process, hold leadership accountable Oversee operations Monitor results

23. Identify Cultivate Recruit Orient Involve Educate Evaluate Rotate Celebrate!

24.  Skills, knowledge, perspectives, and connections, etc., needed to implement strategic plan  Board needs assessment ◦ What expertise do you have? ◦ What is missing?  Identify sources of board members with the desired characteristics

25.  No board member wants to fill a quota ◦ Identifying needs will help focus skills, knowledge, and representation  No one is able to represent an entire subsection of the population  Treat each board member equally and expect the same from everyone

26.  Ethnic Representation ◦ 86% are White (excluding Hispanic) ◦ 7% Black/African America ◦ 3% Hispanic/Latino ◦ 2% Asian ◦ 1% Two or more races ◦ 1% American Indian/Native Alaskan ◦ 0.30% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

27.  Age Representation ◦ 2% under 30 ◦ 36% between 30-49 ◦ 49% between ages of 50-64 ◦ 13% 65 or older

28. Making the Case for Inclusiveness  Definitions  Why Cultural Competency and Diversity Matter

29. …the willingness and ability to value differences and be responsive to diversity at all levels of an organization, i.e., policy, governance, administrative, workforce, provider, consumer/client. Cultural Competency

30.  Gender  Age  Religion  Sexual orientation  Race/ethnicity  Language  Socio-economic status  Legal status  Disability  Geographic base  Political viewpoint Diversity

31. …the involvement of diverse individuals and the incorporation of diverse perspectives, needs, contributions, and viewpoints. These organizations are diverse at all levels.

32.  Board members often recruit members from their own circles of influence  Preference for a “C-Suite” or corporate officer type profile on the board  Skepticism about the need to have younger generations on boards  Uncertainty of where to find younger board members  Concerns of isolation

33.  1925-1945: Silent Generation  1946-1964: Baby Boomers  1965-1980: Generation X  1981-2001: Generation Y (aka Millenials/Gen@/Nexters)

34. Generational Key Points No generation is a single homogenous entity Sensitive to age perceptions Sophisticated consumers – want choices Time is a valued and scarce commodity Motivated to volunteer for different reasons

35.  Often retired with time to volunteer  History of the organization and community  Contacts and connections  Professional and personal experiences

36.  Already volunteering at highest rate in the country  Have resources they can contribute as they begin to retire  Possess many skills and professional training  Want to leave a legacy

37.  Access to new networks and donors  Fresh perspective on old problems  Results-oriented thinking  Passion for the mission

38.  Language is important  Challenge with meaningful, interesting work with a beginning and an end  Make recognition fun and meaningful  Create a Generational Task Force  Others

39. 1. Do we have a good age diversity and representation on our board? How can we do better? 2. How can we keep the pipeline of younger potential board members full? Who do we need to be in touch with – high schools, colleges, military organizations, church youth groups? 3. What can be done to accommodate our older board members as well as our young ones? How can we give both a sense of community? 4. What about mentoring on the board (in all directions)? (Adapted from Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for your Nonprofit by Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Fieldstone Alliance, 2007)

40. Three Strategies for Building an Inclusive Board 1.Communicate  Facilitate Discussions  Appoint a Task Force  Develop Your Case Statement 2.Assess  Organizational & Board Culture  Board Needs 3.Commit  Assign Roles & Responsibilities  Measure Results

41.  Openly recruit for Board members with needed characteristics  Find ways to connect with those candidates  Get them interested in your organization, and keep them informed of your progress

42.  Describe why a prospective board member is wanted and needed  Explain expectations and responsibilities of board members, and don’t minimize requirements  Invite questions, elicit their interest, and find out if they would be prepared to serve

43. To the organization:  Issue/Mission  History  Programs  Pressing issues  Finances  Facilities  Structure (organization chart) To the board:  Committee structure  Board member responsibilities  List of board members and key staff  Bylaws  Recent minutes

44. Tips  Be honest, but don’t overwhelm  Include full board  Make room for team building  Follow up with individuals Tools  Orientation meeting  Board portal/materials  Site visit/facilities tour

45.  Discover board member interests and availability.  Involve them in committees or task forces.  Assign them a board “buddy.”  Solicit feedback.  Hold everyone accountable.  Express appreciation.

46.  Provide information concerning your mission area and services.  Promote exploration of issues facing the organization.  Hold retreats and encourage board development activities by sending board members to seminars and workshops.  Don’t hide difficulties.

47.  Evaluate the board as a whole, as well as individual board members.  Examine how the board and chief executive work as a team.  Engage the board in assessing its own performance.  Identify ways in which to improve.  Encourage individual self-assessment.

48.  Rotate board members.  Establish term limits (and enforce them!).  Do not automatically re-elect for an additional term; consider the board’s needs and the board member’s performance.  Explore the advisability of resigning with members who are not active.  Develop new leadership.

49.  Recognize victories and progress – there are no small victories.  Celebrate accomplishments.  Appreciate individual contributions – to the board, the organization, and the community.  Make room for humor and a good laugh.

50.  Do we have the right leaders in place to lead us into tomorrow?  Do we have a governance structure in place that allows the board to function effectively?  Are we talking about the right things/the issues of greatest importance?  Do we have a culture in our boardroom that welcomes diversity and new perspectives?

51. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.” Dolly Parton