Lets Talk Philanthropy Where Boards Go Astray and How to Get Them Back on

Track.Presented by:

Dr. Suzanne T. Allen Ph.D., President, Philanthropy OhioDani Robbins, Founder and Principal of Non Profit Evolution

Let’s Talk Philanthropy

Dr. Suzanne T. Allen Ph.D. President, Philanthropy Ohio

Let’s Talk Philanthropy

Dani RobbinsFounder and Principal

of Non Profit Evolution

Session Goals

• Dive deeper into ways to build a high functioning board

• Learn the most common ways boards become dysfunctional

• Set expectations for board members and reinforce those expectations with board evaluations and;

Common Board Issues

Unengaged Members

“I’m a Volunteer”

Lack of Understanding of their Role, the Board’s Role and the role of the CEO

Allowing the Unacceptable

I’m a Volunteer

How this happens:– Too much pressure for

board service– Expectations not clear

when asked to join the Board

– Time commitment not communicated

– Board members not trained to their role

Possible Solutions:– Job description – initial discussion,

orientation annual trainings

– expectations all include the need to “be prepared to meet as often as is necessary to complete the business of the board during the term of one’s service”

Lack of UnderstandingHow it happens How to address it:

– Have the right mix on board– Budget by activity– Funding a part of every new

idea discussion– Orientation to include

encouragement to speak up and never vote for something you do not support

– Robust discussion at Board meetings

– Encouragement to ask for more information

– In the absence of a formal plan to perpetuate and educate your board, you will be at the mercy of whoever proceeded you, at whatever agency your board members served previously

– Not all volunteers are created equal

– Lack of understanding of budget/financials

– Fear– Lack of information– Unwillingness to question

Allowing the Unacceptable

How this happens:– Don’t want to over step– Don’t know how to fulfill

role– Don’t understand what is

acceptable– Rubber stamp– Conflict avoidance– Fear

Possible Solutions:– Policy on acceptable practices– Define duties– Create an environment

conducive to discussion– Encouraging robust discussion– Orientation to include

discussion of disagreement and encouragement to not vote on motions with which members disagree

– Policies to remove problematic members

Unengaged Board Members

How this happens:• Executive Committee

or Management takes away all real thinking and responsibility

• Wrong people on the board

• No plan• Disorganized meetings• Strong Board

members get frustrated and quit

• Lack of clarity of authority

• And….I hate to say it…the CEO builds it that way

How to address it:– Eliminate the power

of the Executive Committee to vote in lieu of the full board

– Define duties and responsibility

– Training on the role of the board and the role of the CEO

– Strategic Plan– Clear assignments– Task mastery

Board Development :How to get where you want from where you are

Boardsource

Mission, Vision and Strategic Planning

Hire, Support and Evaluate Executive Director/CEO

Board Roles and Responsibilities

Fiduciary Responsible Agent

Policy Setting

Securing Resources/ Fund Raising, as applicable

Mission, Vision and Strategic Planning

• Strategic planning is a process by which the board, staff, and select constituents, decide the strategy for the future direction of an organization and allocate resources, including people, to ensure that target is reached.

• The mission statement answers why an organization exists.

• A vision is a description of what the organization will look like at a specified time in the future.

Hire, Support and Evaluate the CEO

• Hire for what your organization needs in a Leader

• Support, meet with, make introductions

• Annual Evaluations – often linked to strategic plan

• Succession Planning

Fiduciary Responsible Agent• Read, understand and approve

the financials

• Review, understand and approve the audit, as appropriate

• Review and sign the 990

• Understand how the programs tie to the mission and the number of people served in those programs as well as the program's impact

Policy Setting

• Personnel

• Financial

• Whistle blower, Ethics/Conflict of interest

• Others relevant to field or community

Securing Resources/Fund Raising

When serving on the board of an agency that raises contributed income:

The Committee is responsible for creating and executing a plan to raise money.

The full Board is responsible for introducing their network to the organization, attending events, financially supporting the organization and encouraging other to do as well.

Expectations of Board Members• Attend at least 75% of

Board Meetings

• Serve on at least one Committee

• Represent Organization in the community at large

• Set and uphold policies, procedures and ethical standards of organization

• Attend events and encourage others to do so

• Give a personally significant financial gift

• Solicit additional gifts

• Introduce Organization to Board member’s circle of influence

• Work for the betterment of Organization

Identification Options• What skill sets do you need?

• How diverse is your Board?

• How high profile is your Board?

• Who is in your pool of candidates?

• Are there community leaders you would love to have in a perfect world? How can you start cultivating those people?

• Matrix mapping to insure diversity of thought

• Additional options?

Matrix Mapping

OccupationProfessional ExperienceSocial Network

Skills SetNetworkAbilityExperience

RaceReligionGenderAge

Evaluation• Evaluation is a developmental process, not a

report card. • The Board Development Committee is

responsible for giving the individual board members and the entire board opportunities for evaluation and reflection.

• Options:– Self Evaluations against Expectations– Committee individually evaluates members

against Expectations

– May lead to removal of Board members

RecognitionBoard members should be treated like donors… plus!

Nomination for local awards- AFP, Chamber, Community Foundation

Articles in newsletter, local paper, etc.

Move your Board forward• Talk with your Board about what they want, about why they joined,

and what they hoped to get out of their service.

• Call a retreat.

• Take a survey.

• Add some impact stories to the agenda. • Have a Strategic Planning Strategy session and then continue to talk

strategy throughout the year.

• Present a environmental scan and discuss how it will impact your clients, not just your agency, but your clients.

• Introduce some generative discussions at board meetings.

Take 3 minutes and write down 3 things you can do to move your Board

From: where it isTo: where you’d like it to be

Thank you for attending!Stay tuned for:

• High Impact Corporate Community Involvement– Webinar: June 17 at 9am

• Demystifying Funder Transparency, Focusing on Communicating Well– Webinar: June 25 at 12pm

• Financial Administration Excellence Course for Community Foundations– Aug 20th Detroit, MI

• Philanthropy Ohio’s Summer Institute– The Blackwell Center @ The Ohio State

University on July 9th, 2014

2 Summer Institute Sessions with BoardSource®

• Improve your board chair-CEO relationship

• Better identify and engage board members

• Learn how to orchestrate strategic-level change

• Put governing more, managing less, into practice

• Huge savings vs. private BoardSource® session

Member Rate: $250 philanthropyohio.org/summerinstitute

Facebook.com/philanthropyohio

Twitter.com/philanthropyOH (#OHphilTalks)

Linkedin.com/company/philanthropyohio

Connect with us!

philanthropyohio.org