USRA board recruitmentretentionmay2014

Retaining the best board members begins with healthy recruitment, which is a big challenge for most organizations. How can you find the right board members? How many board members do you really need? How can you recruit the best “new blood” onto your board? Once you’ve got great board members how do you keep them? Learn about great retention practices to keep the board leaders you’ve worked so hard to recruit including tools for running effective meetings and understanding essential board responsibilities. From the outstanding board member to the challenging board member, learn strategies that will attract and retain fantastic leaders.

1. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
BOARD
RECRUITMENT &
RETENTION
THAT ROCKS!
Emily Davis, MNM, CGT
Emily Davis Consulting
May 5
th
, 2014

2. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
① Your name
② Organization & role
③ 1 challenge re:
recruitment &
retention
LET’S GET STARTED…

30 SECOND CHALLENGE!

3. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership

4. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
• Unclear expectations
• Lack of commitment
• Low engagement
• Work load issues
• Under valued
• Under utilized

5. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
• Commit adequate
resources
• Adopt a mutually-
beneficial mindset
• Conduct assessments
• Provide regular and
appropriate recognition

6. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
BOARD CULTURE
• How would someone new
experience your board
culture?
• What do you want your
board culture to be?
• How can you model great
leadership?
• Do others inside and
outside of the
organization see great
leadership?

7. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
RECRUITMENT PLAN
Preparation
• Job descriptions
• Letter of commitment
• Board assessment
• Prospect lists
• Language (application,
invitations)
• Point person
• Outreach efforts
Application
• Prep application
• Deadlines
• Call to action
• Notification
• Meeting invite
• Board buddies
• Decision making

8. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
BOARD ASSESSMENTS
• Skills & expertise
• Demographics – age,
ethnicity, gender
• Networks
• Wealth & access to wealth
• Relationship to mission

9. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
APPLICATION ELEMENTS
• Contact info
• Professional role(s)
• Education
• Nonprofit experiences
• Skills, background, expertise
• Interest in the org
• Leadership role(s)
• Committee interests
• Board leadership knowledge
• Motivation(s) for joining

10. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
REACH OUT
• Current & past board
members’ networks
• Staff
• Volunteers
• Donors
• Individual, corporate, &
private donors
• Government officials
• Foundations

11. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
INTERVIEWS
• Prepare consistent questions
• Interview in teams of two
• Education about organization
• Dialogue to determine fit
• Identify any conflicts of interest
• Answer candidates’ questions
• Follow up on application
• Confirm commitment (time,
treasure, talent)
• Explain next steps

12. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
CANDIDATE DUE DILIGENCE
• Match candidate with
assessment
• Discuss with board
development committee /
entire board
• Learn about work ethic, past
work
• Trust your gut!
• Invite final candidate(s) to a
board meeting.
• Seek complete board approval

13. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
NOTIFICATION
• What language will you
use for notification?
• How will you notify
declined candidates?
• How will you notify
recommended
candidates?
• Explain next steps

14. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
EVALUATION
• Feedback from board
candidates
• Debrief among entire
board
• Debrief in board
development committee
• Make necessary
revisions /
improvements

15. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership

16. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
GREAT RETENTION =
GREAT ORIENTATION
•  Overview & History
•  Philosophy & Values
•  Programs & Resources
•  Fundraising Overview
•  Board Structure & Resources
– Description & Expectations
– Communications
– Board manual
•  Letter of commitment
•  Committees
•  Board Buddies

17. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
10 BASIC BOARD
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Determine mission &
purpose
2. Select the chief executive
3. Support & evaluate the chief
executive
4. Ensure effective planning
5. Monitor & strengthen
programs & services
6. Ensure adequate financial
resources
7. Protect assets & provide
financial oversight
8. Build a competent board
9. Ensure legal & ethical
integrity
10. Enhance the organization’s
public standing

18. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Set Organizational Direction

2. Provide Oversight

3. Ensure Necessary Resources

19. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
Legal Hat
Ambassador
Hat
Volunteer
Hat
HATS WE WEAR

20. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
Board
Leads
Shares values thru policies
that put mission into action
Hires, supports, assesses ED
Opens funding resources in
community
Oversees financial due
diligence
Recruits & retains new board
members
ED Leads
Develops/ Proposes policy
questions
Hires, supervises, motivates
staff
Develops & implements
programs
Shared
Leadership
Strategic plan
Fundraising plan &
strategies
Evaluations
Prep board meetings
SHARED LEADERSHIP

21. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
EFFECTIVE MEETINGS
• Time to socialize – have fun!
• Mission moments
• Board reports & consent agendas
• Rotating responsibilities
• Financial & volunteer accountability
• Follow up action plans
• Minutes distributed within one week
• Remote meetings (with guidelines)
• Always snacks, food!

22. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
BOARD REPORTS
• Keep focus on
governance
• Save meeting time
• Share planning
responsibilities
• Committee and project
reports one week in
advance
• Committee name &
month
• Necessary votes, board
discussion items
• Goal progress related to
strategic plan
• Summary of meeting
discussion
• Timeline & important
dates
• Next meeting

23. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
• Roberta’s Rules
• Mission moment
• Facilitation, time keeper
• Minutes
• Devil’s advocate
• Other?

24. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Critical for success
• In-services or required professional development
• Hire outside facilitator
• Examples:
o Financial management
o Communications
o Fundraising
o Leadership

25. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
• Improve the overall quality
of board service &
experience
• Recruitment process
• Professional development
• Manage strategic planning
• Organize social activities
• Evaluate

26. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
RECOGNITION
• Share successes
• Connect successes to
board efforts
• Highlight individual
board member
accomplishments
• Proper recognition at
term’s end
• Stay connected

27. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
RESOURCES
• BoardSource
• 4Good
• David LaPiana
• The Policy Governance
Model (Carver)
• Council of Nonprofits
• Roberta’s Rules of Order
• A Fundraising Guide for
Nonprofit Board Members
• Nonprofit Board Answer
Book
• Creating Caring and
Capable Boards
• 10 Basic Responsibilities of
Nonprofit Boards
• The Board Building Cycle
• The Nonprofit Policy
Sampler

28. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership

29. /AskEmilyD /emilydavisconsulting
#nonprofit
#governance
#leadership
Emily Davis, MNM
Emily Davis Consulting
[phone]
[email protected]
emilydavisconsulting.com
emilydavisconsulting.com/blog