1. Best Practices of High Performing Nonprofit Boards
Prepared for:
Association of Fundraising Professionals

2. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Peter Drucker suggests all nonprofit boards remind themselves:
“Membership on this board is not power, it is responsibility Board membership means responsibility not just to the organization but to the board itself, to the staff, and to the institution’s mission.”

3. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
To whom is the board responsible?
What are the board’s responsibilities?
What qualities are needed on a high-performing nonprofit board?
How does an effective board operate?
How does a board assess its value?

4. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
To whom is the board legally responsible?
Who determines what is in the public’s interest?

5. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
What are the board’s responsibilities?
The organization’s mission
Ensuring, developing and conserving the organization’s resources
Management oversight and organization assessment
Outreach - a bridge and buffer between organization and its stakeholders

6. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
What qualities make up a high performing nonprofit board?
Wisdom
Work
Wealth

7. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Wisdom
Knowledge of mission
Knowledge of organization’s value to the larger community
Perspective reached through experience with similar organizations and issues

8. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Work
Motivation to apply oneself to the tasks required to achieve the mission
Skills needed to competently complete the tasks required to achieve the mission

9. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Wealth
Ability to give or get money for the organization’s mission
Motivation to give or get money for the organization’s mission

10. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Essentials for Effective Boards:
Climate of trust and candor
Good meeting management practices
Recognition of Chief Executive’s role
Documentation of board’s and board member’s roles and responsibilities
Pays attention to talent needs and composition
Encourages its own development
Assesses its own effectiveness

11. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Assesses its own effectiveness:
Why does board matter beyond its legal and symbolic functions?
What is working well?
What needs attention or improvement?
What performance measures demonstrate improved board performance or effectiveness?
What can we do to improve the board’s performance and effectiveness?

12. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Essentials for Effective Boards:
Climate of trust and candor
Good meeting management practices
Recognition of Chief Executive’s role
Documentation of board’s and board member’s roles and responsibilities
Pays attention to talent needs and composition
Encourages its own development
Assesses its own effectiveness
Prepares its staff and volunteer leaders for their roles

13. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Summary:
Nonprofit boards are responsible to: ________________________________
Nonprofit boards are responsible for:
________________________________
Boards should be made up of people with:

14. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Summary—Essential Practices of Effective Boards (cont’d.):
Climate of trust and candor
Good meeting management practices
Recognize chief exec’s role
Know board and board member’s roles and responsibilities
Attentive to talent needs and board composition
Encourage their own effectiveness
Prepare staff & volunteer leaders for their roles

15. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Peter Drucker suggests all nonprofit boards remind themselves:
“Membership on this board is not power, it is responsibility Board membership means responsibility not just to the organization but to the board itself, to the staff, and to the institution’s mission.”

16. Board Assessment from Nonprofit Best Practices
Function
Good/No Problem
Could Be Better
1. Define and advance the organization’s mission, and regularly evaluate the organization’s programs and activities within the context of its mission.
2. Ensure that adequate financial resources are secured to support the organization.
3. Ensure that the organization’s current revenues are stable, and encourage the cultivation of sources of revenue that are sustainable for the long term.
4. Provide financial oversight by ensuring that income is managed properly and that financial statements are accurate, intelligible, comprehensive, and timely to reflect the true financial condition of the organization and key financial transactions.
5. Select, support, develop and regularly review the performance of the chief executive officer consistent with the prior expressed expectations articulated by the board.
6. Ensure effective organizational planning by participating with the staff in an on-going overall planning process that produces clear, measurable and attainable goals for the organization.
7. Monitor the organization’s performance and its progress against the established goals.
8. Recruit, orient and develop a board of directors that seeks to contribute to the organization’s mission beyond its legal and symbolic purposes, and is willing to evaluate its own performance.
9. Enhance the organization’s public standing through its transparency, integrity and accountability.
10. Engage in public outreach on behalf of the organization by interpreting the needs of the community to the organization, promoting the needs and services of the organization to its stakeholders, and promoting the organization to donors and potential donors.

17. Individual Board Member Self Assessment
Work & Wisdom
Available Points
Points
Comments
1. Meeting attendance (1 pt./meeting) 6
2. Participation in/attendance at XYZ activities, i.e. Annual Dinner, new program launch, etc (1 pt./activity)
Unlimited
3. Serve on and actively engage in the deliberations and activities of a XYZ working committee (1 pt./committee)
4. Chair a XYZ committee or special initiative
(2 pts./leadership activity)
Wealth
5. Personal or company gift to XYZ (2 pts./$1,000 given)
6. Assistance with setting up or making a development call with XYZ staff (1 pt./call)
7. Contribution to XYZ as a result of board members assistance (2 pts./$1,000 given)
8. Provide in-kind Professional Services (1 pt./service provided)
Total

18. Individual Board Member Self Assessment
Establish a point system to annually evaluate individual board member’s level of engagement.
Each member is to complete the self-evaluation before each cycle of the Governance/Nominating Committee activity.
Completion and submission of the self-evaluation is required in order to remain a member in good standing of the board.
The Nominating Committee Chairman will review the self-evaluations and talk with any members who have not obtained at least X points during the previous year to determine if the individual wants to continue serving on the Board.
Board members are encouraged to obtain at least X performance points in line with the evaluation criteria.
Board members earning X points or more more will be recognized annually.
Anticipating extraordinary personal or professional circumstances, a member may request “in-active status” in writing and be excused from the expectations outlined.
The Nominating Committee should annually review the expectations and system and make adjustments, as required.

19. Individual Board Member Self Assessment
Work & Wisdom
Available Points
Average
Mean
1. Meeting attendance (1 pt./meeting) 6
3.8 3
2. Participation in/attendance at XYZ activities, i.e. Annual Dinner, new program launch etc (1 pt./activity)
Unlimited
2.5
3. Serve on and actively engage in the deliberations and activities of a XYZ working committee (1 pt./committee) 2
4. Chair a XYZ committee or special initiative
(2 pts./leadership activity)
2.7
Wealth
5. Personal or company gift to XYZ (2 pts./$1,000 given) 5
6. Assistance with setting up or making a development call with XYZ staff (1 pt./call)
7. Contribution to XYZ as a result of board members assistance (2 pts./$1,000 given)
1.8
8. Provide in-kind Professional Services (1 pt./service provided)
1.5 1
Total
Points
22.3 14

20. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Assesses its own effectiveness:
Why does board matter beyond its legal and symbolic functions?
What is working well?
What needs attention or improvement?
What performance measures demonstrate improved board performance or effectiveness?
What can we do to improve the board’s performance and effectiveness?

21. Nonprofit Board Best Practices
Your turn:
Questions
Comments
Discussion