Board and Staff Roles
for every woman
2014 Capacity Building Institute
Date: February 7, 2014
Partners in Leadership
Roles and Responsibilities for Nonprofit Leaders
Most successful nonprofit leadership involves:
Board chair
Board members
CEO
Staff
for every woman
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Clarity of roles and responsibilities is key to success.
Board=Governance and oversight
CEO and staff=management and operations
1
Board chair and board
Board takes the lead:
• Guiding values, mission
• Hiring, supporting, evaluating Chief Executive
for every woman
• Community ambassadors
• Fiscal oversight
• Recruiting new board members
2
Chief Executive
CEO takes the lead:
• Developing and proposing policy
• All human resources questions related to staff
for every woman
• Developing and running programs
• Association operations
3
Board, board chair, chief executive, staff
Team collaborates on:
• Strategic planning
• Organizational evaluations
for every woman
• Board meetings
• Fund development
4
Basic board responsibilities as fiduciaries
• Duty of Obedience
• Duty of Care
for every woman
• Duty of Loyalty
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Mission and purpose
Hire, orient, support and evaluate the CEO
Planning
Resources: adequate and effective
Ambassadors and bridges
Program and services oversight
Integrity and accountability
Board recruitment and evaluation
for every woman
Basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards
Role of board development committee
for every woman
“Care and Feeding” of the Board
• Recruit board members
– Prepare profiles of demographic, skill, and “bridge” needs
– Strategic recruiting from profiles, all year
• Develop and implement orientation
• Develop board handbook
• Continuing education for board
• Develop effective communications methods
• Annual board retreat
• Develop annual slate of officers
• Lead annual board assessment
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Support for the Board of Directors
Planning
Community Relations
Revenue Generation
Programs
Advocacy
Operational Oversight
Association Relationships
for every woman
CEO Roles & Responsibilities
Top 10 ways to strengthen your board
Recruit strategically through profiles
Form governance committee and recruit year-round
Develop meaningful orientation
Conduct on-going board training
Review all governing documents annually
Form an audit committee and perform sound financial
oversight
7. Transparency for all board dealings
8. Be accountable for program outcomes.
9. Make fundraising a serious board commitment.
10.Implement regular board self-assessment and board
member evaluation
for every woman
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Best practices for boards
for every woman
 Annual retreat (1-2 1/2 days)
 Consent agenda
 Governance or board development committee
 Streamline committees
 Board commitment sheet
 Term limits
 Right-sized board
 Strategic recruiting
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Conflict of interest
• Cannot gain unfair advantage in financial profit from membership
on nonprofit board of directors
for every woman
• 1st action: declare potential conflict
• 2nd action: recuse yourself from relevant decisions
• 3rd action: be sure all purchasing done through competitive bid
process, large contracts can be awarded through blind ratings
• 4th action: may need to decide between board service and
financial opportunity
11
Financial vitality roles: board
• Partner in developing budget; approve balanced budget; monitor
spending through regular budget-to-actual reports
• Also monitor regular balance sheet reports
for every woman
• Appoint audit committee; conduct annual audit; everyone reviews
audit and management letter; meet with auditor
• Ensure adequate resources to meet expenses; effective use of
resources
• Approve use of any funds other than current revenue (credit line,
accumulated reserves) to meet cash flow needs
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Financial vitality roles: staff
• Partner in developing balanced budget; oversee spending in line
with budget projections; forecast needed revisions; manage cash
flow
• Prepare regular reports for board
for every woman
• Partner in developing annual fund development plan
• Oversee grant writing and grant management
• Engage board in special events and individual fundraising
13
Build a culture of philanthropy
1. Board understands the compelling mission, vision and impact of the
YWCA…members fluent in key messages
2. Board understands the YWCA’s resource needs and embraces its
resource development responsibility
3. YWCA staff understand the YWCA’s resource needs and embrace
their fundraising roles
for every woman
4. An appreciation of donors, volunteers permeates the YWCA
5. CEO provides leadership—expectations, metrics, accountability, staff
support. Models behavior
6. Resources and systems are in place to develop, nurture and steward
YWCA constituents
14
Contribute a “stretch” gift—100%
Plan
Mailing list
Notes on appeal letters
Prospecting
Cultivation
Open doors
Write support letters, thank yous, personal notes,
phone calls
9. Go on solicitation
10. Make ask
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for every woman
Board and Fundraising
Do you know who. . .
1. Hires, supports, and evaluates the chief executive
2. Develops and implements programs
3. Makes a personal, financial contribution to the organization
4. Prepares for board meetings
for every woman
5. Develops and proposes policy questions about undertaking new
programs
6. Identifies, recruits, orients, and involves new board members
7. Ensures that adequate financial controls are in place
8. Creates a fund-raising plan and strategies
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9. Develops and monitors adherence to personnel policies
10. Approves the annual budget reflecting the organization’s goals
and policies
11. Promotes the organization in the community
12. Reviews the organizations policies, procedures, and bylaws
13. Develops a strategic plan and monitors the organization’s
initiatives against it
for every woman
14. Determines the organization’s mission and purpose
15. Monitors income and expenses on a daily basis
16. Serves as a liaison and provides information to board
committees
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