Experts share their thoughts on board development for charities

Every team needs to be at its best — both collectively and at the individual level — to perform. We see this in every sport we watch or engage in, because no matter how talented a player is, they benefit from coaching, training and practice. It is no less true for the team managing a charity, nonprofit, school board, community college or city government.

Team members need initial and ongoing training and other forms of development to succeed on and off the field. We asked experts in the fields of nonprofit, education and civic governance to share their thoughts on board development.

Board development benefits the organisation

Steve Schroeder, Board Member, Sun Prairie Area School District, Wisconsin: “Board development is essential. If the board expects the organisation to have a continuous improvement mindset, so must the board.”

Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí, CEO, Carmichael: “Board members on nonprofit boards are often reluctant to invest in their own training and development as it takes needed resources away from delivering on its purpose. However, this is misguided; nonprofit organisations need their board members to provide effective direction, oversight and control to be impactful and deliver on their mission. This requires board members to be clear and understand their roles and responsibilities, their legal and governance compliance duties and the business and operating environment of their nonprofit.”

Dr. Chad Bledsoe, President, Montgomery Community College: “Professional development for public facing boards is critically important to ensure board members are prepared to be approached by members of the community or face an issue at the institution. This type of development protects board members and the institution in times of crisis.”

Dr. Anna Everett, Vice President and Trustee, Santa Barbara City College Board of Trustees: “At the heart of appreciation for public-facing boards are trust, outreach, transparency and accountability. These board values promote public engagement and appreciation for the decisions boards take — whether or not there is universal agreement among board members or interested members of the public — because the assumption is that the board is acting in good faith.”

When there is so much work to be done, board development can take a back seat to other priorities. But boards — and their organisations — suffer when trustees are trying to do the work without preparation. Look for opportunities, both individually and as a team, to not only prepare the board for its role, but to cover ongoing issues and trends. By making this investment, your organisation and its community will benefit.

Create a shared understand of the board member role

Katharine Earhart, Partner and Co-Founder, Fairlight Advisors: “Board members need to understand what their role is within the nonprofit organisation. First-time board members sometimes don’t know where the boundaries lie, and it’s important to have role clarity.

“Board training is essential so board members can accomplish their roles as fiduciaries of the nonprofit organisation. They must ensure they are good stewards of the organisation’s funds and are delivering on the mission. They can’t do this without being properly trained on several aspects of their role, including governance of the board, fiscal oversight, performance review of the executive director or CEO and mission management.”

Elizabeth Thompson, Executive Assistant to the President & Corporate Secretary and Corporate Compliance Officer, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network: “A few resources that our organisation has developed include:

• A comprehensive onboarding and orientation program to get new board members ready to serve.
• A thorough board job description so that they know what is expected of them as part of the board and as an individual.
• An annual board education plan with education sessions selected for each board meeting.
• A board evaluation plan so that the board continues to improve upon its governance.

Julie Castro Abrams, Founder and CEO, How Women Lead: “Nonprofit boards come in many different forms and depend significantly on the stage and size of the organisation, the founder relationship and the mission. In its purest form, most nonprofit laws actually don’t require boards beyond three people and give a limited scope of responsibility. Some nonprofits ask their boards to be significant fundraisers; others keep the responsibility to governance.

“Because of the widely varying scopes and management of boards, it is most essential that you are clear about what you want your board to do and not to do. Tell your board how they can be a strategic advantage so they feel like they are adding value.”

Most new board members come in with some blind spots or assumptions about the work they’ll be doing. Board development is the opportunity to make sure everyone has shared understanding about what role the board plays at your particular organisation, and paid or volunteer board members’ time is not lost on misunderstanding.

Focus on a variety of board development for all stages of service

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew, President, Soulstice Consultancy: “Boards must ensure that governance education is part of their work. How can your nominations committee be tapped beyond just identifying a slate of candidates for the board, but they are also tasked with providing governance education and training for the board? Board development must be embedded in the work of the governance board. Strong boards are educated on their roles and responsibilities and empowered to use their gifts to enhance an organisation’s impact and growth.”

Ben Niehaus, Director of Member Services, Wisconsin Association of School Boards: “Today, more than ever, there are a variety of issues and perspectives that come before a public board. Arguably, the first and most important topic of board development is the commitment to develop and adhere to board norms. Adherence to these norms establishes a consistent, transparent process that guides boards in upholding decorum during their discussions. Established norms demonstrate to the public that, regardless of the topic, every matter will be discussed and considered in the same manner. This practice improves internal governance while also setting clear expectations for the public.”

Helen Warwick, former school board trustee: “Learn from multiple sources. Read voraciously. Actively seek knowledge versus being a passive recipient.”

The development your board needs varies depending on the type of organisation, the challenges you currently face and the community you govern or support. But there are common themes in onboarding, fiduciary responsibility, teamwork and laws and regulations, among others. Keeping your development opportunities in one place, like your board management software, means the team and members can seek it out when it is most effective.

Help the leadership team look ahead

Katharine Earhart, Partner and Co-Founder, Fairlight Advisors: “Nonprofits should spend time developing existing board members to take on bigger leadership roles such as chairperson or chair of the advancement committee, and they need to spend time cultivating prospective board members too so there is a healthy pipeline of committed board members.”

Gwen Dombroski, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk, County of Renfrew, Ontario: “Public-facing boards should have a clear mandate, with well-prepared members knowledgeable about the topics they will be dealing with. Processes should be outlined, ensuring members are well informed and that there is transparency and public inclusion.”

Gervonder R. Brown, Executive Assistant to Superintendent, Fairfield County School District: “The balance of listening to your constituents and doing what’s best for your school district and new legislation is affecting not only public education but the roles of school board members.”

Gwen K. Young, CEO, Women Business Collaborative: “Diversifying revenue is going to be a big thing. As well as cyber-governance and AI for boards.”

Whether its important issues coming down the pike or preparing your board to take on different roles, development by its nature focuses on the future — a healthy attitude for organisations to embrace. As Barbara D. Paxton, BoardStrong director, notes, all boards need to be prepared for  “navigating challenging times.” This can involve preparing to advocate for the organisation and its mission at every level.

Read our other expert-led articles:

• Experts share top tips for AI governance
• Experts share their thoughts on board engagement
• Experts share tips for mission-driven organisations on ED&I
• Experts share their thoughts on ethics in the charity boardroom
• Experts share their thoughts on advocacy

Using board management software for board development

Board management software like BoardEffect is especially designed to support the development of board members throughout their service. Organisations can save training opportunities and information in an easy-to-use dashboard presentation with one-click access to a robust document library. Boards can use the software to share their progress with members of the public and oversight bodies, promoting transparency and accountability.

No matter what, board development is an ongoing effort. Carmichael’s Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí says, “Board member training and development does not stop at induction, but needs to be embedded in the annual governance calendar of the board, where the individual and collective development and training needs of the board are assessed and customised programs are developed, implemented and evaluated.”

No matter the type of board — from city council to school board to nonprofit leadership — board development is an essential part of success. BoardEffect is built to support the entire leadership team’s development and, ultimately, its effectiveness. Let us know how we can help you.