Aug. 9: Nonprofit Board Health Check-up
Last year, in response to feedback from the nonprofit sector, The Community Foundation created a customized technical assistance program for nonprofits. The program includes a workshop and follow up coaching and mentoring from the presenter. Technical Assistance with a Twist returns this year with two programs for Executive Directors and board members. 2010’s topics are: Boards and Governance (Aug 9th - below) and Building Your Development Program (date to be announced).
The Doctor is in: A practical check up for your board
No matter where your board is,
a health check up is a good thing. |
Make sure your board is the best it can be!
How you can ensure good governance and an effective board when for-profit and nonprofit scandals swirl around you.
Sponsored by: The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Presented by: Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE, Joyaux Associates
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010
Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: The Graustein Memorial Fund
2319 Whitney Avenue, Hamden
For Who: Designed especially for board members and their executive directors.
If ever there was a time to be afraid of inadequate governance, it’s now. Just think about scandals in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Think about how these scandals affect the credibility of organizations, even the good organizations.
What do you think your donors and prospective donors think? What does government do in response? Things like Sarbanes-Oxley and the new IRS 990 with its governance questions? And how about those aggressive attorneys general and state charity divisions?
An effective board should be at the heart of your organization. Maybe your board is really good and might benefit from some tiny tweaks. Maybe your organization is evolving and the board needs some help evolving, too. Even those boards that claim to be sophisticated and experienced may not be as effective as needed. And, honestly, some boards are pretty dysfunctional. In fact, many board experts claim that effective governance is a “rare and unnatural act”.
Even if your board seems to function well, a health check up is useful to convince all those others… you know, your donors and the foundations, the state attorney general and the IRS. (Yes, they really are watching!)
So what’s the big secret? What does the body of knowledge (research and expertise) tell us? What are the standards your board should aspire to? And who is responsible for making all this happen?
This interactive workshop focuses on key topics that are essential to creating and sustaining an effective board:
• Understanding what corporate governance is – and when and how to do it;
• Designing board meetings to make sure governance happens – and produces accountability;
• Defining scope of authority and limitations – and distinguishing between governance and management;
• Identifying and recruiting the best board members – and defining performance expectations;
• Recognizing rogue board chairs and other problem people – and enhancing their attrition;
• And, you’ll learn about Simone’s worldwide mission to destroy all executive committees. Maybe you’ll want to join up!
Join Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE, for this workshop and follow-up coaching personalized to your organization. Simone presented our well-received Keep Your Donors workshop in 2009. And the organizations that participated in the follow-up coaching raved about the results.
Simone is recognized internationally as one of the most provocative and thoughtful leaders in the nonprofit sector. Her books receive rave reviews and are standards in the profession. Her popular blogs challenge the status quo and provide useful tips to nonprofits around the world. She speaks all over North America and also presents in places like Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Mexico City, Paris, and Geneva.
Joyaux is an expert in board development, fund development, strategic planning, and management. She’s a faculty member for the Masters Program in Philanthropy and Development at Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota.
Simone serves regularly on boards, often as chair. She’s founded two organizations, including the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island.
Visit Simone at www.simonejoyaux.com. Click on Resources and visit the Free Library. Subscribe to the RSS feed of her blogs. Subscribe to her free e-news. And read her books – Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last and Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships.