Your nonprofit needs an engaged and effective Board
Our Board development services focus on giving your Board members the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to succeed. In fact, our Board development engagements have resulted in stronger Board member engagement, better understanding of the Board governance role, and even better fundraising results.
Praise from a Board Development Partner
Dolph’s presentation on Board expectations was well organized and produced great results. The discussion on attendance, fundraising, and committee participation engaged the Board members. One member specifically re-committed to a leadership role and recruited several new members to his committee! Thank you, Dolph, for the motivating and energetic presentation!
– Carol Gray, Executive Director
Laws of Life
Board Evaluation
Participating in a candid and accurate Board evaluation is a best practice for nonprofit Boards. To help you get the most from this endeavor, our evaluation process includes three primary pillars:
- Measuring your Board’s actual performance data (such as meeting attendance, committee participation, and fundraising)
- Using a third-party evaluation tool
- Having a structured individual conversation with each Board member to uncover and better understand your Board’s strengths and challenges
We typically do not offer Board evaluation as a “stand alone” service and instead integrate it into Board trainings and retreats.
Board Retreats
Our consultants will customize a Board retreat based on your Board evaluation or Board development plan. Retreats include experiential activities designed especially for your Board to give members hands-on learning opportunities and ensure success following the retreat.
Some nonprofit Boards that already have a keen understanding of their development needs simply ask us to offer three or four of our off-the-shelf trainings as part of their annual Board retreat.
Board Training
Retreats are an excellent opportunity for Board members to disconnect from routine business and explore specific issues in a manner that is more strategic than your typical Board meeting. We offer customized as well as off-the-shelf trainings to help your nonprofit Board be more effective:
- A Board evaluation is the heart of our customized Board trainings to identify specific growth and developmental areas for your Board. This is followed by a half- or full-day retreat that not only trains the full Board, but also includes activities that help the Board plan for continued progress in the identified areas.
- Our off-the-shelf Board trainings are ideal for nonprofit Boards that have already identified areas of growth and want to minimize cost. Off-the-shelf trainings include Board Governance 101, staff vs Board roles, developing and maintaining committees, fiduciary responsibilities of Board members, fundraising for Board members, succession planning, designing effective Board meetings, and predictors of Board performance.
Regardless of which type of training you choose, all of our trainings are dynamic and interactive experiences that ensure full Board participation.
Board Recruitment
Building the Board you need starts with finding the right members. But many Boards struggle with the recruitment process. Our consultants will work with your Executive Director and Board to:
- Identify the skills and lived experiences that are essential to current and planned projects at your nonprofit
- Evaluate gaps in your sitting Board members’ skills and lived experiences
- Actively recruit candidates that meet your current and future needs
- Provide an orientation that informs, inspires, and initiates candidates
- Recommend candidates to the Board
A key component to our recruitment projects is our intensive orientation process. Prior to voting day, our consultants will take your prospective candidates through four orientation sessions on your nonprofit’s programs, finances, fundraising, and governance. This means that you get to test out your Board members before committing to them AND they are informed and ready to make educated decisions on their first day of official Board service.