As in professional sports and politics and any number of endeavors, some board members hang on way too long – long after their passion is gone, long after they have anything new to offer. Nonprofit organizations are growing, changing organisms, and they need leaders with the capacity to envision the future in different ways. If your … [Read more...]
Reaching Into the Facilitator’s Bag of Tricks
Once upon a time, there was a nonprofit board that operated without boundaries – or to put it more charitably, didn’t know what its boundaries should be. The organization was in transition, gradually moving from a collection of volunteers who did everything to a nonprofit with professional staff. Lacking term limits, some of the … [Read more...]
What Every Board Member Should Know About Finances (and Probably Doesn’t)
With the possible exception of “How can I avoid fundraising?” the most common question trustees tend to ask themselves is, “What do all these numbers mean?” I bet you’ve experienced that dreaded board meeting moment. The financial statements are distributed, the treasurer offers a few remarks, and then asks, “Any questions?” A long, … [Read more...]
When Recruiting Board Members, Look for a Willingness to Learn
Note: This is a guest post from our colleague Kim Klein, a terrific author, fundraising trainer, and mentor to many, many grassroots fundraisers. Thanks Kim! Early in my consulting practice, I had the opportunity to work with the boards of three very different organizations. A well-established theater company A welfare rights … [Read more...]