The nonprofit governing board has been described as an ineffective group of effective people. Trustees are recruited for their stature, skills or connections, and then are not fully engaged. Why do nonprofits so broadly fail to use their boards wisely? And how might they do better? We will look at four interrelated areas: membership (including recruitment, development, self-assessment), process (including structure, meetings), capacity, and fiduciary issues.

1. Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance
January 19, 2011
Sam Frank
Synthesis Partnership
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3. Today’s Speaker
Sam Frank
Synthesis Partnership
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4. Nonprofit Boards
& effective governance
Sam Frank
Synthesis Partnership
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance
© Copyright 2010 Synthesis Partnership
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
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PA R T N E R S H I P
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Copies permitted only with full attribution

5. Overview
FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT
FUNDRAISING
STRATEGY / PLANNING
Fiduciary responsibilities HIRING / ASSESSING CEO
SELF-PERPETUATION
Cultivation
Nomination
MEMBERSHIP Orientation
Service Plan
Self Assessment
Reappointment
Common issues /
STRUCTURE & PROCESS
essential tools Recruitment
Committees
Policies / Procedures
Meetings
Work Process
Retreats
CAPACITY
Leadership
Board Development
Board Size
Variations EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Fundraising
MULTI-TIER BOARD
CONSORTIA
Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

6. Fiduciary responsibilities
One definition
of a nonprofit board—
an ineffective group
of effective people
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

7. Fiduciary responsibilities
Financial oversight
Fundraising
Strategy / Planning
Hiring assessing the CEO
Self-perpetuation
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

8. Fiduciary responsibilities
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

9. Common Issues
Membership
Cultivation
Nomination
Orientation
Individual Service Plan
Self Assessment
Reappointment
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

10. Common Issues
Nomination to the Board of Trustees
Nominee:
Membership
Nominated by: Expertise Geography
Interest
Area
Communications
Nominee profile compared to
profile of current members
Governance
Fundraising
Accounting
For each person, check as many boxes as applicable
Planning
Current board
Cultivation
Law
term name
2007-10 Trustee A
2007-10 Trustee B
2007-10 Trustee C
Nomination 2007-10
2008-11
2008-11
Trustee D
Trustee E
Trustee F
2008-11 Trustee G
Orientation 2008-11
2009-12
2009-12
Trustee H
Trustee I
Trustee J
2009-12 Trustee K
Individual Service Plan 2009-12 Trustee L
Nominee
Who is the nominee? (brief description of the nominee in relation to the profile categories above; include any
Self Assessment knowledge you have of the nominee’s participation on other boards)
Reappointment What important qualities will the nominee bring to the board?
Do you have direct experience with the nominee in a situation of group deliberation ?
If so, please describe
What is this nominee’s capability to contribute financially and to provide access to major contributors?
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
What other information do you feel would be valuable for us to know about this nominee?
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

11. Common Issues
Membership
Cultivation
Nomination
Orientation
Individual Service Plan
Self Assessment
Reappointment
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

12. Common Issues
Membership
Cultivation
Nomination
Orientation
Individual Service Plan
Self Assessment
Reappointment
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

13. Common Issues
Membership
Cultivation
Nomination
Orientation
Individual Service Plan
Self Assessment
Reappointment
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

14. Common Issues
Structure Process
Board Policies and Procedures
Role of the Board
Recruitment Structure of the Board
• Members
Policies and procedures • Officers
• Committees
Committees
• Committee Membership
Meetings Nomination Process
Expectations for Trustees
Retreats Deliberations and Decisions
Work process Financial Policies and Procedures
Human Resource Policies and
Procedures
Board Development
Meetings
Evaluations
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

15. Common Issues
Structure Process
Recruitment
Policies and procedures
Committees
Meetings
Retreats
Work process
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

16. Common Issues
Agenda
February 17, 2010
Structure Process: Meetings
Consent agenda 5 minutes
Item Action
Minutes of previous meeting Approval
Finance Committee report Approve budget changes
Recruitment Development Committee report Approve position descriptions
Committee on Trustees Approve new board development
program
Policies and procedures Approve changes to trustee manual
Discussion agenda 15 minutes
Committees
Executive Director’s report Discuss flagged issues
Meeting topic 30 minutes
Governance as leadership
Meetings Other Business 10 minutes
- Old
Retreats - New
- Announcements
Roundtable evaluation of meeting
Work process Review of actions from meeting
Adjourn
Contents of pre-meeting packet
Meeting agenda
Minutes of previous meeting
Executive Director’s report
Finance committee report
Development committee report
Board development program
Proposed changes to trustee manual
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

17. Common Issues
Capacity
Leadership
Board development
Board size
Fundraising
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

18. Variations
Multi-tier Boards
Executive committee
Advisory board
Consortia
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: January 19, 2011
© 2011 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

19. Questions?
SYNTHESIS
PARTNERSHIP
Advising nonprofits in
strategy, planning,
and organizational development
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Newton MA 02459
617 969 1881
info@synthesispartnership.com
© Copyright 2010 Synthesis Partnership
Nonprofit Boards Effective Governance
All rights reserved.
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SYNTHESIS
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PA R T N E R S H I

20. Resources
Sources of more information
• Google
• BoardSource www.boardsource.org
• Critical Issues 4: On Boards http://bit.ly/SyPci04
• Blog (entries on governance) http://bit.ly/SyPblog
Sample documents
• Some Board Basics http://bit.ly/SyPbasics
• Sample Board Manual Outline http://bit.ly/SyPoutline
• Sample Board Nomination Form http://bit.ly/SyPnomform
• Sample Individual Service Plan http://bit.ly/SyPISP
Brainstorming
• Complimentary consultation
sbf@synthesispartnership.com
(by e-mail, or make telephone appointment)

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