Marin Voice: Training can pay off for nonprofit boards

Written by Melissa Breach and Linda Davis

From the Marin Independent Journal, Monday, November 22, 2010

IN recent weeks, there have been several stories in the Marin IJ recounting the troubles and travails of local nonprofits, almost all of which have their roots in decision-making and the role of the nonprofit board of directors. 

While all public corporations experience differences of opinion among the leadership, nonprofits are subject to a much harsher scrutiny, in part due to the community's investment and pride in charitable institutions. 

This scrutiny can be exacerbated by a public and press that expect "do-good" organizations to run free of conflict, while demanding more transparency around sensitive internal management and staffing issues. 

At the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership, the phone rings every day with a board member or an executive director seeking assistance with governance. 

It's worth saying: Governance is hard. Perhaps one of the reasons for the difficulty is that we believe it should be easy. Board members who buy into the myth that governance is easy and uncomplicated are often hesitant to acknowledge their uncertainty or ask critical questions, instead relying on others who "must surely know." All too often this leaves decision making in the hands of the one or two board members who don't know what they don't know. 

Good board service requires a significant commitment of time and personal resources, resembling, in many ways, an elected public office more than a volunteer position. 

At minimum, the state requires board members to take prudent care of the organization, place the organization's interests above their own during all deliberations, and to ensure the organization's compliance with local, state and federal laws. 

All that, plus the pragmatic responsibilities of a board -- like recruiting and retaining a chief executive, ensuring the organization has sufficient capital, refining mission and strategy and monitoring ongoing performance.

Fortunately, many people continue to find joy and purpose in this hard work and every year hundreds of people join a board for the very first time. These generous souls are part-time volunteers who may (or may not) have expertise in nonprofit management or experience with the organization's primary business -- but they care enough to buckle down and do the work. 

Unfortunately, many of them will never receive training on their new role and responsibilities. Even more startling, many experienced board members have a limited understanding of the critical line between governance and management -- an issue that can easily place an organization in jeopardy. 

So what can we do? The nonprofit sector can commit to investing in governance. Board members are entitled to a substantive understanding of their legal obligations and organizational responsibilities, along with access to the resources and tools needed to govern effectively. 

From board agreements, to governance policies, to an annual board evaluation process -an educated board is one sign of a thriving organization. 

CVNL is one of a handful of organizations in the Bay Area that offers resources for nonprofits and their boards. In addition to board trainings, recruitment and consulting services, CVNL provides a free library with extensive governance publications and information, free unbiased referrals to vetted consultants, and more.

By giving time, leadership and money or even just the benefit of the doubt, volunteer leaders can help our organizations grow stronger. The need for skilled and passionate board members has never been greater. Anyone curious about board service is encouraged to contact CVNL for guidance and referrals. 

Nonprofits are prized community assets. We should all remember that nonprofits are best judged on the quality of their mission and the impact of their work.

For nonprofits, an effective board is crucial

Content taken from Nonprofit Spark. VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. 30 Sept 2010. 11 PST.

Host-Renee McGivern, www.voiceamerica.com

written by Sarah Van Dine

The Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership's CEO was featured last week on Nonprofit Spark, an online radio talk show dedicated to igniting nonprofit learning and connections with host Renee McGivern.  With 32 years experience in nonprofit management, Davis was able to provide insight on the vital components for nonprofit boards.

When asked to describe the key duties of a board member, Davis described that “for most executive directors and board members, we collectively feel that the best board member is someone who brings money, attains contributions, brings contacts and positive attention to the organization, and brings a certain expertise while diversifying the board composition.  While that is true, it is only a part of the role because the role is also around governance.”  Board members in California legally have a responsibility to uphold a duty of care—attending and participating in board meetings, of loyalty—acting in good faith on behalf of the organization, and of obedience—following organization bylaws and articles of incorporation.  

One of the best ways to insure that the duty of loyalty is upheld, Davis states, is to have a Conflict of Interest policy in place.  Although such a policy is a best practice for board management, it is not necessarily transferred or known by nonprofits.  Yet Davis says that a Conflict of Interest policy is “often misunderstood.  It is really not meant to say that you (as a board member) can or can’t participate, but it is a disclosure statement” so if a conflict of interest does arise, the board member knows it is their responsibility to voice that conflict and for the remainder of the board to decide what they should do.

Another key aspect of board governance is ensuring that the nonprofit organization is fiscally responsible.  Yet, as host Renee McGovern points out, most people do not know how to read organization financial statements.  Davis agreed.  She said it is “very important for all nonprofit organizations to have somebody in their organization on staff, or as a volunteer,” who does understand that information, and that the executive director knows enough to ask the right questions.  However, an organization can also teach its board members in this area.  Davis said that is not uncommon for the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership to walk their board through forms, encouraging members to ask questions and start a dialogue.  “You can look for an organization like ours in your community where they offer workshops or training where you can send your board members to learn.”

Davis went on to speak about the crucial relationship between board president and executive director.  “There are very distinct roles for both the executive director and the board president, with boundaries, and it is important for both parties to know what those are, to understand them, and to respect them.”  This relationship is an odd aspect of nonprofit work because although an executive director is hired and fired by the board and reports to them, it is the executive director’s responsibility to ensure that they are doing a good job in managing the organization. “Communication is paramount to this relationship.”

If you are a nonprofit in the Bay Area seeking support for your board, the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership provides Board 101, 201, and Strategic Board Recruitment workshops as well as a free-for-members board referral service.  Please go to www.cvnl.org to learn more.

Welcome!

Hello all, and welcome to the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership's volunteer blog! This is a place for us (and you!) to share volunteer stories, and for volunteers to connect. Let's start by introducing you to the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership. It's kind of a mouthful to say, I know. It's even more of a mouthful (handful?) to type! So from now on, we shall abbreviate it to CVNL.

Here at CVNL, we aim to strengthen nonprofits, promote volunteerism, and enhance community leadership in Marin County, California. We do this in two ways: through our Programs Department, and through our Volunteer Services Department. The Programs Department offers nonprofit management services and works toward building nonprofit capacity by offering trainings and workshops. The volunteer services department (that's us!) works towards engaging volunteers in meaningful service. In other words, we want volunteers to love volunteering! We maintain a database of volunteer opportunities throughout the county, and we also offer our own volunteer programs: Flex, 1:1, BOMA, and CELT. The Flex program offers one time volunteer opportunities, with no commitment or training- it's an incredibly easy way to give back! Our 1:1 program is a service for volunteers who know they want to volunteer but are unsure of what they want to do. A member of our MVP team (Master Volunteer Program) will arrange to sit down with you and learn what it is you like, what it is you don't, as well as any time constraints you may have, and they will then come up with a list of volunteer opportunities that they think will match. BOMA, which stands for 'Board Match' is a program for those who are interested in serving on the board of a nonprofit. And last, but certainly not least, our CELT program (which stands for Civic Engagement Leadership Team) offers skill-based volunteerism. This is a way for professionals and retirees to put their skills to use in a nonprofit- so if you are a marketing expert and wish to use your expertise to help a nonprofit, then CELT is the program for you!

Make sense? I know, it's a lot of information to take in at one time. If you are still confused, then please visit our website: www.cvnl.org, or e-mail us at: info@cvnl.org. We are more than happy to answer any questions you have about our organization or the programs that we offer.


Now back to the good stuff! Like I said before, this is a way for us and for you to share stories on volunteering! We want to show the world just how important and inspiring volunteering is, and believe that there is no better way to do so than by sharing through volunteer stories. If you have something to share, please e-mail me, Holly, at: hbearden@cvnl.org. I would love to hear from you!