Once again, Montgomery County Community Foundation and Putnam County Community Foundation, along with support from Hoosier Heartland State Bank, are hosting a five-part series on Board Governance.
The most successful nonprofit boards have a collaborative team culture, working in partnership with the executive and the leadership team. The starting point for building this culture involves a shared understanding of the work and the line between management and governance. Board members act as trustees of the organizations assets and exercise due diligence to ensure the organization is working towards its mission. Staff members are charged with implementation and managing the day to day affairs of the organization. Creating shared understanding of the roles for which board members have responsibility, and how they can add the greatest strategic value to the organization are key goals of this series.
Workshops are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March, April and November will be held at the Crawfordsville Country Club. The workshops do build on one another as the series progresses; however, if full attendance is not possible, each has value individually as well. The cost per workshop is $30 (includes lunch) or $125 when you preregister for all five workshops. To sign up, go to www.pcfoundation.org/npls.
This series is excellent for both staff and board members and will be especially useful when both parties can attend. Those who attend all five workshops (same individual at each) will be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 grant to benefit their nonprofit organization, one for each Montgomery and Putnam counties.
• March 15 – Critical Components Of Governance
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Crawfordsville Country Club
It sounds basic, but one of the fundamental challenges that far too many board members and boards have is that they don’t have a strong understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Since it’s impossible to do a job well if you don’t know what the job is, all boards must take the time to ensure that every board member fully understands what’s expected and needed of him or her, and then hold all members accountable when they get off track. This session will focus on the principles of board membership and the ways in which we can measure the success of the work of the board.
• April 12 - Avoid Board Meeting Boredom
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Crawfordsville Country Club
This session will focus on tools to better engage board members during meetings as well as outline methods to encourage strategic thinking. Form follows function, or at least it should when it comes to boards. Without a strong structure, boards can fall prey to a whole host of dysfunctions, not the least of which is wasted time, boring or unfocused meetings, and lack of strategic engagement from the board. From determining what you want to accomplish to choosing the facilitation skill that will help get you there, you’ll leave this session better prepared to lead and engage in meetings.
• Sept. 13 - Serving As A Fiduciary For Your Organization
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Inn, DePauw University, Greencastle
A board has a fundamental, legal responsibility to provide oversight and accountability for the organization. Referred to as the board’s “fiduciary” responsibility, the board must ensure that the organization is appropriately stewarding the resources entrusted to it and following all legal and ethical standards. Knowing what questions to ask regarding financials, even if don’t consider yourself to have strong financial acumen is important. This session will help familiarize you with the kinds of questions to ask and the information to look for in the answers.
• Oct. 11 - Building A Culture Of Philanthropy
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Inn, DePauw University, Greencastle
A culture of philanthropy refers to your organization’s attitude toward philanthropy and fund development (fundraising).As a charitable organization, an essential part of your organizational culture must include philanthropy. First, focus on culture, not strategy. Why is a culture of philanthropy so important? Because philanthropy is not just about raising money. This session will focus on building this culture and in helping even the most reluctant individuals to find their space in helping the organization raise funds.
• Nov. 8 - Harnessing The Power Of Your Board
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Crawfordsville Country Club
Great board leadership takes intentionality and effort. Some of the most important work for a board includes assessment of the executive, succession planning and working through challenging situations. This session will include board chairs, future board leaders and executives in collaboratively building some of the intentional practices that will allow the board to work seamlessly and with a purpose.
