Strategies for Building a Resource Board
Making Your Resource Board More Effective

By Tom Colligan
YMCA of the USA

Last winter, we ran the first parts of a series on Building A Resource Board. This month, we bring you the final installment of the series, which focuses on how to maximize the effectiveness of your new board. You can access past issues of New$ You Can U$e ^SM on the web at www.JeffreyByrneandAssociates.com. Click HERE to link to past articles in our website “News & Resources” section.

Now that your new carefully cultivated, selected and recruited board members have agreed to serve, there are three essential steps to guarantee full and active involvement.

Step 6: Orienting New Board Members

The first personal or small-group meeting with a new board member(s) should be an orientation. Always use the term “orientation.” Avoid the term “training” when working with adults.

Why? First, adults usually feel they receive enough training in their profession or line of business. Second, if you have selected the highest caliber individuals, they likely do not see themselves needing training to serve on a nonprofit board.

An orientation should consist of all the essential materials required to meet Sarbanes-Oxley and legal responsibilities, neatly packaged into a separate three-ring binder with pockets. This may seem like very specific direction, but it provides the new board member with a quick reference and convenient way to organize future minutes, financial reports, and important materials and reports.

The orientation should provide up-to-date information and create excitement about the potential impact the board member can have. At a minimum, it should be attended by the CEO and the chief development officer, although the chief financial and program staff will help bring life to the process, signal its importance and how much you value the new volunteers’ participation.

The following is an outline of a sample one-hour orientation, accompanying materials and the items that should be covered.

Agenda Item	Materials	Comments
Introductions	Board/Committee List W/Contact info Sr. Management Staff	Attendees Share Why They Joined Your Organization and Its Importance
Mission/History	Mission/History Information	Compelling Historical Stories
Legal Documents	Certificate of Incorporation Constitution/By-laws Current Legal Actions	Review Most Important Pressing Issues
Financial Reports	Last 2 Audits, Last 90 Days Operating Reports	Discuss Results, Projections, Actions Taken Auditor Recommendations
Sarbanes-Oxley	Summary Article/Materials	Compliance Actions Taken, Discussion of of Impact on Non-Profits
Roles/Responsibilities Expectations	Materials Presented at Recruitment	Questions?
Minutes	Minutes from Previous 4 Board Meetings	Discuss Major Actions Taken/Under Consideration
Strategic Plan	Plan Document Latest Report on Plan Progress	Planning Process Major Achievements
Meeting Schedule	Schedule
Q & A
Optional Facility Tour

Some questions raised during the orientation may not be relevant or of interest to the entire group or may not be able to be addressed in the time (1.25 hours) allotted. If these questions arise, arrange to meet with an individual separately or to send out written background and responses to the group.

Remember: Orientation is also an important cultivation activity of your closest inner circle. It is a good idea to follow up with a personal phone call a day or two later to gain feedback and to learn how you can improve the orientation for future prospective leaders. A handwritten thank you should also be sent from the president or CEO.

Step 7: Making Board Meetings Productive and Valuable

Board meetings must include certain elements to meet fiduciary responsibilities and Sarbanes-Oxley. If your organization is not large enough to have corporate counsel in attendance at every board meeting then the CEO and a key volunteer should be educated in and monitor the decisions and actions made that address this new regulatory environment.

Beyond the technical aspects of compliance (financial and committee reports, progress reports on your strategic plan, CEO appraisal and an annual board evaluation), consider including:

• Dinner or social time for the board before or after the meeting
• Mission-focused presentations (one minute in length) where an inspirational story on the impact the organization has had on one individual is shared. This not only helps board members feel good about their volunteer commitment, but provides them with a way to convey the importance of the institution to others.
• Celebrating organizational successes
• Comparisons of your organization’s performance to industry-wide benchmarks

Also consider including a wide range of items so that at each board meeting there is:

• A surprise or major announcement
• New information
• Things that help board members: (1) Recognize the importance of their work to individuals, the community and society; (2) build pride in the professionalism and success of the institution; and (3) be equipped to be a better and more effective contributor and representative of the organization

Step 8: Involve and Acknowledge Members – Current and Past

And don’t forget those board members who have served previously. Are you visiting past board members personally each year and do you offer an annual reunion and update breakfast?

Since they were intensively cultivated and informed when they were board members, they should be treated as part of your inner circle and hailed as an ambassador for your organization. Past board chairs can help in the role of “senior statesmen” and could be part of the “kitchen cabinet” of any current chairs.

Why pay so much attention to those who have already done their service?

If their continuing contributions and ambassadorship are not enough, consider the impact when current board members witness the status that comes with an emeritus board position. The prospect of the prestige that comes with being part of an elite group is a highly effective motivator.

Current board members must be continually thanked, recognized and solicited for their opinion, in addition to their money. Personalized, handwritten thank you notes for “the little things” and plaques and press releases for the big ones keep feelings of appreciation fresh.

When you have built an effective board, one that is recognized throughout the community, offer to have board members act as resources to other boards. Few things build more pride in service than being asked to share information and expertise so that it can be imitated.

I hope you enjoyed this series on building your board and found some ideas that were new. You will find no better professionals at developing dedicated resource boards – a key element in conducting a successful capital campaign – than the professionals at Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc. Please feel free to call on any member of the firm for an assessment of your organizational strength and readiness for a campaign: 1-800-222-9233.