November 2019
October 2021
Bryan Orander, President, Charitable Advisors
Try a Board Reboot in 2022 
It’s an understatement to say that board work has changed through the pandemic. Do you recall the days when we would be late for a board meeting because we couldn’t find a parking spot, when we considered a Zoom board meeting too “cold and impersonal,” or when PPP was a typo ‑ not a forgivable pandemic loan?
 
As we approach 2022, staff and board leaders of every nonprofit should take the fourth quarter of 2021 to reflect and regroup around the work they are doing together and discuss how they plan to do that work in 2022. I predict that they will discover many insights and approaches, and that few boards will ever return to doing things the same way they did in 2019.
 
Here are some suggestions for engaging your team in the process:
 

  • Revisit the board basics. Recognize the full scope of board responsibilities. Don’t just review the financials and listen to the EDs report.

  • Examine how the balance of responsibility has shifted between the board and staff leader. Are you still working as partners or has the board either handed too much off to the ED/CEO or stepped too far in to ensure survival and now needs to step back?

  • Discuss meeting rhythms and routines. At Charitable Advisors, we recommend that boards work toward a schedule of meeting every other month with committee meetings providing an additional connection point between board meetings.

  • Consider a hybrid of alternating online, and in-person meetings. How will you balance the convenience of online board meetings with the desire for relationships, long-term commitment, and ownership from board members? If a board member hasn’t been to your offices in 18 months, do you need to help them connect again to the programs and to people?

  • Discuss where you are in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) journey. While most nonprofits have been striving for years to add more diversity to their boards, the past year has brought new insights and perspectives into the ways DEI impacts how and who we serve, our staff, and our board.

  • Revisit your new member orientation process. It is likely that new board members who joined over the past 18 months did not receive as much information as they needed to fully engage. Even existing board members might benefit from a refresher on topics like mission, board commitment, etc.

Tip: Our friend Erin Hedges, the president and founder of Hedges, recently shared a strategy she has been recommending to clients and using in her board service. She suggests that virtual board meetings are more effective and engaging if a specific topic or priority can be framed and discussed.
 
Nonprofit Board Self-Assessment and Debrief – The Charitable Advisors Board Self-Assessment has helped dozens of nonprofit boards review and reflect on their work. Structured around McKinsey and Co’s nine board responsibilities, the assessment consists of only 45 questions with two unique features: It requests that board members prioritize the areas the board should be focusing on, and it encourages board members to offer comments and suggestions. The $750 fee includes a debrief with your executive committee or governance committee. To review a sample report and learn more, please contact Bryan Orander or at 317-752-7153. 
 
Bryan Orander, President                    
317-752-7153 
IYI KIDS COUNT ® Conference   Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2021 (virtual)
Indiana Youth Institute is excited to welcome youth workers and leaders from throughout Indiana and beyond to join them for their annual KIDS COUNT® Conference. You can attend the interactive virtual event from your screen – anywhere, for only $25. The conference features innovative training events, national experts, and best practice models to improve your efforts. For more information and to register




We want to recognize board leaders
For most board members, board leadership roles come with a commitment and investment of time and resources to support a cause they care about. However, for the individual who steps up to serve as board president or chair, the role comes with the assumption of overall responsibility for the nonprofit and guiding the organization’s path forward.  

As we continue to share news of board leaders who have taken the helm, we encourage you to recognize and thank these individuals for tackling the role, because as a community member you recognize the value of his or her investment to help keep the sector strong.  

If you want to announce your organization’s new board leader, please send name, position and a head shot HERE.

We are open to other ways we can support and recognize board leaders. Send us your thoughts or tell us a story about a board leader who has made a difference in your organization. Share your ideas with Bryan Orander, president.
Steve Harms

Owner, Stephen J. Harms, P.C.
Pat Gamble-Moore

Senior Vice President, Community Development Banking, PNC

Looking for a new ED/CEO leadership role?                      

 
Charitable Advisors has supported 31 nonprofit leadership searches since early 2019.
 
With more transitions on the horizon, we are building a leadership talent database of experienced nonprofit leaders to make the process more efficient and effective for both candidates and employers.
 
If you are thinking about or planning to change roles in the next year or sooner, please consider submitting your resume and answering a few questions, in confidence.
SELECTED CHARITABLE ADVISORS NONPROFIT RESOURCES
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