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Policy vs. Paper Clips

Once Again: What Makes for a Successful Nonprofit Board?

Once Again: What Makes for a Successful Nonprofit Board?

By: Eugene Fram

Successful nonprofit boards come in a variety of organizational structures and sizes, largely determined by the their mission, vision and values. However, Carter Burgess, Managing Director & Head of the Board Practice at RSR Partners, an executive recruiting firm, suggests three of the most prominent success factors. Although his article is directed to for-profit boards, there are many suggestions that apply to nonprofit boards. (more…)

Volunteers Alert: Are You President/CEO of a Nonprofit?

 Volunteers Alert: Are You President/CEO of a Nonprofit? Charity boards

By: Eugene Fram

Nonprofit volunteer directors who hold the title of President/CEO and then have the chief operations officer listed as the Executive Director may be in for a surprise. (more…)

The Nonprofit President/CEO – How Much Board Trust Is Needed?

The Nonprofit President/CEO – How Much Board Trust Is Needed?

By; Eugene Fram

The title president/CEO clearly signals to the public who has the final authority in all operating matters and can speak for the organization.  They are not an ambiguous set of titles   However, the terms “manager’ or “executive director’ can be quite ambiguous and do not have the same external clout..  An executive director can be the administrator in a small church or the operational head of a large arts organization. The public and some corporate directors often view managers and executive directors (because of the organizational history of nonprofit) as “hired hands,” not as managerial professionals who are able to manage all operational activities. 

The president/CEO designation calls for a trusting relationship with the board based on mutual respect,  drawing from the symbolism that he or she is the operating link between board and staff.  It is a new type of partnership culture.  However, from a assessment viewpoint, the board still has a legal and moral obligation to ‘trust but verify.”

Source:  Policy vs. Paper Clips, pp.35-36, Third Edition (2011).  Available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle format. 

My Blog Site:  http://bit.ly/yfRZpz

 

Time-Compressed Non Profit Directors – Recruit & Retain Them!

Time-Compressed Non Profit Directors – Recruit & Retain Them! 

By: Eugene Fram

Every nonprofit board has had the experience of having a board position open and being unable to fill it with a highly qualified person.  The usual response from qualified candidates is that he/she is too busy.  However, the real reasons, never one if speaking privately, are that they perceive the nonprofit decision process to be too slow, board agendas are loaded with minutiae, presentations take up more time than they should, discussion are not focused, etc. 

Following is a list of selling points to such people, (!<–more–>) if a board can deliver on them!

  • We are careful to make wise use of your valuable time.
  • Board meetings will begin and end of time, a quorum will be present at the beginning.
  • Board meeting binders will be sent a week ahead of time. 
  • The agenda also will be sent out a week ahead of time.
  • If one misses a meeting, the minutes will be available within a week.
  • If one is going to be traveling, we have facility to attend by conference call.
  • Divisional staff reports will each have a time limit and be well prepared in advance so the agenda can be completed as scheduled.
  • Policy and strategic topics will be the focus of the meetings, not operating minutiae. 
  • Board committee work will be aligned with the candidate’s interests and background. 
  • The board chair and/or CEO will meet with each board members several times a year to make sure the director perceives the board experiences are in line with the above guidelines.

Blog Site: http://bit.ly/yfRZpz

 

 

How Nonprofit Board Members/Management Can Make Sense of Sustainability

How Nonprofit Board Members/Management Can Make Sense of Sustainability

By: Eugene Fram

I recently read an article published in April, 2011 issue of the “Nonprofit Quarterly” by Jeanne Bell, titled “Beyond Financial Oversight: Expanding the Board’s Role in the Pursuit of Sustainability.’ I think the suggestions in it will be of interest to nonprofits whose budget expenditures are mainly centered around staff and programs and less on maintaining material & real estate.

First, the article calls (more…)

Executing A Nonprofit Organization’s Planning Function With Radar & Traffic Cops

Executing A Nonprofit Organization’s Planning Function With Radar & Traffic Cops 

By Eugene Fram

A nonprofit board has the primary responsibility for ensuring that proposed programs and services that the organization can offer are in the best interest of the clients it serves and the community or membership it represents.

Specifically the board’s board planning and resource committee provides the “radar” for the nonprofit board and also acts as its “traffic Cop.”  <–more–> It provides the radar by evaluating whether the organization is being correctly positioned to meet the current and future needs of clients.  As a traffic cop, it helps make certain that new board projects align with the mission, are completed in a timely manner and that wise use is made of volunteers’ efforts and time.

The committee has an obligation to seek the best sources of information for policy changes and to review and filter proposed changes that come before it, as suggested by the staff, board, volunteers and community members.

The entire nonprofit board is responsible for monitoring the implementation of adopted changes, which should be those that best fit the organization’s mission, vision, values and resources.

Source: Policy vs. Paper Clips, Third Edition (2011), p. 102. 

My blog site: http://bit.ly/yfRZpz

 

 

 

 

Changing Nonprofit Boards – Overcoming Nostalgia.

Changing Nonprofit Boards – Overcoming Nostalgia.

By: Eugene Fram

In many US locations, there are several nonprofit organizations that are over a century old.  In contrast, only a handful of the Fortune 500 companies claim this longevity level.  However, when it comes to making organizational changes on nonprofit boards, < –more — > such as the board should set policy an leave operations entirely to management, board veterans often just don’t buy the idea.  

These persons feel that board members have to know operational details if the board is to assist the chief executive to achieve the organization’s mission.Some of these board veterans have nostalgic visions of how things used to be when the organization was a small one.  Others fear that if they give up their operational roles, the organization will not be the “family” or caring organization they perceived they knew.

If these directors are continuing to make good board contributions, the board chair and CEO need to try to persuade them that with growth, there has to be movements to meet changing times and to hire qualified managers and staff.   New policy challenges need to be developed for these veteran directors.  However, don’t be surprised if a few simply resign their board positions. 

Source: Policy vs. Paper Clips, Third Edition,  (2011), pp. 99-100

My blog site: http://bit.ly/yfRZpz

 

 

 

How to know when a nonprofit board has achieved a positive culture?

How to know when a nonprofit board has achieved a positive culture?

Nonprofit board culture is really about having chemistry that works.  Is there transparency and openness?  It is an intangible, but it is critical.  Is there a spirit of inquiry?  That means, for example, that one director can disagree with another director or with the CEO without being hostile or being viewed as hostile for having an opposing opinion. (more…)

Nonprofit Directors & Trustees – Are they adequately personally protected?

There isn’t a nonprofit director or trustee who wants to be personally financially liable for his or her association with a nonprofit director led or trustee led organization.  Those persons currently holding one or more of these positions, or is considering one, should be able to answer the following questions (more…)

Att: Nonprofit Board Members, Trustees & Managers: Complimentary Leader’s Guide for Policy vs. Paper Clips
I thought some followers might be interested in the Leader’s Guide for my Book Policy vs. Paper Clips Third Edition (2011).   The book is available in paperback and kindle formats on Amazon.com 
 

Leader’s Guide for Policy Vs Paper Clips–Third Edition

by Dr. Eugene H. Fram, Professor Emeritus

E. Philip Saunders College of Business Rochester Institute of Technology
1 West Edith Ave (A103)
Los Altos, California 94022 eugenefram@yahoo.com | 650-209-5724)

 
While Dr. Fram is certainly an advocate for the Corporate Governance model, you don’t have to be a believer to find a number of gems applicable to all nonprofit governance issues contained now in his just-released third edition of Policy vs. Paper Clips.
Mike Burns

President of BWB Solutions, “Nonprofit Board Crisis,” April 5, 2011

Copyright 2011 by Eugene Fram

 

Using This Guide

The third edition of Policy vs. Paper Clips can be effectively used as a discussion vehicle for one-day executive seminars on NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE targeted to chief executives and board directors.

The book’s strength is based on recognizable problems and opportunities covered within a compelling storyline. (more…)