foundation boards

What’s required to develop a positive nonprofit board culture?

What’s required to develop a positive nonprofit board culture?

 

  1. In order to maintain trust between the board chair and the CEO, the board chair must be certain that the evaluation of the organization and the personal evaluation of the CEO are inclusive, i.e., cover a balance of the most relevant outcomes.
  2. The interpersonal chemistry between the board chair and the CEO must be a positive one.  If the interpersonal chemistry is poor, civil discourse at meetings is hard to maintain.
  3. The CEO needs to be flexible. He or she needs to accommodate to a new boss every year or two and can’t become complacent.  The CEO needs to be alert to the fact the board, often initialed by a new chair, may want to move in a new direction. 

 

Directors & CEO Alert: Never underestimate the power of the established board culture as a barrier when attempting to make changes.  However in some instances culture can be an asset in change management.

 

 

Source: “Policy vs. Paper Clips” Third Edition, 2011, pp. 156-157.

 

 

 

What are the most productive types of relationships between board & staff?

The relationships between the two groups can be productive informally and formally. It’s an important relationship because the staff must understand the board’s depth of commitment to the nonprofit’s mission, mission and values.

Informally, board members need to attend celebrations of organization successes (more…)

Nonprofit & Trustee Director’s Alert! Watch your organization’s reputation.

Nonprofit & Trustee Directors Alert!  Watch your organization’s reputation.

In contrast to business firms, nonprofit and trustee boards can be against a brick wall when the reputations of their organizations go south.   In the commercial environment, (more…)

What can a nonprofit board of directors do about “displaced directors”?

What can a nonprofit board of directors do about “displaced directors”?

Displaced directors are board members who can’t adapt to a more modern board model or a new CEO and management group.  Traditionally, they want to be involved in operations, a few, at the extreme, want to micromanage the CEO.

Obviously, some of these people will resign,   but what can a CEO or board chair do (more…)

Nonprofit CEO Board Chair Relationships – Anything Works

Nonprofit CEO Board Chair Relationships –Anything Works!!

A recent NPQ Nonprofit Newswire (March 13th 2012), report concludes, that to build good nonprofit CEO-board chair relationships, “Task lists and job descriptions often propose a “one size fits all” recipe for the CEO-Board chair relationship, (but the lists have little to do with real world effectiveness.)” (more…)

Nonprofit board term limits – How long should directors serve?

Nonprofit board term limits – How long should directors serve?

By Eugene Fram

I am currently a director of a five person condo board responsible for reserve and operating assets of well over $1million and capital assets probably worth over $25 million. When the condo group was formed over 15 years ago, the bylaws stipulated that each director can only serve for one two year term, but couldn’t be reelected until after a period of one year off the board. 

The logic of this arrangement was that every year either two or three new board members must be replaced. (more…)

How Can A Board Be Kept Involved When It Is Only Making Policy Decisions?

How Can A Board Be Kept Involved When It Is Only Making Policy Decisions?

By Eugene Fram

The name of the game for the CEO is to communicate the important information to board members and to keep them abreast of significant operational developments. This involves: (more…)

Nonprofit chief executives should have a title, President/CEO

Nonprofit chief executives should have a title, PRESIDENT/CEO

By Eugene Fram

When nonprofit organizations reach a budget level of over $1 million and have about 10 staff members it is time to offer the chief operating officer the title of PRESIDENT/CEO.  In addition, the title of the senior board volunteer should become CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD, and the title of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR needs to be eliminated.   Experience has shown that with a reasonably talented PRESIDENT/CEO at the helm, he/she can provide the following benefits:

  • Build a trust culture between board, management and staff.

    • (more…)

Executive Director: When Is It An Appropriate Title?

Executive Director: When Is It An Appropriate Title?

By Eugene Fram

An Executive Director title compared with a President/CEO title for a nonprofit’s chief operating executive is a debate that still pervades the nonprofit governance discussions. Following is a list of situations when the Executive Director tile is appropriate.

  • When the nonprofit is in a start-up stage, and the board’s management direction, advice, or micromanagement style is needed to stabilize the organization.

    • (more…)

Will New York Lead the Way In Changing Nonprofits?

Will New York Lead the Way In Changing Nonprofits?

By: Eugene Fram

In January, Governor Andrew Como place a salary state funded cap of $199,000 for nonprofit executives at (more…)