To Whom Should Advisory Boards Provide Service?
By: Eugene Fram
I have established or served on a number of nonprofit advisory boards. Based on these experiences, I suggest that board members, along with the CEO (more…)
Nonprofit board communcations
How Does A Nonprofit CEO Decline Board Advice?
How does a president/CEO turn down advice about operations or internal structure from the board.
With difficulty. It all depends on the type of culture that has been established by the board. Ideally, the president/CEO should be comfortable saying, (more…)
Can a Board Member Ever Hold a Staff Position in The Same Nonprofit Organization?
Can a board member ever hold a staff position in the same nonprofit organization?
By Eugene Fram
Sometimes a board member acts not as a director but as a different kind of volunteer. For example, Director Z has a particular accounting skill and wants to utilize it to help the nonprofit. The CEO agrees.
In this instance the board member is not a board member, but a volunteer working under the direction of the CEO. (more…)
Should a Nonprofit Board Meet Without The Executive Director Being Present?
By: Eugene Fram
The CEO’s involvement is central to the success of the organization. Here’s where that issue of trust comes into play. For the full board to meet without its top executive really says, “We can’t trust you to run this place.” (more…)
What’s In a Name? Benefits Of The Nonprofit President/CEO Title
Note: This article has received constant attention since being published in May 2010. I am reissuing it here in the event some new readers might have missed it.What’s in a Name? Benefits of the President/CEO TitleInsights into Nonprofit Governance and Nonprofit ManagementBY EUGENE FRAM Over the last 100 years, senior managers of nonprofits typically have held the executive director title. For about the last 30 years, many nonprofits have changed the title to president/CEO, following a common business practice. Many more nonprofits need to consider the same change to obtain some subtle but useful organizational benefits. A recent study reports that only 22 percent of trade association chief staff officers hold the president/CEO title. For professional societies, the proportion is only 9 percent.1 Many chief staff officers in larger faith-based human service and health-related organizations still hold the executive director title. Even the senior manager of Carnegie Hall in New York City still carries the executive director title. A wide range of nonprofits use the executive director title: churches, human service agencies, trade associations, and medical facilities. (more…) |
How Is Trust Developed Between The Nonprofit Board Chair And The Chief Executive?
How is trust developed between the nonprofit board chair and the chief executive?
By Eugene Fram
First, in order to maintain trust between the board chair and CEO, the chair must be certain that the evaluation of the organization and the performance evaluation of the CEO are inclusive, i.e., cover a balance of the most relevant outcomes. Otherwise, the evaluation outcomes have the potential to damage the trust relationship that’s necessary to drive organizational growth. (more…)
CAN A BOARD MEMBER EVER HOLD A STAFF POSITION IN THE SAME NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION?
Can a board member ever hold a staff position in the same nonprofit organization?
By Eugene Fram
Sometimes a board member acts not as a director but as a different kind of volunteer. For example, Director Z has a particular accounting skill and wants to utilize it to help the nonprofit. The CEO agrees.
In this instance the board member is not a board member, but a volunteer working under the direction of the CEO. This distinction is easy to understand if you think about the example of a Boy Scout leader who also serves as a board member on a Boy Scout regional council. As scoutmaster, he follows scouting guidelines and directives provided by the organization’s professionals. As a council director, he helps to set policy for the Scout movement in the geographic area. In only one instance does he act as a director.
Whether or not he/she should receive a payment for the work is subject to various state law nonprofit laws and approval of the board.
Source: Policy vs. Paper Clips, Third Edition, 2011, pp.231-232.
HOW DOES A CEO DECLINE BOARD ADVICE?
How does a president/CEO turn down advice about operations or internal structure from the board.
by Eugene Fram
With difficulty. It all depends on the type of culture that has been established by the board. Ideally, the president/CEO should be comfortable saying, (more…)
Designating a ‘Lead Trustee” Can Help Boards Improve Their Operations
Designating a ‘Lead Trustee’ Can Help Boards Improve Their Operations
Originally published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, June 2, 2011, p. 34
By Eugene H. Fram
Few nonprofit boards do a great job of overseeing their organizations. Both nonprofit board members and CEO’s share that concern: Asked to rank their performance with academic-style grades by the nonprofit group BoardSource, chief executives gave their boards a C+, while board members gave themselves a B. (more…)
Policy vs.Paper Clips – Third Edition.
January 30, 2011
Nonprofit Governance Pioneer Publishes 3rd Edition
Dr. Eugene Fram is a pioneer in the nonprofit governance arena. Before John Carver or the folks at Board Source or pretty much any of the folks thinking and writing about nonprofit board governance, there was the illustrious Eugene Fram.
So, I’m anxiously awaiting the 3rd edition of Policy vs. Paperclips and sight unseen I am willing to say (more…)
Nonprofit Management 