Nonprofit Boards 101: Understanding the rudder of the ship
By Simone Laroche, 2014 ProInspire Fellow
In December, the 2014 DC Fellows had our monthly training focused on Boards & Governance. Prior to this session, I had little knowledge of nonprofit boards. Initially, the topic seemed a bit daunting, but Susan Sanow of Blue Avocado and the ProInspire Board of Directors provided us insight on what I now understand is one of the most critical aspects of sustaining a nonprofit’s vitality and effectiveness.
Here were the main takeaways:
What is a Board and how does it function:
I am a visual learner, so my brain came to understand the importance of boards as follows: Boards are like the rudder of the ship (the organization is the entire ship). No matter how big or small the ship may be, the rudder is the most critical function as it provides the ship direction.
Role of the Board is like a ship’s rudder
The board outlines the mission, vision, and trajectory of the organization or simply “the big picture”. This big picture, of course, dictates succinct action items on how the organization will fulfill this vision, and each board member must bring value in order to achieve end goals. While goals may be unique, the foundation the board builds and the fundamentals to support this foundation are crucial to sustaining a vision that will enable projected outcomes.
What or whom comprises a board, you might ask? Board size, board member roles, requirements, etc. are all agreed upon and executed in the bylaws. Each of these items will speak to the life cycle of an organization and its strategic needs. Dependent upon what the organization’s needs are, this may affect the capacity of each member. For example, an organization in its early stages is likely to prioritize talent recruitment and each member might be required to vet talent to fulfill specific needs versus a well-established organization may need to meet new funding goals; therefore, each member might be required to raise defined funds to meet said goal.
Why serving on a board can be of value:
Aside from being enlightened about the functionality and importance of a board, I was surprised to learn that we, as young professionals, could and should seek the opportunity of serving on a board. I always imagined one would need more experience in order to fulfill such a responsibility, but our background and experiences can be of value to an organization that fits its needs and our skills.
ProInspire Fellows ask questions of the Board Panel
Considering many ProInspire Fellows are transitioning from the private sector to the social sector, serving on a board can only expand our breadth of the industry as well as deepen our skills as developing leaders. I also learned that we do not have to serve directly on a board in order to gain from this opportunity. Boards have committees that function as working groups to execute strategic plans, and serving on a committee can certainly prepare you for leadership, as well as eventually preparing you to serve on a board directly. A helpful and encouraging tip: You do not have to be on the board in order to be on a committee.
This framework has piqued my interest in pursuing the possibility of serving on a committee to eventually serve on a board. There are several resources that can jumpstart your search: Idealist.org for postings and Board Source for resources and insight on board member responsibilities.
The Board’s progress must be measured:
Organizations are only as strong (or weak) as their serving board; boards must be diverse, dynamic, and innovative. The most successful organizations are able to anticipate major shifts, both good and bad, in order to adapt accordingly. The board should hold itself and its executive director or CEO accountable through measurable standards to assess if the organization is fulfilling its mission.
Finally, if I had to sum up the insight I gained from our training in two sentences I would say:
The board is the fundamental guide to an organization’s directional process. The entire ship is at the mercy of what may appear to be a small application, but if managed, maintained, and well-controlled, the ship will surely endure choppy waters to sail into new horizons.