All posts by BoardSource

Meet the April Board Member of the Month!

4-24-13 BMotM DamienBy BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that Damien Davis is the April 2013 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

Damien serves on the board of the Downtown Sailing Center in Baltimore, MD. Professionally, he is a research analyst with Brown Capital Management in Baltimore.

In nominating Damien for the Board Member of the Month Award, Kathleen Lester, board chair of the Downtown Sailing Center, noted the following:

“When I look back at 2012 and think about the challenges we overcame — a financial crisis, a financial restructuring, three executive director turnovers, and a major transition in board members — I know it would not have been possible without Damien Davis.

Damien joined the board of directors of the Downtown Sailing Center in January 2012, serving on the finance committee. When our treasurer moved out of state, Damien graciously stepped up, joining the executive committee as treasurer in July 2012 after only six months. He quickly reviewed our financial processes and made adjustments to ensure a series of checks and balances were in place to reduce errors and increased the integrity of our finances. Through Damien’s leadership and commitment, we have gone from an organization barely understanding our finances, scraping by from one year to another, to an organization that has a clear understanding of how we operate, makes informed decisions, and is saving money in 2013….Most important, Damien has forced us to look at our own financial information as a set of questions and challenged us to take ownership for what we want to become as an organization….

In March 2012, our executive director resigned, and his replacement resigned taking a new job in September. Damien agreed to serve on the search committee, dedicating even more hours to the Downtown Sailing Center to ensure that we found the right person for the job. Through a long and arduous process, we emerged in January with a wonderful executive director, who will carry us into the future. Damien’s dedication to this process was significant….

Damien continues to be dedicated to our work and our mission. He regularly checks in with staff to ensure that morale is high and works to resolve any issues that arise; he is a leader within the executive committee, approaching issues with thoughtfulness and recommending or supporting appropriate solutions; he is involved with our members, attending member meetings and socials; and he participates in our outreach programming, as well as making significant donations.

In short, Damien is one of the finest leaders within the Downtown Sailing Center. We would not have made it through the tumultuous 2012 without Damien on our team.”

Recently, BoardSource asked Damien a few questions about his board service:

(more…)

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by BoardSource on April 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board Meetings, Committees, and Structure, Chief Executive Transitions, Strategic Planning and Thinking

Posted by BoardSource on April 24, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/04/24/meet-the-april-board-member-of-the-month/

Meet the March Board Member of the Month!

3-22-13 BMotMBy BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that Ellen Brown Landers is the March 2013 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

Ellen serves on the board of the Georgia Justice Project (GJP) in Atlanta, Georgia. Professionally, she is a principal  in the Atlanta office of  Heidrick & Struggles, a global Leadership Advisory firm..

In nominating Ellen for this award, Doug Ammar, executive director of GJP, noted the following:

“Georgia Justice Project has one of the most active and engaged boards of directors in Atlanta…To stand out among one’s peers is an accomplishment at the highest level and Ellen Brown Landers does just that….

When GJP was facing major organizational challenges due to the recession starting in 2008, Ellen helped spearhead the charge with other board members and staff to ensure GJP’s viability and sustainability. Over the course of four to five years, Ellen’s unique blend of tactical, strategic and interpersonal intuition allowed GJP to achieve results, hone in and focus on what was important and rally the board and staff to make the hard decisions to adapt and change objectively….

If that weren’t enough, just as GJP was pivoting out of the recession, Ellen agreed to chair the GJP 25th Anniversary $5.2M capital campaign in 2011, which was of vital importance to support our 2010-2014 strategic plan.

From the beginning of Ellen’s service on GJP’s board, she has consistently leveraged her vast network of contacts for GJP’s benefit… Ellen Brown Landers is has been an exemplary board member.”

(more…)

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by BoardSource on March 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on March 22, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/03/22/meet-the-march-board-member-of-the-month/

Meet February’s Board Member of the Month!

FebBlogPic 2-19-13By BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that Stephen Straughan is the February 2013 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

Stephen serves as the board chair of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rockwall County, Texas. Professionally, he is the owner of Straughan Properties, LLC.

In nominating Stephen for the Board Member of the Month Award, Misti Carder-Potter, president & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rockwall County, noted the following:

“When Stephen took over the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rockwall County in 2010, the hand he was dealt came with enormous hurdles and obstacles, ranging from poor public perception, dismal programming, a dilapidated facility, and a history of staff and board challenges to battling a financially insolvent condition that lacked a plan or strategy to resolve itself….

As the leader of the board, he stepped up and dedicated countless hours to rectifying the challenges and problems the organization faced…[and] the organization, in less than 15 months, went from an insolvent, failing, destined to implode non-profit to one with a stable, consistent, positive bank balance, a board filled with influential doers, a Club busting at the seams with kids, and headed by a leader who has a passion for kids, a love for our community, and a business mindset that has launched the Boys & Girls Club of Rockwall County to the forefront of youth development throughout our community. The right person came along at absolutely the right time and his name is Stephen Straughan.”

Recently, BoardSource asked Stephen a few questions about his board service:

What inspires you to serve on this board?

It has to do with my childhood! I am dyslexic and, as a result, had major learning difficulties. This was back in the ‘60s, before dyslexia was addressed in schools as it is now. My mother worked with me and helped me with my homework, and it was through her work and her care that I was able to move on and go to college. Otherwise, I would have just fallen through the cracks and would not be where I am today. Knowing how important it is to have a mentor who really cares about you inspired me to step up and make a difference in another kid’s life.

(more…)

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by BoardSource on February 20, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on February 20, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/02/20/meet-februarys-board-member-of-the-month/

People Counting

2-11-13 timeforchangeBy Vicki J. Rosenberg
Former Director and Consultant, Transforming Michigan Philanthropy Through Diversity & Inclusion
Vicki Rosenberg & Associates

Pick any channel, any medium, any time of the day or night, and you’re bound to encounter joyous depictions or serious hand wringing about the “new” demographic of American communities. Think “Modern Family” or any analysis of the recent presidential election, and you get the picture.

The typical approach to the demographic shift is to count people — by race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical ability, or age. In 2001, the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) started promoting a different approach.  It encouraged its members — 350 grantmaking organizations working together to strengthen, promote, and increase philanthropy in Michigan — to move beyond counting people to people counting. That year, CMF’s largely white Board of Trustees made a formal commitment to diversity based on its belief that “diversifying perspectives, talent and experience can help ensure philanthropy’s continued leadership in a rapidly changing society.”

While the demographics are certainly better than in 2001, the D5 Coalition State of the Work 2012 report of foundation demographics found that people of color make up only 10 to 17 percent of CEO and board leadership at foundations, and women constitute only 38 percent of trustees. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force estimates that LGBTQ individuals make up only 2 percent of foundation trustees. A CMF-commissioned study of the internal policies of 11 Michigan foundations found that most had formal written policies defining their visions of diversity and inclusion, yet few defined or monitored how or how well policies were implemented.

To understand how foundation boards can become more diverse and inclusive and why doing so matters, CMF and BoardSource co-hosted focus groups with diverse foundation trustees ranging in age from 35 to 75. Not one of them fit the typical foundation boardroom demographic in Michigan: White (80 percent), male (60 percent), and age 50 or older (66 percent.) Findings are reported in Diversity and Inclusion in the Foundation Boardroom: Voices of Diverse Trustees published by CMF in 2012 as part of its Transforming Michigan Foundations Through Diversity & Inclusion initiative.

What did we learn from these “outliers” about what it takes to build a diverse and inclusive board that adds value to achieving the foundations’ mission and goals?

(more…)

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by BoardSource on February 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Diversity and Inclusion, Board Policies, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Collaboration

Posted by BoardSource on February 11, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/02/11/people-counting/

Meet January’s Board Member of the Month!

1-15-13 blog BMotMBy BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that Sherri Anne Green is the January 2013 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

Sherri serves as the board president of DC Ad Club. Professionally, she is the director of business development at LM&O Advertising in Arlington, VA.

In nominating Sherri for the Board Member of the Month Award, Carol Montoya, president of Potomac Management Resources, the DC Ad Club’s association management company, noted the following:

“Sherri has served on our board for six years…and was recently elected to a third year as president, a testament to how much her leadership is valued. When Sherri became DC Ad Club president in 2010, she had a vision for the club, the advertising community, and the club’s role and impact within that community. She set a goal of getting our members more engaged and making their membership more valuable. During her tenure, the club has undertaken a rebranding initiative, launched a members-only mentor program, held its two most successful Advertising Week DC conference, increased membership by 20 percent, held more than 50 programs to educate and connect the community, and won 13 Club Achievement Awards from our parent organization.”

“In total, during her service, Sherri is credited with raising almost $140,000 in sponsorships, accounting for 29 percent of total sponsorship revenue.”

“Soon after taking office, in an open letter to our members, Sherri asked them to email her with ideas, thoughts, and inspiration, both good and not-so-flattering. The result is an open dialogue between members and our organization’s top leader, and we learn how we are doing and how we can improve.”

Recently, BoardSource asked Sherri a few questions about her board service:

What inspires you to serve on this particular board?

I serve this organization because I believe in our advertising community. The DC region is often overlooked for the variety of industries we have, and advertising is one of those. We have a really vibrant and creative advertising community that’s made up of agencies, media, PR, technology specialists, photographers, and every other professional that touches the advertising industry. I’m really inspired to show off the contributions that we make as a key part of every business’s needs, and that’s their marketing and advertising.

(more…)

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by BoardSource on January 16, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on January 16, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/01/16/meet-januarys-board-member-of-the-month/

Meet December’s Board Member of the Month!

12-18-12By BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that George Brymer is the December 2012 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

George serves on the board of Mobile Meals of Toledo. Professionally, he is president of All Square Inc., a leadership training business based in Toledo, OH.

In nominating George for the Board Member of the Month Award, Maureen Stevens, executive director of Mobile Meals of Toledo, noted the following:  “George’s insightful and cutting-edge vision has propelled our agency from a solid but relatively small organization to one that is recognized as a leader in the community willing to take on new challenges…George has served on almost every committee of the board, including two years as board president, one year as past-president, and 12 years as president of our Foundation board.”

His board achievements include

  • establishing the Mobile Meals Foundation, a support organization set up to ensure the organization’s long-term ability to serve the Toledo community
  • securing initial funding for the Weekender Program to feed Toledo’s low-income school children over the weekend
  • moving Mobile Meals from a program dependent on local hospitals for its product to a self-sufficient program with multiple vendors and food preparation and storage abilities
  • changing board meeting format from committee reports to 45 minutes of in-depth discussions on topics and issues affecting the organization

Recently, BoardSource asked George a few questions about his board service:

What led you to serve on the Mobile Meals of Toledo board?

I first worked with the organization through a community leadership project with another nonprofit. Later, a friend of mine who was a member of the board and who knew of my leadership experience, invited me to join the board as its president-elect. The person who had been president-elect was leaving the community. I was a little surprised, but I did it anyway. 

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by BoardSource on December 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on December 18, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/12/18/meet-decembers-board-member-of-the-month/

“What is the one leadership quality or attribute that is absolutely necessary for a board chair?”

12-4-12By Mindy R. Wertheimer

That was the question posed to me by a colleague.

If you Google leadership attributes, you will discover lists and lists of attributes with many similarities — but no agreement on the absolute one. Even in The Board Chair Handbook, I list multiple leadership qualities without identifying “the one” that is absolutely necessary for a board chair.

Some common attributes on these lists include good communicator, passionate about the mission, visionary, respectful, motivates others, genuine, intelligent, and shows integrity.

Regardless of which list you prefer to reference, there does emerge one implicit quality that should be embraced in order to effectively execute any of the top 5, 10, or 15 leadership attributes. The one quality is a willingness to be self-reflective in critically answering two questions:

1.     How am I doing in applying these attributes to my role and responsibilities as a board chair?

2.     What do I need to do differently in order to be a more effective board chair governing in the best interests of the nonprofit? (I’m sensing integrity and humility are part of the equation.)

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by BoardSource on December 4, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Meetings, Committees, and Structure, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Strategic Planning and Thinking

Posted by BoardSource on December 4, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/12/04/what-is-the-one-leadership-quality-or-attribute-that-is-absolutely-necessary-for-a-board-chair/

We have our first winner!

By BoardSource

Thousands of people give their time, talent, voice, and resources to help strengthen nonprofits, their communities, and the world through volunteer board service. Many go above the call of duty to effectuate change in their organizations and communities. E. Ethelbert Miller is one of those people, and BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that he is the first winner of the Board Member of the Month award!

BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.  In the first month, we received more than 65 nominations from highly qualified candidates; Ethelbert stood out.

Ethelbert serves as the board chair of  Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a nonprofit think-thank that is located in Washington, D.C. In addition to serving IPS, he is an accomplished poet and director of Howard University’s African American Resource Center.

In nominating Ethelbert for this prestigious recognition, John Cavanagh, director of IPS, remarked, “Ethelbert is the best supervisor I’ve ever had. He pushes me. He throws out new ideas every week, and he follows up on them in our regular [monthly] meetings. He pushes the envelope of what think tanks should and can experiment with, and he pushes me to experiment…”

What more could an executive director ask for? Help reaching new audiences? Skill at running productive board meetings? Increased visibility for the organization? Fundraising assistance?  Ethelbert excels at all. Recently, BoardSource asked him a few questions about his board service:

(more…)

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by BoardSource on November 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration

Posted by BoardSource on November 20, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/11/20/we-have-our-first-winner/

The Secret Handshake

By Aaron Hurst, president and founder, Taproot Foundation; board member, BoardSource Board of Directors   

Board recruitment is broken — and I’m not the only one who thinks so. In recent surveys conducted by the Taproot Foundation and BoardSource, nonprofit leaders reported frustration in securing the right talent and, specifically, with knowing where to look for it.

From my perspective, there are two basic problems with how the majority of nonprofits approach board recruitment.

The first is a lack of transparency. Boards are like secret clubs with secret handshakes! Only current board members know how one goes about joining them. With no insight into how the process works, outsiders are left confused, intimidated, and sometimes with the impression — the wrong impression — that their knowledge, skills, and experience don’t match up with board service.

The second problem is that most boards recruit new members primarily through their current members’ networks, which make creating a diverse board a challenge — and I’m not simply referring to an ethnically diverse board here. A diversity of approaches and life experiences are vital for good governance. When current board members tap only their friends and acquaintances, the new recruits tend to have similar backgrounds to the current members.

The good news is that I firmly believe that these two problems can be solved, and easily. In 2010, for the first time, Taproot reached out to its pro bono consultants and nonprofit clients for nominations for our national board of directors, stipulating the critical leadership skills and experience required. We received more than 100 applications! Taproot staff members read through each and every one to determine who best met the selection criteria and then forwarded those names and applications to the board’s governance committee. The governance committee members then selected its top two to three candidates for each of the board’s open positions. Three board members and I then interviewed each candidate and made our recommendations to the committee and the board. The result? In March 2011, the board elected five stellar new members who were on-boarded as a class the day before Taproot’s annual board retreat. In 2012, we’ll be electing another class of board members who have been identified and recruited in the same way.

Taproot has found a way to “fix” its “broken” recruitment process.  Are you attempting to fix yours?  If so, please share your experiences with us here.

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by BoardSource on April 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Diversity and Inclusion, Board Recruitment and Orientation

Posted by BoardSource on April 6, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/04/06/the-secret-handshake/

Are you talking about Susan G. Komen?

By Rita Santelli, vice president of marketing and communications

If your organization is anything like BoardSource, the news stories about Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood have been a major topic of conversation the past few days. Throughout our hallways, women – as well as men – have been having personal and sometimes emotional conversations about the state of women’s healthcare and how it relates to politics and religion in America today.

But, at BoardSource, the talk about Komen for the Cure’s controversial decision to change its funding policy naturally leads to discussions about the role of the board in making decisions of this kind and in helping manage crisis situations like this. When an organization makes headlines, its leaders — the individuals who make the decisions — need to speak, and speak quickly and honestly. Irene Rozansky of R&A Crisis Management Services put it this way in a BoardSource article: “Board members have a fiduciary duty to exercise a high standard of care in managing the organization’s money and property. In an emergency, this duty should extend to helping the organization manage its communication with key stakeholders: customers, members, strategic partners, employees, regulators, news media, and the community.”

(more…)

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by BoardSource on February 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Policies, Fundraising, Strategic Planning and Thinking

Posted by BoardSource on February 3, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/02/03/are-you-talking-about-susan-g-komen-2/

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