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Rich Tips is a free electronic newsletter published by Richard Male & Associates (RMA), a nonprofit consulting firm. Please send any suggestions or comments to editor@richardmale.com. Please give us a hand with our next Rich Tips issue on faith-based giving. Send your tips on this topic to editor@richardmale.com. Are there topics you'd especially like us to cover? Let us know! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This week's tips: Tips for Selecting Board Members After 30+ years in the nonprofit universe, I am convinced that the single most difficult and most important role of an executive director is to effectively recruit, orient, support, and motivate a board of directors. There is a close relationship between the effectiveness of the board and the future growth and development of the nonprofit. However, many EDs don't put the same amount of time into developing and supporting their boards as they do in nurturing the programs, expanding the staff, and raising the dollars. This is a big mistake. You cannot develop a board of directors through osmosis. Like raising children, if you don't put in the time, energy, and commitment early on, it will be difficult for the board to develop into a successful part of the nonprofit organization. Even before you begin the process of selecting board members you have to have a clear mission with well defined values; identify the tasks you want the board members to accomplish; and determine the skill needs around the Three W's Theory of Board Development – Work, Wisdom, and Wealth. Let's look at some ways to strategically recruit the best and most useful individuals to your board: 1. Look for board members that clearly share your mission and values. This is a bottom line issue. Try to find people who have some personal, family, or professional (as long as there is no conflict of interest) interest in your organization's mission and work. 2. Board members must be willing to share time, money, and ask others to support your organization. It is not enough just to have a warm body that comes to meetings; the board member must be willing to actively give of their time, money, and expertise to your nonprofit. 3. Seek individuals who are interested in being goodwill ambassadors for the nonprofit. Look for people who have positive energy, and who can share the story and passion of the organization with others in the community. 4. Seek a team player. It is more important to find a good team player than an individual star. Look for solid team players that are not afraid to do whatever it takes to make the organization succeed. 5. Board membership is serious business . Get away from the mindset of desperation. You are not recruiting the first person that says, “Yes” to your board of directors. Set the bar high and recruit only the best of the best. 6. Most fully developed boards have between 15-24 members. Always try to have a mix and balance of people on your board. You will need individuals with technical skills, and others who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work, as well as individuals with wealth or access to wealth who will both contribute money and raise money. A balanced board is a healthy board. 7. Look for individuals who can assist with the key 9 major responsibilities of boards of directors. These include:
8. Have a clear rotation policy for the board members. Generally, boards have a three-year term of office so that one third of the board rotates off each year. However, be flexible — a board member who has really given to the organization in terms of time, commitment, and money should not be “booted” off the board after those three years; especially, if they have a strong desire to stay on the board. 9. Make sure you have a succession plan for leadership. When recruiting board members look at particular roles they could play now and in the future, and make sure you are developing future presidents and chairpersons. 10. Before the board recruitment process, form an interview committee. The board recruitment process is a time when current board members can really feel engaged and involved. Make this time special for the board members and the people you are recruiting. Reader Tips: A few additional tips from reader, Andy McSheffery: "Be thorough in doing a background check to avoid any embarassing revelations once they are on your board. Do they bring diversity to your board without being a constant source of conflict? One last point:. Have they fully been appraised of what is expected of them both in verbal and written communication?"
------------------------------------------------------------- New Grant Opportunities Ted Scripps Fellowships Named after the late Edward (Ted) Scripps, grandson of the founder of Scripps Howard and a journalist who cared deeply about the environment, the fellowship program is aimed at outstanding journalists committed to a career in professional journalism. The program is sponsored by a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation Ted Scripps Memorial Fund and organized and administered by the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado 's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Five Ted Scripps Fellowships are awarded each year. The program is open to all full-time U.S. print or broadcast journalists interested in deepening and broadening their knowledge of environmental issues. For detailed information go to: http://www.colorado.edu/journalism/cej/CEJ_scripps.html#Intro The Presenter Travel Fund The Presenter Travel Fund provides monetary assistance to arts programmers or curatorial staff in New England so that they may investigate new or unfamiliar work. Applicants may apply for funding to help cover the expense of attending festivals, showcases, conferences, or other cultural events. NEFA encourages applicants to seek out opportunities where multiple cultural events are taking place, so that they may experience as many performances and genres as possible in their travels. Presenter Travel Fund Grants to non-profit, New England-based organizations will cover up to 50% of total expenses, including mileage, economy class transportation, meals, lodging, admission, and, where applicable, conference or showcase registration fees. For detailed information go to: http://www.nefa.org/grantprog/presenter/index.html
Federal Grant Opportunities (if any of the following grants sound appealing, please contact Mourene Tesler to learn more about the application procedure - mourene@richardmale.com) ------------------------------- None today. ----------------------------------------------------------- Other Announcements None today. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Feel free to forward this email to a friend. **To unsubscribe to this newsletter, please send an email with the words "Unsubscribe Rich Tips" in the subject line to nicolle@richardmale.com . ***To subscribe, go to www.richardmale.com
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