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One of the best pieces of advice for any nonprofit organization is to get rid of your Nominating Committee.  For most organizations, the Nominating Committee has two primary functions: to fill vacant board seats and to elect officers of the board.  In most case, this committee is an ad hoc committee appointed by the president or chair a few months before terms are due to expire.  Often by the time the board chair appoints a Nominating Committee, most of the board members are busy with other committees and the nominating task seems to fall to someone who has not been tremendously involved in other board work. As a result, those selected for the Nominating Committee may not be the best and brightest of the board members.  The attitude is sometimes, “Well, how much harm can they do on a Nominating Committee?” The answer is “A lot!”

Instead of a Nominating Committee, one recommended approach is to have a year round Board Resource Committee. This committee can also be called the Governance Committee or the Committee on Directorship. Whatever the title, the important things to remember about this committee are:

• It should meet year round;
• It needs to be chaired by the strongest person on the board;
• It’s duties include doing an assessment of board performance, both the board as  whole and individual board members;
• It is responsible for developing or refining board position descriptions;
• It evaluates the needs of the board and develops a profile of the kinds of people that are needed to fill vacancies on the board;
• It works with the board to help find the right people to fill board positions;
• It assures diversity on the board;
• It implements, along with senior staff members of the organization, board orientation;
• It is responsible for ongoing education of the board.

The Board Resource Committee is perhaps the most important committee of the board, not an afterthought. This committee, once in place, should first complete a grid analyzing current strengths and weaknesses of the board. Board members should be listed, according to the years their terms expire, and diversity indicators listed—ethnicity, gender, geographic location etc. Skills, talents and areas of special expertise should also be listed, along with giving ability and contacts with various groups such as media, funders, and government agencies.  Once this grid is complete, the committee can then determine where there are gaps in board diversity, skills and abilities.  A profile can then be developed for recruitment of new board members.

The committee then takes the results of their assessment to the full board and asks for names to be considered for nomination to the board. Individual board members should never haphazardly, or on their own, recruit new board members. Names and resumes are given to the Board Resource Committee for consideration.  No one should ever be approached with an automatic assumption that they will be invited to serve on the board, but rather that their name is being considered by the Board Resource Committee. 

The Board Resource Committee then arranges a meeting with the prospective board member, and the executive director should be included in this meeting. Board position descriptions are shared with the prospective board members and expectations of both the organization and the prospective board member discussed.  Once the Board Resource Committee feels they have a slate of candidates to present, names are then brought to the full board for approval.  Once the new board members are elected by the board, the Board Resource Committee contacts the new board members, inviting them to join the board and attend their first board meeting.  The Committee is also responsible for providing orientation for new board members. This committee also makes recommendations for board officers to be presented to the full board for election. And, the same thoughtful process that goes into recruiting new board members should go into the board officer selection.

It is important, however, that the Board Resource Committee meets on a year round basis and evaluates any problem issues that may arise with the board as a whole or with individual Board members.  Ongoing board education is also a responsibility of this committee and can greatly improve the effectiveness of the board.  As an example, this committee might arrange for case workers to make presentations at a aboard meeting of a human service agency. Or the curator of fine arts might provide education for museum board members.  The Board Resource Committee should evaluate the needs for board education and work with the executive director to provide the appropriate educational segments at board meetings or retreats. 

A Board Resource Committee, working thoughtfully, diligently and on an ongoing basis can make all the difference in the world between an effective, enthused, and inspired board and a lackadaisical board that does not understand its role in advancing the organization's mission.

Special Offers for November:

You can schedule Linda to come speak to your board. Your board can get help understanding the role of the board, the development process and their role in fundraising for your organization. If you book by November 30, 2010 you will receive a 10% discount. To schedule a date click here Linda@cvfundraising.com

New Opportunity to Raise Funds for Your Organization

Many organizations are looking for social enterprises as an additional income stream for their organization; From time to time we will present opportunities that can benefit your organization. Here is one you might want to take advantage of.

As an Independent Beachbody Coach, with programs such as P90X, Slim in 6, Turbo Fire, Insanity, and others, it is with great excitement that I share the mission statement of Beachbody with all of you!  

 "Reverse the trend of obesity by giving people the tools and support to achieve a fit and healthy body."

 As a non-profit organization you have the opportunity to bring education and awareness to your community.  I am excited to take that journey with you.

Please contact me to learn how you can at no cost get involved, raise funds for your organization, and at the same time help end the trend of obesity in the United States!  

Andrea Avila
aavila0515@yahoo.com
www.beachbodycoach.com/andreadp
www.shakeology.com/andreadp

Education is Our Top Priority

If you can't come to any of our workshops, here are several great opportunities for distance learning:
CharityChannel's Charity University offers hundreds of webinars live and on demand. Capital Venture's Private Vault™ and Fundraising Muse™ members receive a 50% discount on CharityChannel webinars!
Mind Edge offers intense online training programs, CAPITAL VENTURE'S Private Vault™ and Fundraising Muse™ members receive a 10% discount on Mind Edge programs!

Fundraiser’s Personal Muse™

We believe every fundraiser needs a source of support and inspiration, so we are offering a limited number of memberships in this new service, which will allow you personal access by phone and email to one of the profession’s most knowledgeable and experienced fundraisers. See our website for more details. To sign up go to http://www.cvfundraising.com/muse.

Charity Channel Training and Consulting

We’ve had great response to our Capital Venture™/CharityUniversity™ webinars. We offer a discount on Capital Venture™/CharityUniversity™ webinars to all members of the Fundraising Muse™ so if you haven’t joined the Private Vault™ yet, you can still sign up.
We will also be offering a new service through Charity Channel for those who need more than a 90 minute training session. I will be kicking off this program with an eight week course “Building the Board You Need to Succeed™.”

This new program will provide you with the tools you need to develop a board of directors that understands their governance role, works as an effective team and eagerly embraces fundraising. More than a class, this program offers you access to a top notch consultant who will provide personal guidance to help you grow your board into the board you want, the board you need!
At the end of this program you will have:

• Completed an assessment of your board
• Developed an organizational and committee structure for your board
• Developed board position descriptions
• Developed a list of backgrounds, talents and skills needed on your board
• Identified a list of potential board members
• Developed  a recruitment plan
• Developed a structure for board orientation
• Developed a board educational program for the coming year

You will be provided with reading materials and an initial welcome lecture that can be downloaded at your convenience. In addition, you will receive assessment forms, sample positions descriptions and other materials you will need to succeed in growing you board into effective, enthused and eager fundraisers. You will complete assignments and return to the instructor for input and suggestions. You will also have access to the instructor for questions between classes. Emails will be answered within 24 hours on business days. Assignments will be returned with comments within one week of the instructor's receipt of your completed assignment.
If you are interested in signing up, let me know and I will send you the details.

November 3, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Ask the Consultants
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, Norman Olshansky and Terri Temkin, PhD.
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 4, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Almost Everything you Wanted to Know About Capital Campaigns
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE & Norman Olshansky
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 6, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Advancing your Career Through Professional Writing
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, Stephen Nill, Norman Olshansky, Amy Einstein, CFRE, and Kent Stroman, CFRE
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 10, 2010
PANO
Raising Money from Your Local Business Community
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

November 17, 2010
PANO
Seven Ways to Thank a Donor
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

December 1, 2010
PANO
Getting your Development Office Ready for the Year Ahead
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

December 9, 2010
PANO
Inspiring your Board and Volunteers to Embrace Fundraising
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Media, PA
Click here for details

December 10, 2010
PANO
Inspiring your Board and Volunteers to Embrace Fundraising
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Bethlehem, PA
Click here for details

December 13, 2010
Millersville University Nonprofit Resource Network
Cultivating Baord and Volunteers for Fundraising
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Lancaster, PA
Click here for details

December 14, 2010
Charity Channel
Revitalizing your Development Office: 30 Steps in 30 Days
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

December 15, 2010
Millersville University Nonprofit Resource Network
Tying it All Together: Completeing your Devlopment Plan
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Lancaster, PA
Click here for details

Charity Channel Workshops
www.charitychannel.com

Check out our website for other workshops and webinars