1 of 32

WHY BOARDS MATTER

AND WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY DO?

BASED ON WHAT THEY DO, WHO DO YOU NEED?

Joan Garry Nov 2023

USTA

BUILDING

THE BOARD OF YOUR �DREAMS

Joan Garry

May 2024

2 of 32

Today: Building the Board

​

    • Why Boards Matter
    • The Ten Responsibilities of a Board Member
    • The Three Altitudes of Governance
    • How We Screw Up Recruitment
    • How We Screw Things Up Once They Say Yes
    • Let’s turn this thing around and get it right
    • Who do you need?
    • How do you find them?

​

​

​

3 of 32

Shared Leadership

4 of 32

The single most

important

indicator of a thriving nonprofit

5 of 32

WHY BOARDS

MATTER

6 of 32

CHANGING YOUR

MINDSET

You cannot

do it all

7 of 32

BOARDS HAVE THEIR

OWN WORK

8 of 32

Drilling Down

​

    • Determine the org’s mission and vision
    • Select the CEO
    • Support and evaluate the CEO
    • Ensure effective planning
    • Monitor and strengthen programs and services
    • Ensure adequate financial resources (GROW EM)
    • Provide proper financial oversight
    • Build a strong board and keep it strong
    • Ensure legal and ethical integrity
    • Enhance the organization’s public standing

​

​

​

​

​

9 of 32

WHAT DOES THE

HOW

LOOK LIKE?

10 of 32

​

FIDUCIARY

​

STRATEGIC

​

GENERATIVE

11 of 32

HOW WE

SCREW UP

RECRUITMENT

12 of 32

​

SCARCITY MINDSET

​

AND

FEAR

13 of 32

​

WE DO A

LOUSY JOB

MARKETING

BOARD SERVICE

14 of 32

Board Service = Opportunity

​

    • Meaning/purpose
    • Service is a privilege
    • Board service is enriching
    • The opportunity to bring a skill / expertise or competency the org can’t afford
    • Professional Development

​

​

15 of 32

​

IN ADDITION

WE FORGET

​

16 of 32

​

PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BOARD SERVICE WANT TO DO IMPORTANT WORK AND CONTRIBUTE

​

​

17 of 32

​

LET’S TALK

ABOUT

THE WHO

18 of 32

DESIGNING THE �IDEAL USTA BOARD

19 of 32

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, ATTRIBUTES

20 of 32

TWO TABLES OF BOARD MEMBERS

​

​

ONE BOARD IS HIGH FUNCTIONING

​

​

ONE IS NOT

21 of 32

What might you need?

Hint: look at 10 responsibilities

​

    • Public relations
    • Inroads to corporate sponsors
    • Human resources
    • Nonprofit fundraising experience
    • Social media
    • New Networks of people

22 of 32

23 of 32

WHAT NOT TO DO

​

    • “We need more women”
    • “How might we recruit someone LGBTQ”
    • “We need to reflect the communities we serve and need more BIPOC board members.”

​

​

24 of 32

THAT’S

BOX CHECKING

25 of 32

​

​

DIVERSITY AS

A

RECRUITMENT LENS

26 of 32

Get Board Buy In

​

    • Composition Matrix = ideal board
    • Prioritize the gaps
    • Get board buy-in on the priorities
    • Get full board engaged in generating ideas

​

​

27 of 32

For Example

​

    • We need more visibility -maybe someone in public relations
    • How might we identify a diverse pool of folks in the public relations space?
    • Research minority owned public relations firms in your area
    • Behave like a recruiter - make some cold calls, explain your vital mission
    • Think broadly - leads who will “lead” you to prospects

​

​

​

    • ​

​

​

28 of 32

AN INVESTMENT

THAT COULD PAY DIVIDENDS

29 of 32

​

​

​

RESOURCE

​

Planning Guide for Board Meeting Agendas:

​

https://thelab.ws/usta-pgbma

30 of 32

Best online membership site with content and community for board and staff leaders of smaller nonprofits.

Affordable because consultants and coaches don’t make the budget for you.

  • Board and staff together
  • Warm, supportive community
  • Member driven
  • My philosophy, lots of my content and me
  • Lots of awesome guest experts
  • Authenticity and humor

31 of 32

FOLLOW ME OVER TO THE NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP LAB!

Scan this QR code for 25% off your first year's annual membership or special pricing for group memberships.

thelab.ws/cca-org

32 of 32

TIME FOR

Qs and NEXT STEPS