· Web viewBy-Law? or Bye-Law?? The spellings of both terms 'by-laws' and 'bye-laws' are...

Management Lesson By Yi Chheng Uor / Peng Tel: 016 74 23 81 10/08/2011

A sample set of NGO By-LawsHari Srinivas

By-Law? or Bye-Law?? The spellings of both terms 'by-laws' and 'bye-laws' are correct, and both are widely accepted and used worldwide.

They essentially mean the same - rules of procedure made by an organization for the regulation, administration or management of its organizational structure and operational activities. They usually deal with matters of internal regulation, and are binding on all persons within the organization.

While we accept both spellings, for the sake of consistency, GDRC uses 'by-laws' in the NGO Cafe.

A concrete set of By-Laws form the core of an NGO's identity and structure. By-Laws are called by different names in different countries, including "Articles of Association", "Statutes", "Articles of Incorporation", "Constitution" etc.

Having a clear set of By-Laws not only provide clarity to an NGO's structure and functioning, it also provides a basis for trustworthy relationships with other organizations and entities, and in building the NGO's identity. In many countries, developing and adopting a set of By-Laws (and taking action on the issues stipulated in the By-Laws) is a critical pre-requisite for its official registration with local authorities.

The table below provides a standard list of article, their content, and sample text, that can be selected from, and adopted by, a new NGO.

Note that this set is not targeted at any particular country and is provided an indicator only. It is also in no way complete. From the list below, an NGO can select only those articles that are relevant and necessary to their needs.

Specific countries may have their own stipulations for the contents of the By-Laws, and these will have to be referred to and satisfied, before the By-Laws are drawn and adopted. As mentioned in Articles 47-49, the By-Laws can also be changed or modified as the need arises.

How to use this document:

1. Check local laws on NGOs or related types of organizations to see if by-laws are needed for registration

2. If possible, review by-laws of similar local NGOs. Many times, NGOs are required to make their by-laws public. This is a good opportunity to study them

3. Go through the list below and identify which articles are needed and relevant. Not all are needed or are relevant to the type of NGO being set up.

4. Fill in the content for each article by answering the questions listed, and matching them with your

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own organizational plans for the NGO.

5. Consult your NGO Board and staff members for comments, suggestions and endorsement *

6. Publicize the by-laws to obtain further comments and buy-in *

7. Use the by-laws for registration of your NGO *

8. Regularly review the by-laws (and modify, if needed) every year or two *

* These items can be part of a by-laws article itself!

Suggestions and additions/expansions to this list are welcome! Please send an email to: [email protected]

Article Content

Article 1: Preamble

What is the By-Law about? What will it contain?

Article 2: Name, Acronym and Logo

What is the name of the NGO? What is its official acronym? If available, how does its logo design look like?

Article 3: Applicable laws and legal status

Under what local and national laws is the NGO set up? Does it have official consultative status with the UN, or is it UN-accredited? Is it a member of any national, regional or international network/association/initiative?

Article 4: Sphere of activities

What activities will the NGO undertake? What will be its spheres (or categories) of activities?

Article 5: Location and Duration

Where is the registered office of the NGO located? What is its postal address? How long will the NGO be set up for - that is, is it for a limited period only, or is it unlimited?

Article 6: Aims, Visions and Mission

What are the aims of the NGO? Have goals and objectives been developed? What is its vision statement? What will be the mission of the NGO, and who will be its target beneficiaries?

MEMBERSHIP


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Article 7: Membership

Does the NGO have members? What is the membership structure of the NGO?

Article 8: Qualification

What is the qualifications of the NGO's members? Why are such qualifications needed?

Article 9: Admission

How will members be invited and admitted to the NGO? What is the procedure?

Article 10: Responsibility

What will be the expectations and duties/responsibilities of the NGO members?

Article 11: Consensus Building

How will consensus building be achieved among the members? How will decisions be taken on the NGO's activities? What are the procedures?

Article 12: Resignation

What is the procedures for a member to resign from the NGO's membership? Who should it be addressed to, and how is it accepted and processed?

Article 13: Expulsion or Suspension

Under what circumstances can a member be expulsed or suspended from the NGO? Who will take the decision, and how will it be implemented? What process of redress will be available to the member?

ORGANIZATION

Article 14: Organizational Structure

What is the organizational structure of the NGO? What will be the position of the staff members responsible for different aspects of the NGO's programmes?

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 15: Procedures

Will the NGO have a General Assembly? Why is it needed? Who can participate in the general assembly? Is there a proxy policy? How will the proceedings be reported to the general public?

Article 16:Scope

What is the scope of the General Assembly? What will be the duties and responsibilities of the General Assembly?

Article 17: Decision-Making

How will the General Assembly decisions be taken? How and who can present proposals for decision-making, and what is the procedure/process for taking



decisions?

Article 18: Quorum

What will be the minimum quorum needed to call for a General Assembly, for the proceedings to take place, and for decisions to be taken?

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Article 19: Composition

What will the Board consist of? How many members will the Board contain? What will be their positions? Which current working staff members will also be on the Board of the NGO?

Article 20: Eligibility

Who will be eligible to become members of the NGO's Board? What will their qualifications be?

Article 21: Selection and Appointment

How will potential individuals be identified and selected to the NGO's board? How will the appointment be decided and implemented?

Article 22: Term of Office

How long will a member's term of office be on the NGO's Board?

Article 23: Vacancies

How will vacancies in the Board's membership be handled? How will the position be advertised and recommendations/applications be processed?

Article 24: Duties and Functions of the Board

What will the duties and functions of the Board be? What is the NGO's expectation of a Board member?

Article 25: Decision-making.

Like the General Assembly, how will decisions be taken in Board meetings? What is the procedure and quorum for a decision to be accepted and implemented?

Article 26: Press statements.

Who will prepare Press Statements to reflect the proceedings and functionings of a Board meeting or NGO's activities? How will a Board's acceptance of media/press statements be sought?

Article 27: Meetings.

What is the usual agenda for a board meeting? Who will call it, and how will the proceedings be handled?

Article 28: What will be the minimum quorum needed to call for a Board meeting, for the



Quorum proceedings to take place, and for decisions to be taken?

Article 29: Resignation

If a Board Member wishes to resign from his/her position, how will it be handled? What is the procedure?

Article 30: Removal

Under what circumstances can a Board member be removed (either expelled or suspended) from the NGO's Board? What is the procedure, and who has the authority to initiate such a procedure? What process of redress will be available to the Board Member?

SUPPORTING COMMITTEES

Article 31: Running.

What committees will be set up to support the functioning of the NGO? (eg., Funding, media, strategy/policy/project development etc.).

Article 32: Aims and Responsibilities

Why will these committees be set up? What will be their main aims and responsibilities?

Article 33: Election and Term of office

How will the committees be set up? What is the procedure for the election/selection of committee member? What will be their term of office?

Article 34: Duties and Responsibilities

What function will the members of the committee perform? What will their duties and responsibilities are? Who will decide the duties and responsiblities, and how can they be modified?

AUDITOR

Article 35: Annual Audit.

Will the administration and finances of the NGO be audited? What is the procedure of the audit? How will findings of the audit be implemented?

STAFFING

Article 36: Definition

How are staff members defined within the overall structure of the NGO's organization? How are they different from other types of members (eg. General Assembly or Board members)?

Article 37: Duties and roles of staff

How many staff members will be working at the NGO (both full-time and part-time)? What will be their duties and roles within the overall functions and



members activities of the NGO?

Article 38: Hiring and dismissal

How will staff members be hired? Under what circumstances will staff members be dismissed or suspended? Who is authorized to take such action?

RESOURCES

Article 39: Sources and uses.

What is the nature of (financial) resource needs of the NGO? What will be the primary sources of such resources (including private/personal sources).

Article 40: Initial Capital and Assets

What will the initial capital needs of the NGO be? What kinds of assets (financial and non-financial) will be needed to start the NGO?

Article 41: Funding Raising.

What policy will be put in place by the NGO for fund raising? What purposes will it be used for, and who will be responsible?

OTHER CLAUSES

Article 42: Liability.

What are the applicable liabilities for the NGO? Under what circumstances are these liabilities applied? What procedures are in place to activate these liabilities, and who is responsible for them?

Article 43: Fiscal year/Financial Year

What is the duration, and starting month, of the NGO's fiscal/financial year?

Article 44: Applicable law and Court

Under what applicable law and court will the NGO be constituted? How will disputes and other legal matters be handled?

Article 45: Dissolution.

Under what circumstances the NGO can/will be dissolved? What is the procedure for dissolution? Who will be responsible for dissolving the NGO?

Article 46: Liquidation profit.

If profits are generated during the liquidation process of an NGO, how will it be disbursed? What procedures are in place to handle such matters?

ABOUT THE By-Laws

Article 47: When do the By-Laws come into force? What is the procedure to ensure that the



Coming into force.By-Laws are legally accepted and are also informed to all appropriate/concerned persons?

Article 48: Validity, and extension of validity, of By-Laws

What is the period of validity of the By-Laws? What is the procedure to extend the validity of the By-Laws?

Article 49: Additions, modifications and amendments to Articles

What is the procedure for additions, modifications and amendments to be made to the articles in the By-Laws? Who is authorized to undertake the task?

Setting up an NGO's By-LawsHari Srinivas

By-Law? or Bye-Law?? The spellings of both terms 'by-laws' and 'bye-laws' are correct, and both are widely accepted and used worldwide.

They essentially mean the same - rules of procedure made by an organization for the regulation, administration or management of its organizational structure and operational activities. They usually deal with matters of internal regulation, and are binding on all persons within the organization.

While we accept both spellings, for the sake of consistency, GDRC uses 'by-laws' in the NGO Cafe. By-laws are internal documents, a set of rules that enables each organization to conduct its affairs. It is important they be written clearly and in language that is easily understood by all organization stakeholders. This document is frequently necessary for the registration of an NGO with national and public authorities.

Typical items addressed in the by-laws are:

Name and purpose of the NGO. The Purpose is usually a restatement of the NGO's Mission Statement, but can contain additional details

The frequency, notice, and quorum requirements for organizational meetings. These can be internal or regular meeting of the NGO, or external meetings such as those for the general public, with other stakeholders etc.

Voting qualifications, proxies, and procedures for approval of boards. This is related to the governance structure of the NGO's board.

The number and term for members of the board, scope of authority, method of nomination and election to the board, and provision for filling vacancies.

List of board officers, method of nomination and election, terms of office, powers, duties, and succession.



Membership and authority of committees or working groups. Many of a NGOs' work are done through sub-committees or groups, and provisions need to be made for such committees.

Title and scope of authority for the executive director and other staff members who are responsible for the day to day functioning of the NGO.

Record-keeping and financial reporting responsibilities. In many countries this is necessary for the maintenance of the tax-exempt status of an NGO.

Amendment procedures for the bylaws and provisions for dissolution of the organization.

Writing and gaining approval for a set of by-laws takes thought, time, and the involvement of the organization’s constituents. By-laws should be written with an emphasis on fair treatment and transparent governance.

By-laws in fact make or break an NGO. We need to remember that everything an NGO does, internally and externally, are defined and laid out in the by-laws.

http://www.gdrc.org/ngo/sample-by-laws.html Roles of NGOs

Among the wide variety of roles that NGOs play, the following six can be identified as important, at the risk of generalization:

Development and Operation of Infrastructure: Community-based organizations and cooperatives can acquire, subdivide and develop land, construct housing, provide infrastructure and operate and maintain infrastructure such as wells or public toilets and solid waste collection services. They can also develop building material supply centres and other community-based economic enterprises. In many cases, they will need technical assistance or advice from governmental agencies or higher-level NGOs.

Supporting Innovation, Demonstration and Pilot Projects: NGO have the advantage of selecting particular places for innovative projects and specify in advance the length of time which they will be supporting the project - overcoming some of the shortcomings that governments face in this respect. NGOs can also be pilots for larger government projects by virtue of their ability to act more quickly than the government bureaucracy.

Facilitating Communication: NGOs use interpersonal methods of communication, and study the right entry points whereby they gain the trust of the community they seek to benefit. They would also have a good idea of the feasibility of the projects they take up. The significance of this role to the government is that NGOs can communicate to the policy-making levels of government, information about the lives, capabilities, attitudes and cultural characteristics of people at the local level. NGOs can facilitate communication upward from people to the government and downward from the government to the people. Communication upward involves informing government about what local people are thinking, doing and feeling while communication downward involves informing local people about what the government is planning and doing. NGOs are also in a unique position to share information horizontally, networking between other organizations doing similar work.

Technical Assistance and Training: Training institutions and NGOs can develop a technical assistance and training capacity and use this to assist both CBOs and governments.



Research, Monitoring and Evaluation: Innovative activities need to be carefully documented and shared - effective participatory monitoring would permit the sharing of results with the people themselves as well as with the project staff.

Advocacy for and with the Poor: In some cases, NGOs become spokespersons or ombudsmen for the poor and attempt to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. This may be done through a variety of means ranging from demonstration and pilot projects to participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing research results and case studies of the poor. Thus NGOs play roles from advocates for the poor to implementers of government programmes; from agitators and critics to partners and advisors; from sponsors of pilot projects to mediators.

Source: Abstracted from - Cousins William, "Non-Governmental Initiatives" in ADB, The Urban Poor and Basic Infrastructure Services in Asia and the Pacific". Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1991

Skills required of an NGO

A. COMMUNITY ORGANIZING Group dynamics Community integration

Problem identification

Community investigation

Facilitation

Mobilization

Communication

Role playing

Objectivity, monitoring and evaluation

B. PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH Identification of research problem Identification of different research tools

Data gathering

Analysis of data

Consultation with the community and validation of data

Drawing of conclusions

Making of recommendations

C. BUSINESS SKILLS Planning Participatory (circular) management



Accounting and bookkeeping

Marketing and purchasing

Negotiation

Monitoring and record keeping

Technical skill in micro-computers

Organizing cooperatives/credit unions

Handling labor problems

Understanding legal aspects.

D. DOCUMENTATION, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION Small group formation Clarification of values and vision

Group dynamics

Different kinds of media production

Communication skills and visual aids

Conscientisation/sensitizing skills (??)

Advocacy

Networking and linkages

E. TRAINING METHODS Use of cultural forms Use of media

On-the-job training - participant observation

Workshop organization

Group dynamics

Practice-Theory/Action-reflection

Exposure program

Group discussion and synthesis, brain-storming

Self-learning kits and modules

F. TECHNOLOGY TRAINING - APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES Agriculture, fishing, post-harvest technology, energy, housing, health, sanitation, handicrafts, food technology.



Source: Notes from the NGO Workshop organized at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, October 17-21, 1988.

Integrating NGOs and Governmental Action

Integrating NGO activities and government action essentially involves the "sclaing up" of innovative approaches. Some of the key problems include:

The input of financial and human resources in pilot projects is often too high to be widely replicable within existing resources. Any single standard package may not have enough flexibility to be adapted to a wide variety of specific local institutions and cultural contexts. Often voluntary organizations have initiated projects with no involvement or low involvement of government; thus they have not had to deal with the real-life constraints of government bureaucracy, and therefore, have less credibility. Sometimes there is not enough community involvement in all the stages to assure appropriateness, cost-effectiveness, coverage,a nd continuity. Sometimes the innovative are in too much of a hurry to establish a large program and to go to scale nationally. Government officials are often skeptical or suspicious of voluntary agencies.

Key issues in Scaling Up:1. Getting the attention of policymakers and convincing then of the usefulness, practicality, affordability

and explicability of the approach. 2. Scaling up calls for a different kind of managerial capacity which will be less personal and informal at

the top.

3. Selection and maintenance of staff with requisite attitudes, skills and motivation.

4. Training a sufficiently large cadre of field workers and project officers for participatory projects.

5. Maintenance of an emphasis on participatory process, rather than the result alone.

6. Maintenance of accountability to the people at the grass roots by all levels of planners and administrators.

Modalities of scaling up:Three ways of scaling up can be identified:

1. An NGO project is absorbed by the government and becomes an integral part of and helps transform government programs/projects.

2. A cellular multiplication process, where, based on a service model, the government agrees with selected NGOs on the functional roles they will play.

3. . . .



Source: Abstracted from - Cousins William, "Non-Governmental Initiatives" in ADB, The Urban Poor and Basic Infrastructure Services

in Asia and the Pacific". Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1991

SOME KEY QUESTIONS CONCERNING PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATION (PSO)EFFORTS TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. How should Public Service Organizations (PSOs) go about identifying the professional and technical skills necessary for successful community economic development, and then proceed to build increasing levels of staff capability in these areas?

2. What kinds of training concerning community economic development would be most appropriate for the members of PSO policy-making boards and committees?

3. What centers of expertise in community economic development can be called upon to provide training and technical assistance?

4. How should a PSO community economic development component be organized and staffed? Where should it be situated within the PSO organizational structure?

5. What research instruments and techniques are available to study the existing economic structure of a given community in order to analyze its needs, opportunities, and resources, and to identify its most promising economic venture possibilities? What staff and budgetary assets will be needed to carry out such preliminary studies?

6. How can a PSO become fully informed and "plugged in" with regard to the existing and on-going economic development processes that are continually taking place within the community's private sector?

7. How can a PSO serve most effectively as a broker, catalyst, and/or facilitator between the low-income/disadvantaged segments of the community and existing businesses and industries in the area?

8. Are there any types of commercial, service, and/or manufacturing enterprises that are particularly well suited for implementation by PSOs?

9. What guidelines or standards can be used to help ensure that PSO- sponsored economic development ventures are environmentally sound and sustainable?

10. To what extent should community economic development strategies emphasize:

o Job readiness and vocational training;

o Business incubator facilities and services;

o Micro-business enterprise development;

o Cooperatives and Credit Unions;

o Franchise enterprises;



o Industrial park development;

o Main street/downtown area/blighted neighborhood revitalization;

o PSO roles in serving as a coordinating center and/or clearing house to encourage or facilitate community economic activity without becoming directly involved in it in the role of venture owner/operator?

11. What procedures are best suited for conducting feasibility studies concerning the personnel, physical plant, technological, financial, marketing, and organizational requirements of any given economic development proposal?

12. What specialized methodologies may be most effective for planning, programming, budgeting, implementing, and managing PSO economic development projects?

13. What procedures should be used to monitor the progress and/or evaluate the performance of PSO economic development ventures, so that problems can be identified and remedied before they become serious?

14. What types of training, technical assistance are likely to be needed from external sources to support PSO economic development projects? To what extent can college or university schools of business administration or other academic departments provide needed expertise and consultation?

15. What supportive programs and/or sources of funding are available from governmental agencies such as the Small Business Administration, the Economic Development Administration, and/or other federal and state agencies for the purpose of assisting PSO economic development projects?

16. What sources of assistance and/or venture loan/grant funding can be identified from among charitable foundations, major corporate sponsors, church groups, and/or banking and financial institutions?

17. How can PSO projects receiving government or foundation funding operate in such a way as to avoid engaging in unfair subsidized competition with traditional private enterprises?

18. How can PSO's effectively involve representatives of poor/disadvantaged segments of the communities being served in the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating economic development projects, without excessive conflict with the technical and professional management expertise necessary to ensure business venture survival in the arena of competitive enterprise?

Source: Dave Matthews - [email protected]

Creating a Nonprofit Board

Guidelines on Building an Effective Nonprofit Board of Directors Jan 24, 2007Estela Kennen

A good nonprofit board of directors doesn't just happen. It must be worked on. Here are some considerations to get you started.


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If you want to end up with an effective board of directors for your nonprofit organization, you should take various factors into consideration.

Size Matters

The number of board members should be not to big, not too small, but just right. What does just right mean? It depends partially on the functions of the board.

Larger boards, composed of around 15 members are useful when:

fundraising (or donating) is one of the main functions of the board many subcommittees will be necessary for the board to fulfill all its roles

Meanwhile, smaller boards, of about 7 members, can operate more informally and possibly make decisions more quickly. (A small dysfunctional board, however, can be harder pressed to be decisive than a well-run large board).

Diversify

A diverse group of people is more likely to consider various perspectives on a problem or opportunity, and more likely to come up with creative solutions. Ethnic and racial diversity is critical – the board of directors should look as much like the client population or the population of the surrounding area as possible. But other types of diversity can be important, too.

Geographic diversity can be important. If you represent the interests of a county or state, for instance, it is altogether too easy to end up with a board that is comprised mostly of people who live in the same city where the nonprofit is located—people who can have trouble understanding the needs of your other constituents.

One of the most important areas of diversity you should carefully seek is diversity in expertise. You don’t want everyone in your free clinic’s board of directors to be a doctor, for instance. Nurses, social workers, accountants, and lay people can all strengthen the board. Here are some common types of knowledge and abilities you should look for from different board candidates:

Expertise in the subject matter relevant to the nonprofit (for instance, performing arts or homelessness, or whatever it is you do)

A solid financial background

Experience fundraising, or the ability to tap into high-dollar donors

Knowledge of program evaluation

Finding Candidates

The executive director of the nonprofit, other key staff, and the members of the current board should get together to identify people who can strengthen the board. If there is no existing board, the staff should use their network to ask people to ask people if they are interested in participating.



To save time for more pressing board matters at regular meetings, a subcommittee responsible for board recruitment can be formed. (Of course, the entire board might want to vote on new members, but the subcommittee can for a list of potential candidates, approach them, interview them, and present their findings to the board).

Interview for Fit

Once potential board members have been identified and approached, the next step is to interview them. You should look for:

explicit assurance regarding the amount of time they are willing and able to commit an understanding and commitment to the mission your organization serves

the ability to feel comfortable speaking up along with the ability to listen to other’s opinions

the capacity to disagree with a board decision but to support the decision and organization once the vote has been cast

Setting Nonprofit Pay

Creating an Employee Compensation Policy May 25, 2009Estela KennenSalary Analysis Template - HR.com

Determining the appropriate compensation for employees of non-profits can be difficult. Fortunately, a process, using a written policy, exists to help.

The best way to approach employee compensation is in a systematic matter, with a clear policy in place. That way, the executive director or board member can explain to any employee or potential donor why the pay rate is what it is.

Create a Compensation Policy Create an explicit compensation guideline. For instance,"All positions will be compensated at 90-110% of

median rate for like positions in similarly sized nonprofit organizations in the area" (or adjusted to cost-of-living for that area). Having a range of possible compensations allows for differences in candidate’s background/experiences.

Include an explicit guideline for raises. For instance, "Prevailing market salaries will be determined yearly in order to adjust compensation, funds allowing." Another possibility is to state that salaries will be increased by the change in the annual cost of living index (COLI). A different inflation measure such as could be used instead. The important thing is to be specific.

Determine who will have final approval of pay. For most employees, that could be the Executive Directors. For the Executive Director and other management-level positions (division directors, etc.) that should be the nonprofit board.

Include a process of appeal. If a person feels their job has been miscategorized or that the salary information source the organization is using is faulty, the employee should have some recourse.Project Management of 128



State in the bylaws that compensation will be set by the compensation guidelines, which will be approved by a simple majority of the board. Do not actually put the compensation guidelines in the bylaws, as they are too detailed. Also, having separate compensation guidelines may make them easier to alter should market conditions or other factors change.

Determine Prevailing Nonprofit Pay Write a detailed job description for every job. This will not only help determine compensation rates, but

will help with recruiting and hiring, and help clarify roles and reduce conflict once employees are in place. Use an online salary service to find out the compensation rates. Make sure the rates are for nonprofits. If

that is not possible, see if the salary service provides information regarding how to adjust the rate information for nonprofits – or use another salary service.

For unique positions, it might be necessary to blend job categories. For instance, Adam spends 60% of his time doing category X at pay rate X$ and 40% doing category Y at pay rate X$. This strategy can help with both jobs that are a hodgepodge of traditional jobs, or jobs that have an element that is unusual for that job (for instance, more travel than is usually expected in that kind of job).

Remember that benefits are part of the compensation package. Most small nonprofits offer minimal benefits- generous personal (ie, vacation + sick) days, free/reduced price services, but no health insurance or retirement match. It is important to consider benefits along with pay, no matter what size or how many benefits are offered. If the organizations benefits are considerably more generous than normal, then pay should be adjusted slightly downward. (The exception to this might be a nonprofit that has the sufficient funds to seek the very best people to complete its mission; but such an exception is inappropriate for a start-up with just a handful of employees).

Document the proposed salary, including the explanation for how the salary was derived. (I.e., Executive Director was deemed to fit fully into the “Executive Director” category. The median salary for this position at a nonprofit with 3-11 employees is X.)

Have the executive director and/or board approve the salary.

Following this process, or a similar one, will ensure a clear and transparent method of creating and justifying employee compensation, up to the executive director level, at any nonprofit.

Ways to Thank Nonprofit Volunteers and Board

Ideas for Volunteer Appreciation Gifts and Thank You Letters Sep 3, 2009Molly ScharCelebrate Volunteers with Volunteer Appreciation - silviogs

Much attention is given to building good relationships with financial donors, but volunteers- those who donate their time and expertise- deserve similar stewardship.

Many nonprofit organizations rely heavily on the generosity of volunteers. Sometimes these volunteers are so integrated into the work of the organization that they are referred to as unpaid staff. Other organizations use volunteers for one-time assignments or for campaigns of a certain length. Making


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sure volunteers understand how important they are to a nonprofit is critical in retaining volunteers and maximizing productivity.

Volunteer Recognition is a Program, Not an Event

An effective volunteer appreciation program should be ongoing and contain a mix of activities. Annual recognition events are often effective, but should not be the only time an organization thanks its volunteers.

“Every volunteer, even the purely altruistic one who isn’t trying to advance a career or other personal agenda, wants to know that he or she is making a difference and advancing the cause. And it’s your job to tell the volunteer that,” writes Ilona Bray in Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-Work Strategies That Work (2008).

Consider these other ideas to incorporate into an annual volunteer recognition plan:

Organization-branded gifts such as t-shirts, pens or coffee mugs with the organization’s logo, tagline and mission statement.

Mission-based gifts specific to the organization. If the nonprofit works with disaster victims, for example, an emergency flashlight might be a good volunteer gift.

Special access or educational opportunities. For cultural, sports and academic nonprofits, inviting volunteers to attend classes or events can be very effective.

Awards, certificates and plaques. Certificates can be simple and inexpensive, while awards and plaques will cost more. Ultimately, they all serve the same purpose – to recognize the work of the volunteer as contributing to the mission of the organization.

Speaking or writing opportunities. Volunteers are often honored to be asked to make remarks at an event or to have their story shared in a publication. This is a win-win for the nonprofit because others inside and outside the organization want to hear from volunteers.

Volunteer newsletters. Articles could be written by volunteers about their experiences or could be an adaptation of materials already compiled for other publications.

Events. Regular (annual, quarterly or monthly) volunteer events help build camaraderie in the volunteer corps and give the nonprofit an opportunity to share information about the organization’s work. This might involve remarks from the executive director, a board member, an outside speaker or a beneficiary of the organization. Thanks are always in order and special recognition might be given to extraordinary volunteers.

Volunteer Thank You Letters

When creating a thank you letter to send to volunteers, the key is to recognize the individual contributions of each volunteer. This might seem to be a challenge when many volunteers performed the same task or the volunteer work was spread out over many activities. It is the job of the nonprofit, however to “connect the dots” for volunteers and let them know how their work contributed to the goals of the organization.



Be sure to personally address and sign the volunteer thank you letter. The signatory should be someone in the organization the volunteer will recognize – the executive director, a prominent board member or head of the volunteer’s work area.

Consider these other thank you letter elements:

Start out by celebrating an achievement – “We did it! Together, we brought 1500 children to the park to hear world-class chamber music. That’s 500 more children than last year and 250 over our goal!”

Acknowledge the role of the volunteer – “Without you, it never would have happened. Your participation alone allowed us to bring five additional children to the park and send them home with wonderful memories.”

Connect the dots to mission – “As you know, Chamber in the Park is our largest event of the year. But we work year-round to create opportunities for children to expand their cultural horizons. The money we raise during Chamber in the Park allows us to work with a total of 3000 children here in the metropolitan area.”

End with thanks – “Thank you for the generous donation of your time and efforts last week, and for your ongoing support of our work.”

P.S., Offer contact information – “P.S., I’d love to hear from you about your experience or if you are interested in participating as a regular volunteer. You can reach me directly at …”

Thank Board Members – They’re Volunteers, Too

The duty of thanking volunteers, staff, donors and community partners often falls to members of a nonprofit’s boards. But it’s important to remember that board members are volunteers, too (in the United States and many other countries).

Nonprofit staff should consider ways to recognize and appreciate board members. Inexpensive but thoughtful gifts are often the most appropriate. One interesting idea is to compile a scrapbook of photos from events and of the organization’s work, include some testimonials from volunteers and those who have benefited from the work of the organization, and then present the book as a gift to each board member.

Finally, appreciation must be genuine. Regardless of the specific appreciation activities a nonprofit chooses, volunteer recognition requires a sincere thank you.

Creating a Development Plan for Nonprofit Donors

Fundraising Cycle Strategies to Raise More Money Jul 24, 2009 Molly Schar

Focus Development Plan on Building Relations - LotusHead




The top reason why donors do not give to a specific organization is actually quite simple. They don't give because they weren't asked.

Today, nonprofit organizations must build a relationship with each donor so that when the time comes, the nonprofit's fundraiser can appropriately solicit a donation and get it. An organization’s development plan should address each step in the fundraising cycle to create a workable and effective approach to building donor relationships.

A well-thought-out development plan is critical to a successful fundraising program. The development plan outlines the five W’s of fundraising activities – who, what, when, where and why – in the context of the different fundraising cycles (identification, cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, stewardship).

Identification of Prospective Individual Donors

Nonprofits must identify individuals inclined to support the mission and projects of the organization. People will be so inclined for different reasons. They may have been affected by the work of the organization, or know someone who has. They may live within the community served. Or they may be friends with a board member or a volunteer.

Cultivation of Prospective Individual Donors

This is the period when prospective donors get to know the organization, and vice versa. It’s also the period when fundraisers determine when to ask for a gift, and for how much.

Solicitation and Negotiation of Charitable Gifts

The actual request for funding may take a number of forms. The strongest approach is an in-person request made by someone the prospect knows and respects (peer solicitation). It might also be made by another individual in person, by phone or by letter or email.

The prospect may have questions about what the gift will be used for or the amount requested. “No” rarely means “no.” The job of the nonprofit representative in the negotiation is to determine the real issue and address it effectively. To do so will result in a gift or formal pledge.

Stewardship of Nonprofit Donors

Last, but not least, comes the stewardship period. Once the gift is made, prompt, genuine thanks only begin an effective stewardship program. There is much relationship-building to be done during this period, including ensuring the donor her gift has been put to work, reporting back on results, and determining when and how to make another solicitation.

Translating the Fundraising Cycle into a Development Plan

It is a fundraising cycle because stewardship circles back to solicitation and negotiation as long as the nonprofit donor and the organization continue a productive relationship.



For “major donors” – those giving at a level of significance for the organization – the nonprofit may have an individual development plan for each donor. That’s because organizations should invest more resources in those donors more likely to give greater amounts.

For donors at lower levels, the nonprofit may have an annual development plan that guides groups of donors through the fundraising cycle on a more set schedule. This could mean identification by exchanging a mailing list with a similar organization, cultivation with an informative mailing, solicitation by letter and stewardship with tailored newsletters and reports.

Creating an effective development plan is important for nonprofit organizations large and small. It guides the nonprofit to being able to make that all-important ask, and then being able to do it again.

Nonprofit Donor Stewardship

The Most Effective Fundraising Tactic Jul 24, 2009Molly ScharStewardship is More Than Keeping a Donor Happy - Cieleke

With an effective stewardship program, nonprofit organizations can decrease donor attrition and increase fundraising revenues.

As part of the nonprofit fundraising cycle, stewardship is often downplayed as merely what happens after a donor makes one gift and before she is solicited for another. Stewardship, some organizations believe, is keeping a donor happy while waiting for the next fundraising ask. In recent years, a new philosophy has emerged.

In The Zen of Fundraising (2006), Ken Burnett relays the story of a research survey into donors’ attitudes toward leaving charitable bequests. In response to a question about why a donor would chose to not alert the nonprofit organization of the gift he intended to leave, the donor wrote simply, “May change mind.” Indeed, it is during the stewardship period when donors make the most important decisions.

Shifting from Reactionary to Effective Stewardship

The reactionary stewardship model defines stewardship as what an organization does to, with and for a donor after she has made a gift. Effective stewardship, on the other hand, sees stewardship as what an organization does to, with and for a donor before she has made her next gift. Effective stewardship is an investment in the next gift, with the goal of further engaging the donor to motivate her to continue giving and increase her commitment.

An organization following the reactionary stewardship model considers its stewardship program to be part of the cost of getting the first gift. The organization with effective stewardship budgets stewardship resources as the cost of getting the next gift.


http://www.suite101.com/content/creating-a-development-plan-for-nonprofit-donors-a134309



What Donors Say They Want

In her landmark Donor Centered Fundraising (2003), researcher Penelope Burk offers a fundraising methodology that elevates the importance of stewardship. With her research, Burk reveals the three things donors report they want from the nonprofit organizations they support. If they can get these three things, Burk says, they will continue their support and increase their levels of giving:

"Prompt, personalized acknowledgment of their gifts "Confirmation that their gifts have been put to work as intended

"Measurable results on their gifts at work prior to being asked for another contribution"

How to Give Donors What They Want

Burk goes on to point out that the first two of these donor centered principles can be addressed with a proper acknowledgment (or “thank you”) letter. For the nonprofit organization, this highlights the importance of inspired writing, meticulous editing and speed in sending the letter out.

Providing donors information about their gifts at work can take a number of forms, for example:

Formal stewardship report Letter/email from CEO

Memo from staff member or volunteer working in the field

Site visit

Internal or independent analysis of programs

Personal update (by phone or in person) from CEO or board member

Organizational publications such as an annual report

Once a nonprofit organization has satisfied donors’ three requirements, it is time to prepare for and make another request for funding.

Setting Stewardship Priorities

To put this approach into action, priorities can be set to inform the allocation of resources to the stewardship program. Planning might begin with a priority list such as this:

Develop a system in place to get personalized thank you letters out in less than one week Refresh content of thank you letters, segmenting for donors giving to different programs

Map the donor experience to look for weaknesses and opportunities

Develop a plan to demonstrate donor gifts at work

Thank a donor every day (more than good stewardship, it’s good for fundraiser morale)Project Management of 128

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Time is Short for Nonprofit Year-End Fundraising

Plan Now to Maximize Holiday Giving by Nonprofit Donors Aug 23, 2009 Molly Schar Holiday Giving is Important to Nonprofits - foxumon

Many nonprofit donors write checks at the end of the year to take advantage of the tax deduction. But year-end fundraising requires significant planning and a big push.

A year-end fundraising campaign can be rather hectic for nonprofit organizations. The greatest activity coincides with the period of time when many staff members request time off to be with family and friends, and when many direct-service providers serve a higher number of clients. The importance of year-end fundraising, however, should make it a priority.

Take the Time to Make a Year-End Fundraising Plan

"Too often, for short-term funding efforts, organizations set aside the formal planning process and 'just do it,'" says Kay Sprinkel Grace in Over Goal: What You Must Know to Excel at Fundraising Today (2006). Don't miss the crucial planning step.

1. Review the past few years of year-end giving. Was there a formal campaign in place? What was the strategy? What worked? What didn't? What kind of feedback did donors offer -- with comments and with their gifts? What about timing? Was there a huge rush at the end?

2. Look at the calendar. What events are on the books already? Is there a big board meeting in early November? That will have to be considered. Be sure there will be adequate staff to answer donors' questions and process donations. Gifts can come in even on the last day of the year and a donor not getting a response may just go elsewhere.

3. Consider which fundraising activities to use. Will there be an appeal package going out by mail? Should an email campaign be employed? What about a thankathon? Who will make telephone calls? How about in-person visits?

4. Consider who will be targeted. Individuals, corporations, foundations? Individuals are the group most likely to make year-end gifts. See which individual donors made big gifts at the end of last year. And what other past donors have yet to make a major gift this year? It's a good idea to be talking to major donors throughout the year, but it's not too late to start now.

5. Make an action plan. Who will do what and when? Be as specific as possible. If resources are needed -- like information packets for in-person visits- list them out.

Year-End Fundraising Activities for Nonprofits to Consider The thankathon is an effective stewardship activity and can be done a number of ways. Often, a number of

volunteers will come to a nonprofit's offices after working hours and borrow the desks of staff. From there, they will make assigned calls to donors with the simple message of "thank you for your support." They generally read from a prepared script and may leave voice mail messages if they cannot reach a donor personally. There should be no solicitation during a thankathon, so it should be scheduled early in the giving season. A follow-up solicitation by mail or phone can be made within a few weeks.




http://www.suite101.com/content/fundraising-appeal-letters-that-raise-more-money-a134887



A donation drive is similar to a thankathon, using volunteers or staff members making phone calls to past donors. In the case of the donation drive, however, there is a solicitation. This is the right option for some nonprofits and not necessarily the right approach for others. An organization might consider doing a small-scale donation drive to gauge the response.

Peer solicitation is highly effective. By the third quarter of the calendar year, board members should have already made their donation or pledge. At this point, they should also be asking those in their personal and professional networks to consider a gift. If a nonprofit organization does not have a tradition of board giving and board solicitation, it might be appropriate to engage a consultant to do some board training. The payoff for this investment is high considering the amount of money board members can bring in when properly trained and motivated.

Holiday cards, like a thankathon, are generally a stewardship activity, meaning there is no direct solicitation. Many nonprofits find, however, that holiday cards remind donors of their affection and trigger a year-end gift. (So get them out early.)

Making an ask at an event can also be a great way to raise money. Of course there are fundraising events designed to raise money through an ask or other revenue-generating activities. But many nonprofits neglect to make an ask at "non-fundraising" events like an annual open house or a dinner honoring volunteers. Simply ask a donor to stand in front of the crowd and explain why she gives to the organization, say she is making a gift tonight and would like to ask other participants to consider making one, too.

With good planning, year-end fundraising can be easier and drive more revenue than ever before. Motivate staff members, board members and volunteers to use this opportunity to raise critical funds in this challenging year. Don't miss a chance to let donors know how much they are needed and appreciated.

Optimal CEO and Board President Collaborations

Strategies for Effective Board and Administration Work Relationships Sep 7, 2009Michele DaneBoard Room - gracey

Nonprofit organizations depend on a collegial atmosphere between executive directors and their board presidents. Here are some suggestions for creating that environment.

Successful nonprofit organizations depend on an effective, sound executive director and board president relationship. It is important that volunteer leaders respect the role and responsibilities of the organization’s CEO while upholding their fiduciary duties. Here are a few strategies for ensuring a successful board president and executive director relationship.

Develop and Adhere to Job Descriptions

First and foremost, the most important strategy is to develop and adhere to job descriptions for both the board president and the executive director. Job descriptions will help establish a healthy working


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relationship between management and volunteers by creating clear boundaries and expectations regarding the responsibilities of each group.

Job descriptions for board presidents should include responsibilities such as:

Hiring, monitoring and evaluating the executive director's performance Ensuring that strategic plans, budgets and long range capital plans are in place

Setting policy

Executive directors' job descriptions should include duties such as:

Implementing board policies; developing procedures Managing the organization's resources (financial and human resources)

Other Key Strategies

Beyond this, it is important to:

Presidents should not micro manage and CEOs should not avoid complete and accurate reporting.According to the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits article on “Governance Basics,” the board governs and the CEO manages. The executive director is responsible for the day to day operations of the nonprofit organization while the board president and the other trustees have a duty to set policy. It is tempting for a president to get overly involved in the workings of the organization. However, micromanaging may cause an executive director to push back by not being very forthcoming about the organization’s performance. This may create a negative cycle of more micro managing and more reluctance to share information.

Presidents should be sounding boards but CEOs should not over use that resource.The board president and board as a whole are a resource for the organization in the person of the CEO. This resource should be used prudently when a legitimate reason arises. The CEO should resist the temptation to seek advice too frequently for fear of looking inexperienced and unsure.

Work closely but maintain a professional distance. The board is responsible for evaluating the performance of the executive director. Consequently, it is important to have a collegial relationship while avoiding becoming too friendly. The president must preserve a semblance of objectivity because a friendly bias towards the executive director will not be beneficial for the CEO or the organization.

Maintaining close working relationships between the board president of a not for profit entity and its executive director offer a foundation for a successfully operating organization. Respecting boundaries and carrying out the responsibilities associated with each job are central to this working relationship.

Elements of Effective Board Member Orientations

Must Have Components for Successful Nonprofit Trustee Education Aug 12, 2009



Michele Dane

Compass - Alisha

A thorough orientation provides the mechanism for informing and inspiring incoming directors. Educating new members helps them to be productive team players day one.

Serving on the board of a nonprofit organization is a job, albeit a nonpaying one. Like any job, understanding and complying with clearly defined expectations are key to being a productive board member. Orientation of new board members is an important process for communicating and beginning to instill those expectations and duties in new directors. Here are a few tips for an effective board orientation.

Key Participants

It is recommended that the board president and executive director conduct the orientation. This conveys the importance of the board member’s duties and role in the organization. This also provides the president and executive director an opportunity to visit with the new members and begin to get a sense as to who these new directors are.

Orientation need not focus on just one new individual at a time. Meeting with two or three new members gives the incoming directors an opportunity to meet and begin to get to know who the others are.

Elements of an Effective Board Orientation

Orientation should include the following elements:

Welcome and Introductions - this gives the president the opportunity to communicate just how grateful the organization is that the new members have agreed to serve.

Mission and Vision – this is the heart of the organization and is the reason new members have volunteered. Describing the mission and vision tells new members why their work is important and should inspire them.

Organization History – a brief overview of the origins of the agency provides an idea as to why the entity came into existence and how it responded to past changes and evolved over time.

Organization Governance – This describes the organization of the board (number of directors, offices, terms of service, committees, etc) and staff (organizational chart, departments, functions etc). This section should identify expectations for service such as number of board meetings, committee meetings and should start to provide new members with an idea as to what their commitment will involve.

Services – new board members need to be aware of and eventually familiar with the services of the organization.




Review of Key Documents – The strategic plan, budget and financial statements should be reviewed.

Board Member Job Description – the president should go over the actual duties of the board members. This is the time to clarify the board’s expectations and allow new members to fully consider their ability to serve.

Questions – new members should be encouraged to ask questions and be told who to contact in the event they have a concern after orientation is concluded.

New board members should leave their orientation feeling inspired and positive about the work that they are about to begin. They should be clear about what is expected of them and feel comfortable that they can meet those expectations.

Helping Board Members Fulfill Their Duties

Strategies to Ensure that Volunteers Succeed in Meeting Board Goals

Feb 14, 2010Michele Dane Motivating Volunteers - Mensatic

Enthusiastic, active board members are key assets of any board. Here are strategies to ensure that directors are motivated and understand what is expected of them.

Volunteers agree to serve on nonprofit boards as directors in a burst of enthusiasm and goodwill. The hard reality is that true service requires work on the part of the volunteer. What do volunteers need to understand about their duties relative to their role as a board member s and what does the board president need to do to get directors to fulfill their promises and assignments?

Motivating Directors A Top Challenge for Nonprofit Boards

According to a 2005 survey done by GuideStar, the top three challenges facing nonprofit organizations in order of magnitude are:

Securing the funds necessary to fulfill their mission Motivating directors to commit to the work of the organizations and recruiting volunteers to accept

leadership responsibility

Raising public awareness regarding the mission and work of the organization

Strategies to Ensure Board Members Are Successful

The desire to make a meaningful contribution is among the greatest assets that board members bring to their role as organizational leaders. Unfortunately that enthusiasm and ability to complete volunteer assignments can be depleted in the face of competing demands from their regular, paid employment.


http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2005/nonprofits-three-greatest-challenges.aspx?articleId=780



To help ensure that board members are successful in fulfilling their duties, the following strategies can be deployed:

During the recruitment phase and orientation, be specific about the tasks they will be asked to do and clearly communicate the time demands associated with those duties.

Make sure that board duties match the desires and talents of the board member. A board member that is asked to do something outside their abilities and interests is not likely to complete the assignment successfully.

Provide support to new directors as they take on a job (e.g. organizing a fund raising event) such as detailed information regarding the implementation of that task and guidance from other more seasoned directors. In this way, the new director will be more successful and confident that next time they take on this task.

Provide indicators of progress. Knowing that your efforts are making a difference is very motivating. Therefore it is important to provide metrics that reflect progress towards the achievement of a goal or project.

Counsel those who are not fulfilling their duties – first try to determine if their inability to perform is associated with too many demands from their regular jobs. If this not the case, then remind them of their commitment to the organization and determine what can be done to rectify the situation.

Reward and recognition – providing recognition for work well done can help volunteers be more energized in their work.

Board members want to contribute to the causes supported by their nonprofit organization. Ensuring that they are able to perform their duties depends on encouragement and direction from the board president as well as clear communication concerning what is required of them.

Warning Signs of a Struggling Nonprofit Board

Jul 9, 2011Fawn Volkert How much activity is your board room seeing? - richardspencer

Knowing the signs of a struggling board can initiate its repair. It can also secure a donors charitable investment.

Laws governing a nonprofit organization require that it is accountable to the public and specifically to its population served. This is accomplished by establishing an effective board of directors. There are many factors that can influence a board's effectiveness. Among the many factors of influence are chemistry, apathy, and inexperience.


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Board Chemistry

Poor chemistry among its members can lead a board down a long path of one way communication and rivalries. Members of this dynamic will often participate in counterproductive triangulation and undermining of collective authority. Motives become skewed and productivity obsolete.

Board Apathy

Apathetic board members are not engaged in the organization. These board members are typically unaware of what is going on in the organization, and worse yet don't attempt to find out. Board apathy is easily identified by poor turnout to or participation in board meetings.

Board Inexperience

Not all effective board members come to the table with previous experience, but they should arrive with the desire to understand their responsibility. A common problem for board members is that they just don't know what their job is.

These are common and seemingly obvious causes for struggle. However, many organizations carry on in this fashion just long enough to stop noticing imminent failure. If you are a board member, identifying warning signs can help your group to make crucial strides toward repair. If you are a donor, assessing a board's effectiveness can help you to make informed charitable investments.

Warning Signs of a Struggling Nonprofit Board Frequent turnover of Executive Directors and board members; Difficulty recruiting qualified board members;

Poor board and committee meeting attendance;

Lack of participation or poorly planned meetings;

Triangulation, gossiping, or 'meetings' after the meeting;

Recurring and unplanned deficits;

External request for an audit;

Lack of communication between the Executive Director and the Board;

The absence of or infrequently addressed Conflict of Issue Policy;

Meetings are run by one person talking or "rubber stamping" of the Executive Directors recommendations;

Disregard for board policy and procedures.

As a board member, if any of these warning signs are present among your group, it might be time to revive it. You can begin with defining the roles of the collective board, as well as those of each



individual member. Consider board training and consulting. Finally, compile all that you have learned into a board member handbook. This tool can empower effective functioning among future board members.

As a donor, ask to be invited to a board meeting. This is a step that is not taken by any of the Charity Rating Companies. Guidstar, Charity Navigator, and the Better Business Bureau primarily rate financials and the 'word' of the organization. If you want accurate insight into the legitimacy and credibility of your prospective grant recipient, you will want to observe the governing process and the basic dynamics among the board and executive director. You might find an overpowering Executive Director running the show. Alternatively, you might find a strong-arming Board of Directors. Either way, uninformed members will struggle to put on a performance.

Nonprofit organizations require the optimal co-functioning of donors, an executive team/staff, a governing board, and the population at large. Understanding this delicate balance is key to success, while complacency to it can result in ineffectiveness or unethical practices. Whether you are a donor or a board member, you have front row access into these dynamics, thus enabling you to identify areas of strength and weakness and the opportunity to respond accordingly.

Board Orientation

An Important Part of Board Development Mar 16, 2008Erin Legg

A board of directors that is committed to ongoing development will ensure a board orientation process is in place.

Board development processes help communicate to the board members the organization’s purpose and structure. Strategies of ongoing board development provide the directors with the appropriate knowledge required to be effective decision makers. Board development activities can also help motivate the members in their positions.

Board orientation is a key element to the board development process. As new directors are recruited, board orientation assists them with understanding their purpose and the organization. Seasoned board members appreciate the orientation process as an opportunity to refresh their knowledge of the organization.

Orientation Sessions

During the beginning of the board’s term, many organizations hold orientation sessions for both the new board members and the returning board members. These orientation sessions can be in the form of presentations, group discussions, or information-sharing meetings. Organizations can also plan a board retreat to focus on orientating the board.


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The board chair can lead a discussion with the new board members of the organization’s values and services. During the discussion, the chair can refer to the board’s work plan and how it relates to the organization’s strategies.

Staff members of the organization can lead tours of the facility for the new board members. This will help the directors to become familiarized with the programs and structure, as well as those involved with the organization.

The board chair or the board committee chairs can organize a committee orientation presentation. This can include describing each committee and its purpose, reviewing each committee’s work plans or assignments, and becoming familiar with each committee’s terms of reference.

Orientation Manual

An orientation manual should be provided to each director at the start of his or her service. This manual can assist the director with becoming familiar with the organization and its operations, the functions of the board, and the expectations of each director. Throughout the term, the manual serves as a useful reference tool for the board and the members.

In order to be effective, the orientation manual should be reviewed with the board members. It should also be kept up to date as policies change or are introduced. The manual should include:

the organization’s mission statement; the history of the organization;

a description of the board’s structure and operations, including meeting dates and job descriptions;

a copy of the bylaws;

a manual containing all framework, self-governance, operational, and advocacy policies;

the organization’s strategic plan;

financial information, including the organization’s budget, audit, investments, insurance and funding information;

a description of the board’s committees and their terms of reference; and

the names and contact information of each director.

At the completion of the board orientation process, directors can be encouraged to provide feedback and recommendations. This will help strengthen the process for the future. The board chair can periodically involve the directors in one-on-one reviews of the members’ progress following the orientation.


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Board Recruitment

The Continuous Process of Board Development Mar 16, 2008Erin Legg

A year-round recruitment strategy will ensure that skilled directors committed to the organization represent the board of directors.

Investing both the time and the resources needed to recruit skilled and knowledgeable members to a board of directors will have a great return. If the board and the organization share a similar goal of having skilled individuals serve as directors, the recruiting process can be an effective year-round element of valuable board building.

The Nominating Committee

Appointed by the board of directors, the nominating committee takes the lead with the ongoing recruitment strategy. The committee is familiar with the board’s recruitment policies as outlined in the bylaws and policy manuals, and applies this knowledge to fill current positions and prepare for future vacancies on the board.

Board Vacancies

When board member appointments are staggered, the arising vacancies will also be spread out over time. Having experienced board members in place while recruiting and appointing new directors allows for some continuity to exist from term to term. By monitoring the end dates of the members’ terms, the board can be prepared for the next steps in the recruitment process.

Board Composition

The nominating committee assesses the current board’s qualities and skills set. The committee also reviews the organization’s short- and long-term strategies and measures these against the analysis of the current board’s composition. This will identify areas that are to be replaced or acknowledged, and the recruitment selection criteria are drafted.

The ongoing evaluation process of the board and its processes, as well as the members’ self-assessments may also influence the selection criteria. The evaluation process not only acknowledges the board’s successes, it highlights areas that need to be strengthened. The recruitment cycle is useful in addressing the issues arising from the assessment process.

Prospective Candidates

Just as it is important for a company to have in place a succession plan for its executive team, the board uses the ongoing recruitment process as succession planning for its directors. The nominating committee, the board, and the organization’s personnel brainstorm on a continuous basis for potential


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members who suit the selection criteria. The candidates are researched and the board position and the organization are discussed with them by the nominating committee.

New Board Members

Depending on the board’s bylaws, the candidates are either appointed to the board or run in an election. Once the candidates have been chosen, the board chair will welcome the new members to the board and ensure that the directors receive proper orientation to their roles.

The appointment of new directors does not end the recruitment cycle. The board must be aware of the next cycle of board vacancies and be prepared to enlist and help transition new and skilled members into their roles

The Nominating Committee

Recruiting Prospective Board Members Mar 16, 2008Erin Legg

The board's nominating committee leads the board recruitment cycle.

Finding qualified team members for the board of directors can be an intensive process. Many boards establish a nominating committee to conduct searches for appropriate candidates and transition the new board members into their roles as directors.

Composition of the Nominating Committee

The board of directors appoints members to the nominating committee. The committee represents a number of different perspectives. Its membership consists of both board directors and key staff members of the organization who can establish roots within the community that the organization serves.

Other directors of the board and staff members who have not been appointed to the nominating committee can also assist the committee by suggesting potential candidates.

Duties of the Nominating Committee

The primary duty of the committee is to lead the recruitment process for suitable members for the board. Other duties include:

becoming familiar with the boards bylaws and policies regarding recruiting and nominating new board members;

ensuring the board and individual board members are evaluated on a regular basis;

maintaining records of current directors’ skills, experiences, and terms of service;


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analyzing the current board’s skills and areas for improvement, as well as anticipating the future needs of the board;

developing selection criteria to be used in the recruitment process;

initiating the brainstorming of potential candidates with the help of the board and the organization;

screening suitable candidates according to the selection criteria and recommending successful individuals to the board of directors; and

ensuring the new board members receive proper orientation and other necessary training.

Developing Selection Criteria

To be most effective in ensuring the right candidates are considered, the selection criteria must consider the composition of the current board, the current directors’ qualities, and the dynamic needs of the organization.

Some basic qualities that the nominating committee considers in potential board members include the candidates’:

overall interest and enthusiasm in serving on the board; level of integrity;

team work skills;

ability to think for the future;

time availability and time constraints;

ability to support fundraising; and

ability to influence others.

The nominating committee carefully analyzes these qualities with those of the current board and considers how the prospective members and current members will work together. The committee also considers how the prospective members will influence the existing board dynamics.

The nominating committee considers how the potential members will fit with the organization both in its current state and in the future. Factors that influence this include:

the type of board and its level of decision-making; the development stage of the board;

the short-term and long-term focuses and goals of the board; and

special projects the board is planning.



Providing Information to Prospective Members

When suitable candidates have been identified, the nominating committee will initiate discussions with them to gauge their interest and provide answers to any questions or concerns.

For this reason, nominating committees often provide candidates with information about the board and the organization, including:

the organization’s annual report, promotional brochures or newsletter; a summary of the organization’s services;

a summary of the strategic plan;

board member job descriptions and a list of the board’s duties; and

information on board orientation and other training opportunities.

The nominating committee is fundamental to the board’s recruitment strategy and serves as the lead in the continuous process.

Job Descriptions for Nonprofit Board Members

Setting Expectations for Participation on Not for Profit Boards

Jun 21, 2009Michele Dane board room - sideshowmom

Understanding what is expected is key to the optimal functioning of a board of directors. Listing responsibilities aids in recruitment, orientation and smooth operations.

Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations often complain that their board members are just not doing what they need them to do. But do new or for that matter current board members really understand what is expected of them in their role as a director of a not-for-profit entity? The first step to setting and communicating clear expectations is the creation of a job description for directors.

Expectations Concerning Directors’ Responsibilities on Nonprofit Boards

Fundamentally, not for profit board members are expected to serve the constituents of the organization by ensuring that there is competent leadership and adequate resources available to accomplish the mission of the entity. Directors should be available to participate on committees and at board meetings as fully informed members.



http://www.suite101.com/content/board-orientation-a47866



Nonprofit Job Requirements

Specifically, members must:

Be prepared to contribute their time, money and other resources. Directors should be prepared to contribute financially to the work of the organization or find individuals who are willing to contribute. In addition, directors should willingly contribute their expertise (e.g. marketing, lobbying, accounting, legal, etc) to further the aims of the organization.

Participate fully on board committees as assigned. This means attend the meetings, read the necessary documents ahead of time and be prepared to discuss the issues at hand. Committee meetings are the place where key issues are discussed, analyzed and resolved. Recommendations for board action are formulated at the committee level.

Recruit, hire, and monitor the work of the executive director. The executive director is the employee of the board and as such is required to implement policy. It is not the job of the board to engage in the management of day to day operations.

Advocate on behalf of the organization – directors must be prepared to promote the views of the organization in order to secure funding, legislation and other support for the organization. This requires an informed board member.

Ensure compliance with regulations and accrediting bodies

Approve the budget

Report to the president of the board of directors. Individual agendas must be subordinate to the aims of the organization. Acting out of self interest is to be discouraged.

Keep discussions and reports confidential.

Provide input into the strategic plan and monitor the organization’s progress towards achieving established goals.

Using the Nonprofit Job Description

The job description is an excellent tool to use during the recruitment of prospective members, the orientation of new members and evaluation of current directors. During recruitment, it can be used to inform prospects about the extent of their duties so they can make an informed decision about whether or not join. As part of orientation, the job description helps outline the expectations for member behavior while it also serves as a method for reminding current directors of their responsibilities.

A job description for board members helps set expectations and ensures that directors are doing their utmost on behalf of the organization that they serve.



Building the Best Nonprofit Board of Directors

Nonprofits Poised for Success with Strategic Board Recruitment

Aug 19, 2009Molly Schar Nonprofit Board Development is Worthwhile - larar

As an organization matures, the composition of the nonprofit board of directors can and should change. Today's board members must build the board of the future.

Building an effective nonprofit board requires strategic planning to identify and engage board members committed to the mission of the organization, bringing expertise in a variety of key areas and offering diverse perspectives.

Nonprofit Board Responsibilities Over Time

The principal responsibility of a nonprofit board of directors is three-fold and is consistent regardless of the state of the organization. These three areas are:

To give the organization direction, establishing its vision, mission and values. To provide oversight, especially in financial matters, to ensure accountability.

To ensure the organization has the resources it needs to do its work.

However, as the nonprofit organization grows, the orientation of the board will shift. In Management Development for Nonprofit Organizations (2005), Vijay Padaki and Manjulika Vaz offer four stages of board orientation:

An "organizing board" that follows a leader in setting up the organization- generally a small and informal group.

An "organized board" identifies and appoints an individual to lead the day-to-day operations of the organization (the first executive director) - still a small and informal group.

The "volunteer governing board" that has delegated more responsibility to the executive director and has shifted to focus on larger issues of governance, accountability and sustainability- this group must get bigger and more diversified.

The "institutional board" that has two main foci- diversifying funding and higher public accountability. This group may be much larger than in past stages and could delegate some authority to board-level committees.

Nonprofit Board Recruitment

"When recruiting board members and volunteers," write Robert W. Kile and J. Michael Loscavio in Strategic Board Recruitment: The Nonprofit Model (1996), "keep this question in mind: How do you




know if you've found it if you don't know what it is you're looking for. If you know what type of people- and skills- will benefit your organization, you can go into the community and find them."

Kile and Loscavio advocate drafting position profiles- basically job descriptions- that may change as the priorities and composition of the board evolve. Start with key positions like fundraising and marketing chairs, and begin to rotate onto those committees individuals who seem to fit the position profile to groom them for eventual committee chairmanship, they advise.

Filling committees with volunteers with the potential to meet the needs of the organization is a standard strategy for board recruitment. It gives the committee member a chance to get to know the organization better, and to develop relationships with board members and key staff. After serving on a committee for a year or two, individuals are more equipped to understand the commitment of board service and the leadership culture.

Special Cases: Boards of Membership Organizations

Traditionally, membership organizations recruit some or all board members from the organization's membership. This might happen in-person at an annual meeting or by mail, with the nominating (or governance committee) providing a slate of nominees recommended for election to the board.

Robert C. Andringa and Ted W. Engstrom offer three suggestions to membership organizations to avoid an ineffective board in The Nonprofit Board Answer Book (2001):

Avoid setting strict representational quotas or using the board election to repay political favors. Cast a wide net when seeking nominees.

Present an uncontested slate to the membership- involve the membership in the development of the slate.

With strategic plans, contingency plans and regular review, nonprofit boards can create the right board for the particular phase in the life of the organization. Board service is a serious commitment with significant responsibility to the organization's stakeholders. Great care should be taken to find the right person for the job.

How to Find Great Nonprofit Board Members

Ideas to Help With Nonprofit Board Recruitment

Oct 11, 2009 Molly ScharFill Board Room With Effective Board Members - 4seasons

An organization looking for new people to join its nonprofit board of directors should consider people who are already engaged in the organization or community.




As a nonprofit grows and changes, it is important to recruit new board members. Many nonprofits, in fact, have term limits for board members to ensure the board benefits from new perspectives, styles, strengths and energy.

Determine Needed Skill Sets Before Recruiting Board Members

Avoid the temptation to recruit board members based solely on their interest in the organization. Having passionate and committed board members is essential, but nonprofits should also consider the skill sets the board members will be able to contribute.

Skills to consider include:

Fundraising. Keep in mind that all board members should be able and willing to be active fundraisers for the organization. It is helpful to have at least one board member with significant nonprofit fundraising experience who can spearhead fundraising efforts.

Financial

Marketing/Public relations

Human Resources

Legal

Strategy/Planning

Expertise in nonprofit’s programs

Technology

Consider the Diversity of the Nonprofit Board

Nonprofits can fall into the trap of recruiting board members from the same pool time and again. This can lead to a lack of diverse thinking, which can hurt the organization’s ability to creatively solve problems, develop effective programs and positively relate to its constituency.

While diversity is often defined narrowly as a “racial and ethnic mix, which is certainly part of it … diversity of thought, background and experience is just as important,” writes Rebecca Gardyn in the December 11, 2003 article “Building Board Diveristy” in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Finding Potential Nonprofit Board Members That Meet the Criteria

It’s a good idea to seek board candidates from several different sources:

Consider current volunteers who have demonstrated their commitment and leadership. This should include volunteers serving on committees.

Financial donors making significant gifts and/or giving over a long period of time are demonstrating their commitment to the organization.


http://philanthropy.com/free/articles/v16/i05/05002501.htm


Check with current and past board members for recommendations. Board members often sit on several boards at one time and may be serving with someone on another board who could be a good fit.

Look at other organizations in the community with well-performing boards and reach out to the leaders of those organizations for suggestions.

Let organization stakeholders know there is a need for new board members. Some organizations require that an organization’s beneficiaries be represented on the board, for example, so recruitment would need to be targeted to that group. Talk also to political allies, media representatives and other stakeholders to seek recommendations.

Once the organization has generated a list of candidates, they can be matched against the list of skill sets and diversity goals generated earlier in the board recruitment process. With a short list of candidates, board representatives can begin to gauge the interest of potential board members.

The Key to Successful Board Development

Aug 16, 2010 Michele DaneBoard development - mconnors

Recruiting, orienting and raising the skills of board members are the central components to a sustainable, viable nonprofit entity.

Nonprofit organizations rely on their board of directors to provide the mission, vision and values that guide the organization. In addition, boards assist with key functions such as fund raising, policy development and evaluation of the executive director. In short, the staff require strong leadership from their board in order to ensure a successful organization. That leadership is secured through a strong board development process.

Board development consists of the following:

Step 1: Board Member Recruitment

The best board development begins with the recruitment of the most suitable directors. Before launching a recruitment effort, it is crucial to determine the needs of the organization. A gap analysis should be conducted to identify the skills and assets of the current board members relative to the needs of the organization now and into the future. For example, if marketing and communication skills were lacking and presumed to be of importance to the future success of the organization, then recruiting an individual with these talents would be desirable.

During the actual recruitment process it is important to convey the mission, vision and values of the organization to the prospective members. In addition, the nominating committee should provide a brief overview of the organization such as its history, services and financial status. The prospective member should also be shown the job description of the board members. At this juncture, information




concerning the organization is offered to help the prospective understand the organization and the type of commitment required to serve on the board.

Step 2: Board Orientation

This is most effectively carried out by the Board President. Orientation will focus on much of the same ground as was covered during the recruitment phase but in more detail. The purpose of orientation is to familiarize the new board member with the organization, the director’s responsibilities and their legal obligations.

To that end, orientation should include:

The mission, vision and values of the organization The history of the organization

Organizational structure – organization chart, by-laws, committees

Services

Staffing

Political environment

Finances – balance sheet, income statement and other key financial statements plus information concerning sources of funding; budgeting process

Role of the board – governance not micro-management

Review of the board member job description

Step 3: Ongoing Board Development

The purpose of board development is to raise the quality of the board to the next level. A board self assessment will provide an objective tool for determining the strengths currently available compared to needs of the organization. The gaps that are identified will form the basis for future training. Topics for further instruction could include: more in depth financial instruction, the board’s role in transparency, strategic planning, succession planning and trends in the particular service sector. Board education can be provided by outside speakers, internal board presentations, or by sending members to key programs.

Board development is a three tier enterprise. Each element is important to ensuring that the nonprofit organization has the best leadership possible.


http://www.suite101.com/content/nonprofit-board-president-job-description-a141975


Can Nonprofit Board Training Fix Board Problems?

Board Development Program May Be Needed to Increase Effectiveness

Sep 29, 2009 Molly ScharBoard Retreats Should Be Held Outside Boardrooms - 4seasons

Nonprofit organizations looking to improve the effectiveness of a new, growing or dysfunctional board should consider desired outcomes before choosing a board program.

Through the life of a nonprofit, the organization’s board will change significantly. In the beginning, the board is in organizing mode and functions far differently from the “institutional” board. Boards will change in composition, foci and levels of commitment, so it makes sense that setting norms and sharing knowledge will maintain the board’s effectiveness.

Board Training: Classroom-Style Program

A regular schedule of board trainings is helpful in deepening the engagement of board members and assisting with the learning curve for new board members. In Board Member Orientation: Strategies for Nonprofit Executives (1995), Holly Kleinsasser offers some topics to address in a program of regular trainings:

“Improving the quality of your board meetings Resolving conflict effectively during meetings

Risk management

Presentations on new laws affecting the nonprofit or board

Presentations from program directors

Developing and assessing long-range plans

The nonprofit’s place in the community or region

Assessing your performance as a board member”

Board trainings can also be held on an as-needed basis to inform board members about their roles and responsibilities.

Keep in mind that a classroom-like setting may be the most appropriate for this type of instructional training. A nonprofit should choose the board training method when the problem is a lack of knowledge or skills.

Board Development: Addressing Root Problems of Ineffectiveness

The problems of ineffective boards often run deeper than a lack of knowledge or skill. This can be due to a variety of reasons, and “frequently result from poorly designed, or totally absent, systems,




procedures and behavioral norms for working together,” says Mike Hoff, former nonprofit services education and consulting director for Center for Nonprofit Management in “Board Training: Are You Making the Right Choices” on the center’s website.

“Board members ‘know’ what to do, but are inhibited from effective implementation due to any number of factors,” says Hoff, citing poor leadership and communications and lack of consensus among the deeper issues.

To address these deeper issues, a board development program should focus on team-building, clarifying breakdowns in the system and resolving conflicts. It is recommended that a board development agenda be balanced with relationship-building opportunities and a “group think” atmosphere of brainstorming and visioning exercises. For this reason, board retreats are often scheduled away from the day-to-day operations of the organization and in more informal environments.

Who is Responsible for Orienting, Training and Developing the Board?

Most nonprofit executives would agree that a strong, effective board translates into a strong, effective organization. It is the joint responsibility of the executive director and the board to create a program of board orientation, training and development.

Today, it’s common to see the traditional board nominations committee growing to become a board development committee. As a board matures and becomes more strategic, it begins to seek out board members to satisfy specific board needs, and this closely relates to the work of current board development.

Planning a Nonprofit Board Retreat

Board Development Getaways Increase Governance Effectiveness

Oct 1, 2009Molly Schar Schedule a Board Retreat Away From the Office - BeverlyLR

When simple board training is insufficient to address the more complex issues holding a board back, a board retreat may be the answer. Learn how to plan for success.

While board training can and should be done regularly as part of the business of the nonprofit board of directors, board retreats are often scheduled annually or in a time of special need to address deeper issues.

Schedule retreats as far in advance as possible and plan for the retreat to last one to two days, with a number of breaks and social activities.



http://www.cnmsocal.org/resources/articles/board-training.html


“A board retreat may be called to devote focused time to the planning process, to inform and educate the board on significant topical issue, to evaluate the board’s own progress and contribution to the organization, or to build the relationship between board members and between the board and CEO,” says David Fishel in The Book of the Board: Effective Governance for Non-Profit Organizations (2008).

Elements of a Successful Board Retreat

The most important element of a board retreat, says Sandra R. Hughes in To Go Forward, Retreat: The Board Retreat Handbook (1999), is “a planning process that involves board members.” By involving the participants themselves in setting the objectives and agenda for the retreat, everyone is engaged in the process and much more likely to commit to retreat outcomes.

Successful retreats share five other elements, says Hughes:

Realistic objectives are set, with more time allocated for a few issues instead of a long list of topics to rush through, and achievable goals for the retreat are set up front

Meaningful topics are addressed – leave the routine and minutiae for regular board meetings

Activities are tailored for each board, taking into consideration the board’s own culture and structure

Flexibility is built into the format, so new ideas can be explored

Opportunities to socialize and strengthen relationships are built in

Possible Board Retreat Activities

Depending on the retreat objectives and available time, retreat planners might consider some of these activities:

Setting norms. Ask participants to contribute ground rules (like no emailing while in session) and get everyone to agree.

Icebreakers. Start the meeting by asking participants to tell a personal story or share the best advice they ever got.

Pairing up for meals. For working lunches, ask participants to break into pairs and continue their discussion over a meal. Also consider pairing up board members less familiar with each other.

Social activities. Schedule breaks for social activities like an afternoon of golf, a city tour or massages.

SWOT analysis. This can be a good brainstorming exercise. Have participants identify the organization’s and/or board’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

What would happen if organization went away. Ask board members to write down what they think would happen if the organization simply stopped doing its work. This can help focus participants on the mission of the organization.

Examining mission and vision statements.



Reevaluating strategic plans in place.

Review of the board’s performance and of each individual board member’s performance.

Facilitating a Board Retreat

While sometimes it is appropriate and effective for an executive director or board chair to facilitate a retreat, it is generally agreed that engaging a third-party facilitator is best. This person can not only help set objectives and goals, develop the agenda and keep things moving during the retreat, but she can also process the work from the retreat and build systems for follow-up.

A good facilitator will be impartial and objective, with experience working with different nonprofit boards. A scope of work should be developed in advance so everyone is clear on the facilitator’s role and deliverables.

How to Start and Run A Nonprofit Organization

Keys to a Thriving 501-c-3 Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know

Feb 1, 2010Stephen Raburn Nonprofits Change the World - Blog Atlas

Running a nonprofit organization is similar to running any business. There are some differences, however, which should be kept in mind.

Anyone interested in starting a public-benefit 501-c-3 charitable organization should familiarize themselves with a few core components.

Legal Requirements

First, there are legal requirements: filing Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State; establishing a board of directors (typically a minimum of a President, Treasurer and Secretary serving as officers is required); and applying for tax-exempt status with the IRS (most major donors, foundations, etc. will not contribute financially otherwise).

None of the regulatory requirements are difficult, although they can be time-consuming to complete. It may make sense to hire a nonprofit consultant, accountant or attorney familiar with the nonprofit sector to assist.

Once the technical aspects of establishing a nonprofit organization are complete, the more interesting and challenging components come into play, among them:

Fundraising: Developing a broad-based, diverse funding stream to ensure long-term viability.


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One of the biggest mistakes nonprofit organizations make is being overly reliant on any one funding source. The goal is to create a multi-faceted, diverse fundraising plan. Especially in today’s economy, no funding source is guaranteed. Ideally, a fundraising matrix should include: private foundation grants, government grants, community foundation grants, earned income, revenue generated through events, planned giving, major donors, direct mail solicitation, corporate partnerships, on-line donations, etc.

Fundraising comes down to relationships. People (and this includes foundations and large corporations) give to people. Cultivating relationships is key.

Board structure

Critical to the success of the organization is a functional and engaged board of directors, comprised of a healthy blend of impassioned, committed professionals and influential stakeholders willing to share expertise, resources and to provide the executive director entrée to leaders in various spheres of influence.

Committee structure is also important (small, nimble committees are preferable). Typical committees include Executive, Finance, Marketing, Fundraising as well as a variety of time-limited, outcome-specific ad hoc committees created from time to time. Committee work is a great way to keep directors involved, engaged.

Relationship/coalition-building:developing stakeholders, political allies, colleagues, constituents, funders.

Relationship-building is the single most important task of nonprofit executive. Indeed, no one can accomplish much in isolation, but when we all come together around a common cause, anything is possible. One important job of the leader of the organization is to engage influential people to “join the bandwagon.”

Boards can only do so much. And, many influential people won’t serve on yet another board. However, almost everyone will give 20 minutes of their time, or is willing to sit on a time-limited ad hoc committee, or serve on an advisory board (with the clear expectation that they can be called on from time to time for their expertise).

Organizations can save untold thousands of dollars by developing relationships and subsequently tapping into the expertise of attorneys, accountants, marketing executives, media professionals, etc., willing to provide modest pro bono services.

The job of influencing a community or gathering support for a cause becomes much more doable when the burden is shared with others with clout that can lend credibility and are in a good position to spread the “virus.”

Outcomes: Determining desired results, best practices to achieve those results, and best means to measure and report results.



Critically important is having systems in place to gather, analyze, and report outcomes. Evaluation plans should be interwoven into program design. Having a clear plan in place for what the organization is going to accomplish (objectives), how it’s going to go about it (methods), and how it will know if it does or not (evaluation) is invaluable in satisfying funders, clients and stakeholders as well for internal analysis.

High quality evaluation/reporting systems are one of the best ways to ensure transparency and earn the trust of the community.

Quality Assurance:Striving to ensure every component is high quality, conforms to best practice standards, etc.

Improving the quality components of all programs and the organization as a whole is an on-going process. It is important to set high standards and to perpetually seek ways to improve - through researching best practice models, prioritizing staff development and placing a high value on training. There’s no need to re-create the wheel. Rather, it’s important to identify comparable programs and learn from the best ones. Borrow well.

Forecasting

Being able to see the forest for the trees is an important attribute for a nonprofit leader. Understanding trends and patterns in philanthropy, staying on top of legislation, remaining apprised of latest research and best practice standards… all influence an administrator’s reliability in crafting realistic longer-term agency goals.

Mission/Vision/Policies/Procedures

A thoughtfully crafted mission statement will guide and inform decisions throughout the existence of the organization. A vision statement sets the course for some period of time. Policies and Procedures provide framework/infrastructure for day-to-day operations. An evolving organization is advised to give the formulation (and perhaps revision) of the mission statement, in particular, the proper attention it deserves.

Personnel (Identifying Needs to be Filled, Job Descriptions)

Finding (and retaining) the best talent possible is always a challenge. Most nonprofit administrators list “personnel issues” as their top frustration. The job of an administrator is much more manageable if he or she is surrounded by competent, passionate, skilled staff. Likewise, staff who describe their supervisor as loyal, supportive, flexible, honest and committed to their professional growth are certainly more likely to perform well and stay longer.

Identifying the right performance appraisal instrument is important. The tool serves numerous purposes: to clarify staff expectations; to identify and subsequently monitor progress of objectives; to provide tangible, well-documented data for the purposes of merit-based salary adjustments and promotions, etc. Used properly, performance appraisal tool can serve as a useful “road map” and a fair method to quantify work performance.



Culture: Creating thoughtful office norms, philosophies, ideals, values.

Shaping a work environment which fosters productivity, loyalty, camaraderie; one which simultaneously celebrates diversity (in the myriad ways in which the word is defined) while inspiring unity and cohesion is one of the trickier tasks for a manager. And one of the most fun. A good amount of time should be spent asking those large existential questions, “Who are we?” and “What do we value?”

As a supervisor, certain qualities are important to model: a strong work ethic, commitment to customer service, honesty, flexibility, trust, balance, accountability, individuality, fairness. Hire competent people and stay out of their way (while always being available for guidance, support). Recognizing that work isn’t the only important aspect of an employee’s life will earn an administrator reams of respect from his or her employees.

Trust and respect are at the core of any high-performing organization and should be guiding values when crafting personnel policies, etc.

Managing Disruptive Board Members

Strategies to Handle and Prevent Problem Behaviors Aug 1, 2009 Michele Dane

Board - sideshowmom

Unruly directors can prevent nonprofit boards from achieving their goals. Intervening in a timely manner and employing certain strategies can help eliminate problems.

In the majority of cases, board members of nonprofit organizations work together smoothly, productively and respectfully in order to advance the mission and serve the cause of the not-for-profit entity. But, occasionally, boards find themselves with a director who regularly promotes their own agenda or interferes in the day to day operations of the organization. A disruptive member can cause good volunteers to resign or cease contributing their expertise to the discussions and work of the group. Here are a few solutions to resolve the problem as well as some strategies to prevent that problem from occurring.

Board Member Disruptive Behaviors Defined

A board member can be considered to be disruptive if he or she exhibits a continued pattern of behavior that prevents the board from doing the work of the organization. This behavior includes:




Regularly ignoring the agenda Pushing their own interests rather than those of the organization

Talking excessively and dominating the discussion

Lobbying for their position with select board members outside of meetings

Missing a significant number of the meetings and making no effort to stay engaged with the business of the organization

Solutions for Handling Problem Behaviors of Board Members

First, the board president and executive director need to determine the cause of the disruptive behavior. According to Barry S. Bader et al in their Feb 2007 article, “Disruptive Board Members”,www.greatboards.org/pubs/advisors-corner-disruptive-board-members.pdf it is important to identify the source of the difficulty. For example, is the member domineering and aggressive because that is the expected and condoned behavior at their work site? Is a board member consistently late and unprepared because he or she didn’t appreciate the level of complexity of the work and didn’t understand the time commitment required when they agreed to serve? Understanding the cause will help the board president to craft an effective solution.

Once the cause is identified, the board president should have a one-on-one conversation with the offending individual. The behaviors that are creating the problem need to be presented in a dispassionate manner along with a solution (e.g. do not continue to push a point of view that conflicts with that of the organization and let other contribute). The individual needs to commit to the new behavior and understand that continued disruptions will not be tolerated.

If the behavior persists and all else fails, then the problem board member must be asked to leave.

Strategies to Prevent Problems Before They Arise Careful selection of prospective members by the nominating committee –the nominating committee need

to ask how the prospect performed on other boards and look for any red flags (e.g. short tenure on boards, lack of a positive recommendation from other boards or groups)

Develop and use a board member job description when interviewing prospective member s and orienting new members once they join.

Use yearly evaluations to compare board member performance relative to the job description.

Term limits also offer a means of moving directors off, but a problem should not be allowed to persist that long.

Board members willingly contribute their time and talents to help nonprofit organizations. Their expectation is that they will not have their time wasted and work disrupted by a board member that can’t function as a team member.


http://www.greatboards.org/pubs/advisors-corner-disruptive-board-members.pdf


Effectively Managing Board Conflict

Successful Strategies For Resolving Disagreements Among Volunteers Oct 19, 2009 Michele Dane

Conflict - mickepe

Conflict arises from poor communication and the occasional grab for power. Turning potentially ruinous situations into positive ones is key to nonprofit sustainability.

Volunteers who agree to serve on nonprofit boards usually do so because they feel passionately about the mission of that organization. Disparate individuals with strong feelings and varying perspectives will inevitably stir up conflict at some point. Conflict is healthy if dealt with directly but can become destructive if allowed to fester. Here are a few strategies for addressing conflict in a positive manner.

Beneficial Versus Destructive Conflict

Conflict can be helpful to an organization or relationship when it leads to a better understanding of the perspectives of others. It is also beneficial when it leads to the development of solutions to problems that involve input from everyone. Conflict that leads to consensus is key to the organization's sustainability and growth.

On the other hand, disagreements can become harmful when they become a personal attack on another individual or individuals and detract from the important issues at hand. It can also become negative when it undermines board and staff morale and leads to greater differences rather than fostering improved team building.

Sources of Conflict

Conflict can be attributed to a number of factors such as:

Poor communication A desire for control or power on the part of one or more members

Lack of clarity as to the role and responsibilities of the board, the executive director and staff

An ineffectual board chair – a chairman who is too passive will allow conflict to become destructive while an over controlling chair may squelch conflict in a misguided effort to keep discussions non-confrontational.




Strategies for Successfully Resolving Conflict Among Board Members

Conflict can be managed in a number of ways. These strategies include the following:

Clarification as to the roles and responsibilities of the board- this can be accomplished through a thorough board orientation and job descriptions.

Selection of an effective board chair who will be attuned to conflict and will address it directly and objectively

Annual job evaluations board members

Establishing standards of behavior for the board

Addressing conflict head on when it occurs – remind members that disagreement and open dialogue are necessary and healthy when done with respect

Foster sound interpersonal communication

View conflict as a “win win" negotiations

It is important to secure outside expertise early on if the situation warrants it.

Disagreements can not be avoided among individuals with differing viewpoints that are striving to advance and are willing to challenge the status quo. Conflict can help boards clarify important issues and strategies. Interpersonal problems that are avoided lead to dysfunctional organizations and have to be dealt with straight on to avoid harm to the organization.

Strategies for Dealing With Difficult People Apr 20, 2010 Victoria Rodriguez-Baziuk

Strategies for Dealing with Difficult People - tina cm

Dealing with difficult people is easier when strategies are enacted. These strategies include, interpersonal communication skills and negotiation skills.

No matter how successful or popular a person is, they are bound to come across someone who is hard to get along with. This is why it is important to learn how to develop strategies when dealing with difficult people. Interpersonal communication skills and knowing how to effectively communicate with people is one way to deal with such obstacles. Other components that are "helpful" include patience, negotiation skills and effective conflict and resolution strategies.


http://www.suite101.com/content/bullying-facts-when-it-is-more-than-dealing-with-difficult-people-a223030

http://www.suite101.com/content/bullying-facts-when-it-is-more-than-dealing-with-difficult-people-a223030

http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/virodrig


Whether it is at work, or at home, strategies for dealing with difficult people can make life a lot easier. Interpersonal communication skills are imperative when learning how to deal with someone who is difficult to get along with. Maybe it's a clash of personalities, morals, or manners, no matter what the reason is, it's virtually always beneficial for one to get along with individuals who have different personality types.

Interpersonal Communication when Dealing with Difficult People

Interpersonal communication skills are important when dealing with difficult people because it allows the flow of communication to be open. Allowing each person a voice to speak, makes each person feel comfortable and able to say what is on their mind. This openness creates a good flow of energy between the speakers and allows the conversation to flourish.

Just as interpersonal communication is important when dealing with difficult people, listening skills are equally as important.

In the article in Psychology Today, titled, "Dealing with Difficult People," author Nando Pelusi states, "Resist the urge to fight to win the argument. Listening and asking questions leads others to their own better conclusions."

Often people who are dominant in conversation, tend to forget about the other person's opinions or viewpoints. By allowing each person the same amount of time to discuss their view points, it's less likely that the conversation will be one-sided.

Negotiation Skills Helps Minimize Conflict, and Resolution Strategies are Maximized

Interpersonal communication skills and negotiation skills are important in minimizing conflict and maximizing resolution strategies, because each person benefits. When each person discusses what they want and how they would benefit from what the other person has, both parties are more likely to work together and come to an agreement.

According to the article, "Effective Negotiation Tools," written by Jan Potgeiter, a member of The Negotiation Academy, "The most vital portion of a successful negotiation is that it becomes a win more/win more situations for everyone involved. With the right tools, all parties can exit the negotiation table feeling satisfied and compensated fairly. With knowledge, skills and practice, negotiating can become a truly enjoyable and winning experience."

When people possess effective negotiation skills, they learn how to get what they want out of life. It is also an effective way to minimize conflict, and resolution strategies are maximized. When people are taught that the world is a give and take environment, relationships will be easier to maintain.

Dealing with difficult people is easier when certain tactics are followed. Interpersonal communication skills help keep the lines of communication open and sincere, and each person is allowed to speak their mind. Negotiation skills are equally important because they focus on the give and take aspects of life that help minimize conflict, and resolution strategies are maximized.


http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200609/dealing-difficult-people?page=2


Tips for Resolving Workplace Conflict

How to Defuse Disagreements on the Job Apr 28, 2009 Paul Larson

Resolving Conflict - ronnieb

Conflict is a normal and natural part of the workplace and personal lives. Conflict can be helpful in making necessary changes within a work environment.

Unresolved conflict however can result in feelings of dissatisfaction, unhappiness, hopelessness, and other sentiments. It can result in emotional withdrawal, resignation from the job, tense personal relations, and even violence.

Communication can both cause and remedy conflict. As with other management skills, communication and conflict resolution skills must be learned. Conflict, just like any other key business process has to be managed.

Many people fear conflict and withdraw into themselves whenever it shows up. The organization can suffer when this occurs because it is through conflict that an awareness of the need for essential changes can be made.

Where Does Conflict Come From?

Conflict arises from a clash of goals or values involving a concern where people care about the outcome. It can start with confusion or disagreement with the common objective and how to achieve it. This is particularly true when different groups are bent on achieving individual goals within the organization. The competition for limited resources will also generate conflict.

Increased interaction as organizations get larger can also be an instigator of conflict. As people interact more frequently they increase the probability for conflict.

Types of Workplace Conflict

Conflict occurs as a result of two or more people interacting and disagreeing. There are three types of conflict in the work place:

(1) Substantive conflict

(2) Personality-based conflict


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict

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(3) Structural Conflict

The substantive conflict can be dealt with by addressing the specific problem that is the subject of the conflict. For example, consider two employees who must use the same copy machine. When one has a big job and ties up the machine, the other is delayed and can't get a document out when promised.

There are times when conflict between employees is simply based on personality and it must be addressed.

Part of the conflict common to a workplace is structural. For example an accounting manager will have a different point of view of what reasonable expenses are than a sales manager. This type of conflict is difficult to remedy by communication. When the leadership at the next level is clear about the goals of the group as a whole however, it can be reduced.

Preparing People for Conflict

There is an important matter with each of these and that is the importance of teaching people in the organization how to appropriately talk to each other. The bad news though is most are not born with good communication skills and must learn them.

Conflict can be fairly easy to avoid but the result will be unresolved conflict costs. The costs can include turnover, increased absenteeism, health problems, and even stress-related worker's compensation claims.

Investing in resources to address and resolve conflict and to improve communication is an effective measure to resolve these issues in the workplace.

There are three main areas to address with this investment and they are:

Acknowledge that conflict is important. Don’t be overly concerned that people are upset with each other. That’s what it’s like to manage change.

Do not tolerate personal attacks. There are protocols for the expression of honest disagreement and training in them is part of this investment.

Provide support. There are trained facilitators available. Seek them out. When you are planning a meeting that could get ugly, seek a good facilitator to help guide it.

Fight to Advance Your Career

By Picking the Right Workplace Battles Apr 19, 2008 Deborah S. Hildebrand


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Argument - Microsoft Clip Art

Not every fight is a good fight. Know when to press a point and when it's time to let go.

Conflict in the workplace is a normal part of work life. Fighting for limited company resources, fighting over decisions made and actions taken, or fighting for personal and company goals, makes for a challenging work environment.

Sandwiched in all this conflict are employees trying to maneuver the workplace minefields and advance their careers. Should they argue with their boss if they disagree with his assessment of a situation? Should they assert their point of view when asked?

Understanding how to handle workplace conflict can be beneficial to career success.

Determine the Seriousness of the Disagreement

Arguments are bound to happen. When people work side-by-side eight plus hours a day, the workplace becomes a natural extension of family life. And all families have disagreements.

While there is nothing wrong with coworkers having an invigorating discussion about a topic of importance, it should not affect customers and customer service or come to blows. According to Sun Tzu in The Art of War it is knowledge, not force or strength, that is the basis for future success.

Before an employee argues his point until he is blue in the face, he needs to be comfortable in his knowledge of his topic in order to clearly and succinctly state his case. In addition, it is important to consider the width of the gap of disagreement. Often people argue only for small points. Instead, try looking for commonalities in the hope of finding common ground. Be willing to compromise.

Avoid a Conflict When it is Not Necessary

Fighting just to fight or to be right is not the way to go. If there is no danger or if there is nothing to gain, it makes no sense to fight. While many experts would say that conflict is a beneficial and necessary part of the work environment because it promotes change, some conflict just emanates from the day-to-day strife of being human.

Before taking on a battle it is important to determine if the conflict comes from a petty, personal annoyance or if it is based on a larger personal value or belief. Be sure there is reasoning not just emotion in the argument.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War


Those who find themselves at the center of a workplace conflict need to ask if it is a battle they are likely to win and if in so doing will it advance their career. Fighting for an idea, a “seat at the table,” or a promotion, may all be worthy causes, but at what cost? Knowing when to let go is part of the battle.

Choose Battles Wisely

No one wants to be known as being disagreeable or difficult to get along with.

Employees who want to advance their careers understand the importance of team work and by extension the ability to get along well with others. They know they cannot do their job without input from coworkers. That’s why it is important for employees to fight for those things that are truly important and let the small stuff slide.

On the other hand, employees do not want to give in just because it is easy or they will be seen as weak and spineless. There is some level of expectation that coworkers are going to fight with and for each other, like when a supervisor has a subordinate’s back. Failing to assert a point of view or stand up for a team mate may cause a rift in the relationship. It may also send the wrong message to management.

Though conflict is normal, disagreements should always be handled in a professional manner. How an employee deals with conflict is the true test of her ability to lead others. For anyone who wants to advance her career, it is important to pick the right workplace battles.

Conflict Resolution Helps Improve Productivity

Workplace Conflicts Need to be Tackled Promptly and Purposefully Sep 15, 2009 T. Gopinathan

Conflict Resolution - Darnok

Conflicts in the workplace can affect employee morale and need to be handled in time. If left to themselves conflict situations can get worse and affect work performance.

Conflicts are not bad in themselves. In fact, it is conflict of viewpoints that often direct attention to new and improved solutions. It is when conflict management is poor that it becomes a problem. And the problem can snowball into a very big problem, seriously affecting business performance.


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Workplace Conflict

This article focuses on workplace conflict which is far more easily manageable when compared to political and social conflicts. Workplace conflicts, unless they are interpersonal conflicts arising from ego issues, usually arise from poor management.

Differences of values, perspectives and opinions are unavoidable when a group works together. If managers have created good teams, their members will have been trained in discussing their differences in meaningful ways. In fact, vigorous discussions of differing perspectives can typically produce better ways to achieve team objectives.

On the other hand, managers can contribute to conflicts through:

Not involving their subordinates in decision-making or explaining reasons for the communicated decisions. Not defining work roles, leading to confusion on who does what, and often leaving gaps in the sequence of

tasks needed to achieve results. The situation gets worse if the manager tries to pass the buck to someone else for the lack of results.

Asking employees to perform tasks without providing them needed resources, including training in carrying out the tasks.

Not taking care to understand workplace realities or the situations employees face, and failing to take actions to resolve serious issues.

Bad interpersonal relationships arising from value conflicts and an inability to tolerate certain traits in others.

Minimizing Conflicts

Managers can take certain actions to ensure that conflicts do not get out of hand.

Most important is defining the work roles of all subordinates, and carefully checking that no task gaps exist that can lead to incomplete or unsatisfactory work performance.

Equally important is the requirement to cultivate relationships with all subordinates, discussing work challenges, workplace issues and accomplishments. One-to-one meetings for such a discussion must be scheduled at least once a month.

Train employees in interpersonal communications and conflict resolution approaches.

Hold periodical meetings for communicating new developments and reporting on the progress of projects.

Conflict Resolution

It is important to attend to one's own internal conflicts. Identify the issues, get some perspective by looking at them in a conscious manner (preferably write everything down), pinpoint any emotional issues that are making things worse and explore alternatives to handle the issue at hand. Take specific actions to resolve the conflict.



If the conflict involves another person, avoid getting heated up. Even if the other person gets angry, managers can usually calm things down by acting as if a normal discussion is taking place. Take care to listen carefully to what the other person is saying. It is a good idea to ask the person to confirm what they are saying.

Try to summarize the points of agreement and disagreement, and ask the other person for suggestions on how to act in the situation. Managers can also suggest some specific action and seek the other person's concurrence.

Often, letting the other person give vent to feelings, hearing the person out carefully without interrupting, can provide significant relief. This is particularly true if the other person is a subordinate.

If the conflict persists despite all efforts, it might be a good idea to look at the issues involved in terms of the organizational policies and objectives, and approach a third person for mediation or resolution.

Conflicts and their resolution are unavoidable necessities in group situations. People tend to have different values, perspectives and opinions. Conflicts are also good because a serious discussion of the issues can usually lead to a superior solution. Resolution of conflicts is the really important issue. Resolution is possible by addressing the issues, and developing interpersonal and conflict resolution skills through training.

Managing Conflict: Conflict Resolution Management Aug 21, 2010 Maureen Cutajar

Conflict Resolution Strategies - Marcus Thorsen

The challenge of high performance teams and conflict resolution management is to solve conflict by collaboration and attain win-win situations.

Conflict might be perceived as negative, but as the English philosopher David Hume claimed, “truth springs from argument amongst friends”. In fact, any team experiences conflict, disagreement and difficulties. Almost 30% of the decision-making processes end up in conflict, but the challenge for every team is how this conflict is solved and its conflict resolution strategies.

Different Types of Conflict

Conflict can occur in one of the following situations:

Intrapersonal – conflict within oneself; Interpersonal – conflict between two individuals;

Person-Group – conflict between one person and the rest of the group;


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Person-Organization – conflict between one person and the organization;

Inter-Group – conflict between two groups;

Group-Organization – conflict between a group and the organization;

Inter-Organization – conflict between a two organizations.

Conflict Management Styles

In their conflict resolution studies Thomas and Kilmann identified five modes that individuals use as conflict management strategies. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument or TKI is often used in problem solving and conflict resolution training:

Avoiding – an individual who prefers to avoid conflict lacks assertiveness skills and does not like to cooperate with other team members. People who prefer to avoid conflict tend to ignore their own rights and fail to assist other persons. An avoider typically leaves the room when conflict occurs.

Accommodating – an accommodator is an individual who also lacks assertive communication skills and attempts to cooperate whenever conflict occurs. However, an accommodator tends to ignore his or her needs and ignores personal interests as long as the conflict is resolved. An accommodator resolves conflict by accommodating the other person.

Competing — a competitor is the opposite of the accommodator. Whereas the accommodator seeks to appease the other person, the competitor lacks cooperativeness but is extremely assertive. This means that the competitor evaluates his or her own needs without considering the needs of others. A competitor seeks to win conflict without cooperation.

Compromising – a compromiser can be perceived as the median of the accommodator and the competitor in that an individual who handles conflict by compromising. The compromiser attempts to find a middle ground by considering both his or her needs along with the needs of others. The compromiser displays a balance between assertiveness and cooperation.

Collaborating/Integrating – The collaborator display developed assertive communication skills and high cooperativeness when resolving conflict. Collaborators consider their needs as well as the needs of others like the compromiser. However, unlike the compromiser, the collaborator does not consider giving something up in order to resolve the conflict.

Collaborators display developed conflict resolution skills in their attempt to evaluate and to understand the problem at hand and achieve a win-win situation where neither party involved loses anything. The optimum way to conflict resolution is by achieving a win-win situation and hence collaboration is the best mode when approaching conflict resolution management.



How to Resolve Arguments

Effective Conflict Management Methods Mar 16, 2010 Jennifer Long

Conflict Resolution Impacts Close Relationships - Kate Long

Conflict is part of life for everyone, but learning to deal with it effectively can make disagreements less stressful and also less detrimental to relationships.

In their 2009 study published in the Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, Gunlicks-Stoessel and Powers noted that the conflict involved in intimate relationships results in physiological stress, so efforts to reduce conflicts and deal with them effectively are necessary. Conflicts are a natural part of close relationships, but understanding them and learning to deal with them positively can be of benefit.

Understanding Resolution Strategies

Before attempts can be made to effectively resolve conflicts, it is important to understand styles of conflict resolution and know which methods are productive. The three styles of conflict resolution that are known to be the most unsuccessful are avoiding/withdrawing, accommodating, and competing/forcing.

Avoiding/withdrawing involves retreating from conflict and acting as if it simply does not exist. This style is obviously damaging to relationships, as it never leads to issues being resolved.

Accommodating is also ineffective, as it results in one person giving into the wishes of another in order to solve a disagreement. The person who submits to the wishes of another will build resentment and eventually feel inadequate and insecure in the relationship.

Opposite from accommodating, competing/forcing is also a poor method of resolving conflict. It involves one person manipulating another in order to satisfy his or her own needs and desires, with no regard for the feelings of the other person. Obviously, this method of conflict resolution involves selfishness and aggressiveness, and results in one person dominating the relationship.

Avoiding/withdrawing, accommodating, and competing/forcing may not be effective methods of solving conflicts, but compromising and collaborating are proven to be effective. Compromising involves coming to a resolution in which those involved in the conflict "meet in the middle" to find a solution with which both parties are content. While compromising is effective, the ideal resolution method is collaborating, which involves the members of a conflict creating a solution that is of maximum benefit to both parties.


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Applying Resolution Methods

Certain personality traits can aid in applying conflict resolution methods. Assertiveness, which involves one acting in his or her own best interests, is an important component of conflict management, as it requires people to directly express their thoughts and needs. Assertiveness is different from aggression, because assertiveness involves respecting the boundaries of others, whereas aggression does not.

Assertiveness may not come naturally to some, but assertiveness training can help. Assertiveness training aims to make people aware of who intimidates them and why, thereby allowing them to change the beliefs and behaviors that cause them to be submissive. It also allows them to observe someone displaying assertive communication and practice communicating assertively themselves, through role playing or rehearsal.

Conflict Resolution Strategies in the Workplace Aug 15, 2010 Suzanne McIntyre

Find Business Solutions Using Conflict Management - Salvatore Vuono

Conflict management is a necessary skill to have when supervising numerous people. Use a variety of tools to help resolve issues.

Conflict is going to exist in any situation that requires people to work together to reach a common goal. In fact conflict in itself is necessary to achieve success. It provides managers with different viewpoints and allows for in-depth discussion.

There are numerous ways to approach conflict. How a manager decides to resolve an issue depends on many factors. How important the issue is, who is involved, and how will it affect the organization are just a few examples of what should be considered. Here are examples of some common ways managers resolve conflict.

Avoiding the Conflict

Although this may seem to go against the essence of management, avoidance can be an appropriate action. There will be times when a situation has been blown out of proportion and the players involved are emotionally charged. There may be benefits to stepping back and allowing time for everyone to calm down.


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Using this method when the stakes are high can frustrate employees who see the manager as being inactive. If this approach is used, it needs to be calculated and well thought out. Otherwise there can be long term damage to the manager-employee relationship.

Management Determines a Solution

Managers pull rank all the time. It certainly removes any conflict on the surface. However, it does not provide employees with the opportunity to feel they are contributing. Nor will they buy into a solution that has been forced on them.

This approach would work well when the solution is already structured. If company policy is clear and needs to be implemented then this is a good move. It may also be needed when time constraints are a concern. Use this method sparingly. Employees will stop voicing opinions if they think the only one that matters is the manager's.

Use Accommodation to Resolve the Conflict

Accommodation occurs when one party gives in completely to the other party. Perhaps the issue on the table is clearly more important to one person than the other. When the scales are tipped that much it may be beneficial to accommodate the others needs.

The old adage “pick your fights” may apply here as well. Save the fight for something that is more important. In fact, the favour may be reciprocated down the road.

Resolution of Conflict by Compromise

Finding a common ground is an excellent way to resolve a conflict. The downside is that both parties have to give something up to meet halfway. This solution takes time to negotiate and work out the details, but in the end can lead to positive results.

Compromise can help resolve issues that arise between departments. With different objectives involved, working to find that middle ground may be the only way to solve a problem.

Conflict Management through Collaboration

Ideally, collaboration is the best way to resolve conflict. Collaboration occurs when both parties work together to find a solution that satisfies everyone involved. All members will buy into the solution and change will happen quickly and efficiently.

Collaboration takes much more time than any other method of conflict resolution. When an organization is making significant changes, collaboration can bring the level of commitment needed to succeed. Working out a solution through collaboration is well worth the time and effort.

Conflict resolution is an essential part of business management. Find the right way to address issues by using a variety of tools. Depending on the type of issue choose to avoid the conflict, accommodate needs, implement decisions quickly, or compromise and collaborate.



Components that Change as an Organization gets Stronger

byPhil Bartle, PhD, [email protected]

Capacity building includes empowerment and strengthening in various dimensions. Here are sixteen elements of an organization that change as it gets stronger.

1. Altruism

2. Values

3. Services

4. Communications 5. Confidence

6. Context

7. Information

8. Intervention


http://www.gdrc.org/ngo/ngo-capacity.html








mailto:[email protected]


9. Leadership

10. Networking

11. Organization

12. Power

13. Skills

14. Trust

15. Unity

16. Wealth

The more any organization has of each of the above elements, the stronger it is, the more capacity it has, and the more empowered it is.











An organization does not become stronger simply by adding a few more facilities. Strengthening or capacity building involves social change -- development -- and that, in turn, involves all sixteen of the above elements of strength.

How to Write Non-profit Bylaws

Sample Non-profit Bylaws Feb 7, 2007 Estela Kennen

Use this sample bylaw template to help you write bylaws for your non-profit's board of directors.

Bylaws are the ruling documents of an organization or, in this case, the organization’s board of directors. Bylaws are critical, because they tell the board how to conduct its business. However, because bylaws are more or less set in stone, it is in the interest of the board to keep them as brief as possible. Bylaws should set forth the basic structure and abilities of the board. Everything else – such as policy recommendations – should be kept elsewhere.

Because bylaws are legal documents, and because the inclusion requirements for them vary from state to state, you should consult a lawyer or other professional before adopting any bylaws. However, the template below should give you an idea of what to include.

Sample Bylaw Form

I. Name

£70k+ UK Pension Abroad? Get The Best Interest Rates On Your UK Personal Or Occupational Pension your.QROPSpensiondesigner.com

DAS Aviation Management Executive Aviation MBA Program Global perspective on Aviation Busi Aviation.Unige.ch

1. The name of the organization/agency/group shall be [Name]

II. Board of Directors

1. The Board of Directors shall serve without pay and consist of [number of] members.2. [Eligibility criteria, if are any.]

3. Board members shall serve [number of years, usually two to four] terms.

4. Vacancies shall be filled by the Board, with the recommendation of the Executive Director.

5. Board members with [number] of absences shall dismissed from the Board.*


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III. Officers

1. The officers of the board shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer nominated by the Board.

2. Elected officers will serve a term of one year.

3. (a)The Chair shall preside at all Board meetings, appoint committee members, and perform other duties as associated with the office. (b)The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair in case of the Chair’s absence. (c)The Secretary shall be responsible for the minutes of the Board, keep all approved minutes in a minute book, and send out copies of minutes to all. (d) The Treasurer shall keep record of the organization’s budget and prepare financial reports as needed.

IV. Committees

Read This Next Nonprofit Corporations: Formation, Management, and Tax Exemptions Before You Start a Non-Profit

Non-profit Board Responsibilities

1. The Board may appoint standing and ad hoc committees as needed.

V. Meetings

1. Regular meetings shall be held on [frequency and time of meetings]2. Special meetings may be held at any time when called for by the Chair or a majority of Board

members.

3. Agendas shall be provided at least [number of days] in advance.

VI. Voting

1. (a) A majority of board members constitutes a quorum. (b) In absence of a quorum, no formal action shall be taken except to adjourn the meeting to a subsequent date.

2. Passage of a motion requires a simple majority (ie, one more than half the members present). [Or whatever your board’s decision-making process is}

VII. Conflict of Interest

1. Any member of the board who has a financial, personal, or official interest in, or conflict (or appearance of a conflict) with any matter pending before the Board, of such nature that it prevents or may prevent that member from acting on the matter in an impartial manner, will offer to the Board to voluntarily excuse him/herself and will vacate his seat and refrain from discussion and voting on said item.

VIII. Fiscal Policies


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1. The fiscal year of the board shall be[start date to end date]

IX. Amendments

1. These by-laws may be amended by a two-third vote of Board members present at any meeting, provided a quorum is present and provide a copy of the proposed amendmend(s) are provided to each Board member at least one week prior to said meeting.

Nonprofit Corporations: Formation, Management, and Tax Exemptions Nov 9, 2010 Le Bach Pham

Relgious institutions are normally nonprofit. - Ekfin

A nonprofit organization is an entity created to not earn profit. This type of corporation comes with various tax and liability advantages.

A non-profit organization does not distribute income or profit to members. This type of corporation is exempt from federal taxation, according to Deborah Bouchoux in her book titled Fundamentals of Business Organizations for Paralegals , published in 2004. However, starting a non-profit corporation requires Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approval.

Three Types of Non-profit Organizations

There are three types of non-profit organizations recognized by most states. These are public benefit corporations, religious corporations, and mutual benefit corporations, according to Bouchoux. A public benefit corporation is formed primarily for charitable purposes. Religious corporations, such as churches organize for religious purposes. Mutual benefit corporations form for mutual benefit of their members.

Formation Non-profit Organizations

In order to form a non-profit corporation one must file articles of incorporation. The non-profit organization must usually identify its specific purpose when filing, according to Bouchoux. Also, state incorporation does not automatically qualify the non-profit organization for federal tax exemptions. The non-profit corporation must file a separate application with the Internal Revenue Services tax-exempt status. Non-profit corporations also provide personal liability protection, according to an article titled “Nonprofit Basics: Nonprofit corporations are entitled to grants, tax exemptions, and limited liability protection.”


http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29948.html


http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Business-Organizations-Paralegals-Bouchoux/dp/0735558434

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Business-Organizations-Paralegals-Bouchoux/dp/0735558434

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Public or Private Grants

Non-profit status is usually required for obtaining grants and funds from government agencies and private foundations. Applying for public and private grants require filing complicated organizational papers and adopting certain operating rules, according to an article titled “Five Reasons to Incorporate Your Nonprofit Association,” published on Nolo. Some may form a tax-exempt non-profit association, rather than a corporation. However, it is usually easier for a corporation, rather than an association to qualify for grants.

Management of Non-profit Organizations

A non-profit corporation is similar to other corporations in that it governs via an elected board of directors. The directors manage the affairs of the corporation by following the adopted bylaws, according to Bouchoux. However, unlike a business corporation, there is no stock sold and there are no shareholders.

A non-profit organization may earn profit, however it may not distribute profits to members or managers. Profits must be devoted to the stated purposes of the corporation, according to Bouchoux. Non-profit organizations may pay their corporate managers a reasonable salary. However, if salaries are excessive and profits are not used for purported purposes, then the non-profit corporation may be dissolved by the state or lose tax-exempt status.

Tax Exemptions for Non-profit Organization

Non-profit corporations must apply with the IRS for federal tax-exempt status. The IRS will determine if the applicant fits its requirements for federal tax exemptions, according to Bouchoux. Non-profit organizations must file annual reports and pay state incorporation fees, however they are exempt from state income tax. It is essential to be fully aware of the tax implications of starting a non-profit organization.

Contributions to non-profit organizations may be deducible for the donor in many cases. Those contributing to a public benefit corporation qualify for tax-deductions, according to Bouchoux. Donors for religious organizations may also receive tax-deductions. However, membership fees for mutual benefit associations are usually not deductible, unless they qualify as business expenses.

The advantages and disadvantages of non-profit corporations depend upon what type of non-profit corporation. One should seek legal or professional advice if considering starting a non-profit corporation. Those seeking to contribute to a non-profit organization or becoming a member may want to consult a tax professional in order to understand all the tax implications involved.

Before You Start a Non-Profit

Clear Thinking about Starting a Nonprofit Organization Mar 5, 2007





Estela Kennen

Starting a non-profit organization should not be taken lightly. Here are some questions to ask yourself first.

People often want to know how to start a non-profit organization, but in doing so they usually overlook a critical question: should they be starting a nonprofit in the first place?

What do I want to accomplish?

This is the most important question you can answer, and one you will have to deal with if you do start a non-profit, so it is worth taking the time to explore. A lot of charitable sentiment arises from the idea that “something should be done about X”. If that is as far as you have gotten, you are not ready to start a non-profit. You should research what, if anything, is already being done to address the issue in your community or elsewhere. If a true gap exists, you can try forming a coalition of interested parties to develop a strategy to address the need. If, on the other hand, your response to the question is something along the lines of "X is a need, and Y is a way to fill it,” then you are ready to take the next step. (Should you decide to start a non-profit, your response to this question can be the basis for developing vision and mission statements.)

Is a starting new nonprofit really the best way to proceed?

There are nearly 3 million non-profit organizations out there. Chances are, someone somewhere is already doing your idea. Instead of going through the time and expense to start up a new organization, and instead of competing for limited funds, you might be better off partnering with an existing non-profit. You can volunteer, become a board member, or even work for the organization. You can start a local chapter of a national effort. Or if an organization is doing something related to what you envision, you can see if there is room to grow under its umbrella. If you truly care about your mission, you will not start a non-profit as a vanity project, but because it is truly needed.

Am I the right person to do this?

Do you have what it takes to start a new organization? A good – or even – great idea is not sufficient. A kind heart is also not enough. Even passion won’t get you there. You have to have a mixture of skills – energy and patience, vision and attention to detail – for a non-profit to get off the ground. You will have to muddle through – or pay someone to go through – a lot of paperwork at the local, state, and federal levels, create articles of incorporation, recruit a board of directors, find funding, etc. In other words, even if a non-profit should be created, perhaps you are not the best person to do it. There is nothing wrong with being a dreamer, if you are one, but you might benefit from handing the reins to a doer. Perhaps you can meet with key stakeholders and pitch your idea. You might end up chairing the board, but letting someone else run the show.

Am I willing to give up control?

If you start up a non-profit, you can be the board chair or you can be the executive director, but you can’t be everything. You can hand-pick board members, but you have to be careful to make legitimate appointments or your organization will lose credibility. You need to be able to attract donors if you



http://www.suite101.com/content/writing-a-mission-statement-a9238

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want to sustain your efforts – and some ideas are more fundable than others. In other words, even though you will still have some – possibly even most of the say – in what happens, once you start a non-profit, “your baby” takes on a life of its own.

Decide whether you should start a non-profit after you’ve researched what related groups exist and after you’ve answered the questions here.

Non-profit Board Responsibilities

Overview of Non-profit Board Governance Feb 21, 2007 Estela Kennen

A non profit's board of directors has several important responsibilities to fulfill. This article reviews basic non-profit board governance.

A board of directors is the governing body of a non-profit organization. It has many serious responsibilities, which can be loosely categorized as follows:

1. Setting the policy for the organization. This is done by:

Creating or updating the mission and vision statements. Determining the organization’s programs and services.

Approving the strategic plan.

2. Monitoring the organization’s operations:

Hiring and periodically evaluating the organization’s executive director. Working with and providing support to the executive.

Approving the annual budget, annual report, etc.

Approving major contracts and grants.

Soliciting and reviewing program evaluations.

Troubleshooting as necessary.

3. Serving as a public figure for the organization

Fundraising, by directly donating to the non-profit and soliciting donations from others. Advocating for the organization.

4. Fufilling other board responsibiltiies


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Documenting policies and decisions to create an organizational memory. Preparing for and attending board meetings.

Researching and discussing issues before decisions are made.

Replacing and orienting board members when a vacancy arises.

A board of directors also has certain legal obligations, known as duties. While the details may vary from state to state, here are some common legal responsibilities for members of non-profit boards to:

Take reasonable care when making decisions for the organization (called “duty of care”) Act in the best interest of the organization (called “duty of loyalty”)

Act in accordance with the organization’s mission (called “duty of obedience”)

Stand aside when there is a conflict of interest (called “recusal”)

While there a board has many responsibilities, there are also things it should avoid. Basically, board members should avoid being over- or under-involved. More specifically, the board of directors should not:

Concern itself with the day-to-day management of the organization. That is the executive director’s job.

Rubber stamp decisions. While the board should take the recommendations of the organization’s director, staff, and members into consideration, the board needs to be an independent decision-making body.

More on Non-profit Boards of Directors:

Creating a Board Board Bylaws

Board Officers

Board Subcommittees

Non-profit Hiring Process

The Role of the Executive Director and Board of Directors Sep 10, 2007 Estela Kennen

Sometimes executive directors and non-profit boards do not see eye to eye regarding what their roles in the employee hiring process should be. Here are some options.



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"I am the Exec. Dir of a non profit community center. I was wondering in your opinion what role the Board (Personnel committee) has in hiring staff. I believe that it is the role of the Board to hire the ED but the role of the ED to hire additional staff with the advisement of the Personnel committee."

In general, yes—among the Board’s customary responsibilities is hiring the Executive Director; the Director then is responsible for all other hirings. The full answer, however, depends on various factors, such as the size of the nonprofit organization and the level of involvement of the board. In deciding what role the board should have in hiring decisions, people should first defer to the board bylaws. If the bylaws do not explicitly delineate the Board’s role, the Executive Director should suggest a process that works within the context of that particular non-profit.

In an organization that is big enough, program directors might be directly responsible for hiring lower-level personnel within their departments. In such cases, the executive director basically just signs off on decisions (after, perhaps, looking through resumes and/or getting a brief report on why a certain selection has been made.) The board in these cases is strictly hands off, just being informed that such and such hiring has been made. However, the board may be responsible for directly hiring not just the Executive Director, but also the Chief Financial Officer and other top management positions, should they exist. The Board may also be involved in the hiring decisions of program directors (perhaps in a fashion delineated below).

In smaller organizations with active boards, the situation might be different. In this case, the Board may appreciate being involved in each step of the hiring process. An Executive Director can keep the board well informed while maintaining a degree of autonomy by formulating and presenting the board with a plan. For each step of the plan, the Executive Director can either seek approval or just inform the board of what actions have already been taken.

If the board has a candidate in mind, going through the already established steps of a hiring plan can ensure that the best person for the job is hired. “Forcing” a candidate to jump through hoops can be insulting to board members, but there are good reasons to do so:

It creates a paper trail to ensure that the selection process is legitimate. If the board’s choice is not the best applicant, it is easier to make a case for another person if

everyone has gone through the same steps.

It exposes the board and staff to potential hires for other positions at the non-profit

Non-Profit Organization: Role of Management in the Community Jul 13, 2011 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Community Partnerships - teaksato


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The Executive Director/CEO of a nonprofit organization is responsible for the agency's reputation and position in the community.

Although it is hoped that board members will participate in advocacy initiatives and fundraising events on behalf of the organization, it is the Executive Director/CEO (ED/CEO) who is usually the community face and voice of the nonprofit agency. This is the person on whom rests the credibility of the organization. The principal stakeholders include service partners, funders, politicians, media, and the general public.

Role of ED/CEO

The ED/CEO is representing the agency as a whole and should be reflecting the position of the board in any public statements and actions. Not every senior manager is comfortable in this role that requires so much external contact. However, it is an essential part of the senior job in a community-based nonprofit organization.

Community Activities for ED/CEO

The extent of community involvement can be determined by the mission of the nonprofit organization, the kind of work done, and the expectations of the community. Following are some typical activities expected of an ED/CEO of a nonprofit.

Attend and participate in events that are relevant to the work of the organization. This includes fundraisers, forums on client issues, chairing debates on social issues that have an impact on the agency’s client and anything else that is pertinent.

Develop and maintain effective, outcome based service partnerships. This includes working with other agencies to provide services to clients in common. It is usually the front line workers in both agencies who provide the direct service and need to collaborate for the sake of the clients. However, it is important that management of both agencies develop the service protocol, policies, and procedures that will provide the reference frame for that front line work.

Negotiate with funders. Although the board usually has to sign off on funding contracts, it is the ED/CEO who negotiates the terms of agreement. This can be as formal as responding to a Request for Proposals for client services to taking initiative in approaching a community foundation. It is up to the ED/CEO to ensure that the nonprofit has the capacity to provide the expected services and will receive adequate funding to do it properly. There is often a great deal of tact and patience required to develop a good working relationship with funders.

Participate in coalitions and associations that are active in advocating for client-focused changes in public policy, funding and/or service delivery. The board will set the parameters for this kind of advocacy and might even take part in such initiatives. Usually, though, it is the ED/CEO who participates in such advocacy groups to ensure that client interests are foremost and that the position of such groups is aligned with the overall mission and philosophy of the nonprofit organization.

Work with media. An effective nonprofit ED/CEO understands both how to respond to media inquires and how to initiate contact. Media people usually call key community contacts when there is a crisis that involves the client population, funding, and/or a political debate. This means that management


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should always have key messages ready, plus a thoughtful analysis of current situations. There are also times when it is appropriate for the ED/CEO to approach media contacts him/herself to see if they are interested in featuring an incident, a client, or an issue.

Network with politicians. The ED/CEO might want to connect with elected officials at whatever level of government makes the policy and funding decisions that are relevant to the nonprofit’s area of service. Although systemic issues might be dealt with through an advocacy coalition, the ED/CEO of one nonprofit agency can still do his part of making the politicians aware of the current issues and offer suggestions for improving the situation. It is always appropriate, and often very effective to offer opportunities for politicians, their staff and families to volunteer in providing service to clients in the community.

Resources Needed to Support ED/CEO in the Community

In even the smallest nonprofit organization, the ED/CEO needs access to resources that will help him be an effective representative among community stakeholders.

Board support. It is important that the nonprofit board understand the benefits of having an ED/CEO who is a confident, credible presence in the community. Board members can support the ED/CEO by attending functions with him, understanding and confirming key messages for stakeholders, confirming scope of advocacy initiatives, and developing a network of allies and supporters in the community at large.

Professional coaching. The ED/CEO might need this coaching, particularly for effective communication, from developing to delivering the key messages, appropriate to various audiences. Then, he will be able to speak clearly and purposely about the organization’s mission and operations, its needs and its position.

Time to participate in community events. The ED/CEO needs to know that there is time within his schedule to participate in community planning meetings, attend fundraising events, contribute to advocacy initiatives, and anything else that furthers the mission of the organization.

The organization, as a whole, from board members to front line staff and volunteers has to recognize that all this external work is an integral part of the job of the nonprofit ED/CEO. It is not ‘extra’, nor is it an option. The ED/CEO will be best able to fulfil his role in the community if his own capabilities are strengthened by the support of the entire agency.

Non-Profit Organization: Implementing the Strategic Plan Jun 28, 2011 Constance Woloschuk




NPO Board Develops Strategic Plan - star-one

Senior management of a nonprofit is responsible for developing the workplan that will guide the implementation of the strategic plan approved by the board.

The nonprofit board confirms the organization’s vision, mission, core values, and philosophy of service delivery. They review the current services areas and any emerging issues that might affect services and the way they are delivered.

Once the context is established, the board identifies goals for the next three to five years. These goals should be reflective of the mission statement, and be specific, measurable and achievable within the identified timeline and resources. This is all outlined in the non-profit organization’s strategic plan.

The board might or might not go so far as to develop an implementation plan for their strategic directions. Typically, though, the Executive Director/CEO of a nonprofit organization consults with his staff to turn the strategic plan into an organizational workplan, ready to implement over the next few years.

This workplan is simply the framework for management to organize all the work of the nonprofit organization, delegate it to the appropriate staff or volunteers, monitor for success, and review and revise, as necessary.

When to Develop the Workplan

A workplan is usually completed annually at least 6-8 weeks before it begins; e.g. by November for 2012. Workplan discussions should be integrated into the annual budget discussions among management personnel. For example, a plan to increase number of clients served will have an impact on budget and staffing requirements.

The workplan could also have an impact on services delivered elsewhere in SGH. If services are increased in one program, they might have to be decreased in another. This is information needed by senior management to make decisions for the entire organization.

Who Participates in Workplan Development

The workplan will be used by management at each level to accomplish the goals of the overall strategic plan. However, it is important that all stakeholders are involved in developing the actual plan. This includes staff and volunteers who are actually do the front line work and those who provide administrative support to them.

It is important for provide this opportunity for participation so there is a sense of ownership on the part of the people actually providing service to the public. It also allows the staff who supply behind-the-scenes support to have a better sense of the value of their work.


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What the Workplan Looks Like

The scope of the workplan can vary from the high level of the work of the entire organization to the workplans for services units and even for individual staff. However, the key elements are basically the same.

Typically, all the necessary information is formatted in a table with the following components.

Key areas of activity. Specific tasks.

Person/work unit responsible.

Resources needed.

Deliverables.

Timelines, including key milestones over the duration of the plan.

Expected outcomes and success indicators.

Regular updates on progress.

Recommended Steps to Follow

Following are guidelines for this process that will end with a completed workplan. If this is a multi-service agency, the plans for the various work units or branches can be submitted to senior management for ratification. Then, they are rolled up into an integrated plan for senior management to use.

These are the steps that each manager can use for the workplan of a specific work unit. Or, if the organization is small, this might be all that is needed for the ED/CEO.

1. Identify each component of the service.2. Confirm any services that will continue unchanged; document on workplan.

3. Identify any changes in services that should be discussed; e.g. expansion, reduction, elimination, different focus, shared staff, etc.

4. Develop rationale for these changes; this might include emerging issues about clients and various services in the service system; e.g. Agency X has received funding to help with applications for disability pensions which means the organization no longer needs to offer this service.

5. As part of the rationale, all staff should understand the links of that service to the mission, overall goal, and philosophy of service delivery for the nonprofit organization.

6. Identify resources needed or to be eliminated as these changes are implemented.

7. Identify the timeline for the various tasks.



8. Identify the lead staff who will be responsible for implementation.

9. Identify the expected deliverables and outcomes.

10. If this is the workplan for just one service unit, submit it to senior management for approval or revision and integration into overall organizational workplan.

11. Once implemented, regularly review the details of this workplan at staff or management meetings at least monthly; document progress.

12. Revise workplan, if necessary over the course of the year; document rationale for revisions.

13. Take any revision to senior management team for information and/or ratification . If this is the overall organizational workplan, the ED/CEO takes any significant issues or strategic changes to the board for approval.

14. Use all the progress information to begin the annual cycle again.

It is important that the ED/CEO and all the staff and volunteers do not feel overwhelmed by the work to be done. Regular updates at staff meetings, celebrating success and finding ways to address challenges can help everyone feel that they are moving ahead. A strategic plan is an evolving document. The workplan that frames its implementation is also being continually reviewed and revised so the organization can plan and then recognize all the good work it does in the community.

Non-Profit Organization: Board Supervision of CEO Nov 15, 2010 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Board Supervision of CEO - clix

The board of a non-profit organization is responsible for supervising the CEO. Here are guidelines for successful supervision of this senior manager.

One of the primary responsibilities of a non-profit board is to ensure effective supervision of the senior management person, whether s/he is called Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Executive Director, Director, or even President.

It is surprising the number of boards who do not understand or accept this responsibility even though they are absolutely accountable for the organization and have authority over all its operations. The CEO is hired to implement the strategic plan developed by the board. All other CEO responsibilities fall out of that plan, and the mission statement on which it is based.



http://www.suite101.com/content/non-profit-organization-roles-and-responsibilities-of-the-board-a298153



Following are the reasons for this supervision, who actually performs the supervisory functions, and the process to follow.

Reasons for the Non-Profit Board to Supervise the CEO

The main reason is that the CEO of the non-profit is the person carrying out the directives of the board. The board is legally and ethically accountable for the operations of the entire organization. In order to be accountable, the board has to know that the CEO is actually doing what s/he is directed to do.

If there is no direct supervision, it is possible that the CEO, without any malicious intent, could stray down a program path that the board would not approve. It is very easy for a client-focused service agency to push the limits of its mandate in order to meet the needs of the clients who come in their doors every day.

Effective supervision is supportive supervision. This means that ongoing supervision of the CEO is one of the ways the board supports her/his efforts in carrying out the significant responsibilities. The board is there to discuss emerging issues, to determine whether or not an additional service is simply an enhancement or a new venture, and to be the back-up for serious staff problems.

Most CEOs want to know where they stand with the board, if they are seen as doing a good job, and have opportunity to discuss the relationship from their point of view.

The Non-Profit Board as Supervisor of the CEO

There is always the question of who on the non-profit board actually performs the supervisory functions. It is probably easiest to look at this supervision in two parts.

Ongoing monitoring of the CEO’s performance. The board as a whole will have a sense of the CEO’s effectiveness through update reports and proposals that the CEO brings forward at the monthly board meetings. In addition, the board chair usually schedules regular, individual meetings with the CEO.

Performance review. The official performance review of the CEO should involve a small executive or HR committee, or even an ad hoc committee created for this purpose. If a 360-degree performance review is done, staff will also be involved.

The Process for Supervising the Non-Profit CEO

To best understand this process, it is broken down into three kinds of interaction. All of this work should be done to ensure the most effective supervision possible of the non-profit CEO by the board.

Board meetings. The regular board meetings provide opportunity to see the non-profit CEO in action. This is the time for board members to ask questions to clarify operational direction, to provide useful input, and, if necessary, approve a proposal or not. It is at board meetings that the CEO should be given clear direction for the operation, for financial management, and for involvement in the community. These are the instructions and assignments that will be the reference points for a formal performance review. This is also the time to express appreciation and support of the work of the CEO.


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Meetings between board chair and CEO. Regular, informal meetings help the board chair keep in touch with the day-to-day operations, emerging issues and staff problems, and support the CEO, without micromanaging. There are usually issues that the CEO does not feel s/he can discuss with subordinate management, but s/he would appreciate advice or input from someone who understands the organization.

Formal performance review of CEO. This evaluation review process begins with a review of the responsibilities listed on the CEO’s job description. Added to that are all the directions, instructions, and assignments that the board has given throughout the review period. This information forms the base of the performance criteria for the CEO in the context of the organizational goals and outcomes in the strategic plan. The board will follow the standard process for conducting a performance review of the CEO, culminating with identifying goals and performance criteria for the next year.

Summary Note for Non-Profit Board Supervising the CEO

If all board members are doing their jobs, there will be no surprises in the supervisory process. Expectations will be clear from both the board’s and the CEO’s perspectives. Ongoing communication will be open, honest and timely. The CEO will be comfortable and confident in bring issues, ideas, and opinions to the board. The board will be accountable in both asking the tough questions and recognizing the CEO’s significant accomplishments.

However, if there are difficulties in performing these supervisory functions, it might be worthwhile for the board to meet with an HR consultant who is experienced in this non-profit service sector. That person can help the board work through the process and the necessary documentation to make sure that the CEO is supervised and supported for the benefit of all stakeholders in the non-profit services.

Non-Profit Organization: Management Roles and ResponsibilitiesTweet

Nov 12, 2010 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Management Roles and Responsibilities - ljleavell

The primary management responsibility in a non-profit organization is to implement the strategic plan of the board. Here are some guidelines for success.



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The board of the non-profit organization confirms the mission statement and the philosophy of service for the non-profit organization. It also develops the strategic plan and direction, the goals, and the objectives for the work to be done.

One of the most important responsibilities of the board of a non-profit is hiring the best CEO or Executive Director (ED) possible to implement its strategy. To do so means that the board has to have a clear understanding of what is included in that job. Recruiting someone with effective management skills to lead a non-profit agency, especially a smaller one that provides direct client service in the community, is not easy.

Here are some guidelines for expectations of management in a non-profit organization and the management skills required to achieve results.

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Primary Responsibilities of Non-Profit Management

It does not matter if the senior manager is called a CEO, an ED, or something else. The primary responsibilities are the same.

Develop the workplan that will frame the implementation of the strategic plan. This includes the tasks to be done, lead staff person or unit, resources needed, timeline, and expected outcomes.

Recruit, train, and supervise senior management staff, supporting them all as a functioning leadership team.

Make sure that the organizational structure and staffing model is appropriate for the work to be done. For example, in a large community drop-in with many programs for low-income people, there might need to be a branch that oversees the direct client service and another branch that provides the administrative and property support services.

Oversee the development and delivery of client services to ensure that service outcomes are consistent with the mission and the strategic plan.

Oversee all human resources management to ensure that qualified staff are hired and supervised to provide both the client services and the administrative and property support services.

Oversee financial management, including budget preparation, ensuring all reports are submitted to government and funders, and accessing funding grants.

Liaise with, and support the board administration, providing it with regular progress reports on the strategic plan, emerging issues, and proposals for new initiatives.


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These responsibilities are carried out using the four basic management functions of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.

Community Role and Responsibilities

A non-profit organization that provides client service in the community also needs a CEO/ED who projects a positive image among all stakeholders. This includes service partners, funders, media, and the general public.

This is a management role that takes the CEO/ED beyond the walls of the organization. Not everyone is comfortable in this role that usually includes the following responsibilities.

Represent the agency at public functions, speaking succinctly and articulately about the organization’s mission and operations.

Working collaboratively with other service agencies to achieve community goals. An example of this kind of effort is working together to ensure that every child goes to school with breakfast and lunch.

Negotiate with government agencies or foundations for funding for ongoing services or for projects.

Advocate for change. This could include working through advocacy associations that are advocating for changes to social policies in order to increase quality of life for clients.

Communicate strategically. This includes, dealing with the media, knowing when and how to approach them, and how to respond to queries about difficult situations. Ensuring a credible profile in the community is often a challenging responsibility.

Role of Non-Profit Management in Fundraising

This kind of fundraising is beyond the scope of writing proposals for government or foundation funding. It is developing and administering initiatives for soliciting donations, all aligned with strategic communication. This could be on a small scale with a few activities throughout the year or a large, professional campaign.

The board will have to make the decision whether this is one of the regular management responsibilities or if there will be a separate branch or foundation with its own management, perhaps even its own board. There are a few factors for the board to consider.

Amount of funds to be raised. For example, if $10,000 a year covers the value-added client service, the CEO/ED could probably organize events, especially if there is a board committee to spearhead the work.

Size of the organization. If the organization is small enough that the CEO/ED is heavily involved in client service and community work, it is probably more effective to hire a fundraising consultant to oversee an event or two with the support of the board. And, if the organization is large, perhaps at least an $8 million budget, and is planning significant capital projects, then it is important to have a separate unit or even agency foundation to look after this work.


http://www.suite101.com/content/fund-raising---communications-and-public-relations-a303985

http://www.suite101.com/content/basic-management-process---four-functions-of-management-a294215


Skills and expertise of the CEO/ED. Although this should not be the deciding factor, a board will often want to hire a CEO/ED to do this fundraising. This responsibility will actually be in the job description. The caution here is the responsibilities of an operational manager and a fundraising manager require different management skills, not easy to find in just one person.

Many non-profit organizations have a board committee that oversees all fundraising activities, working closely with the CEO/ED, as necessary, but not adding to the management workload.

Relationship of Non-Profit Management with Board

The non-profit CEO/ED is the primary liaison with the board. Besides fulfilling the liaison responsibilities listed above, it is important that the CEO/ED and the other non-profit management have an open and honest relationship with the board.

Just as the non-profit board should be committed to supporting management in implementing the strategic plan, the CEO/ED and other senior managers should be prepared to accept that support, ask for help when necessary, and make sure that the board has no surprises because they have not be told of difficult, emerging issues.

Non-profit management is challenging work, with multi-faceted roles and responsibilities. If the board hires the right person and provides ongoing support, the personal and professional rewards are incredible.

Non-Profit Organization: Implementing the Strategic Plan Jun 28, 2011 Constance Woloschuk

NPO Board Develops Strategic Plan - star-one

Senior management of a nonprofit is responsible for developing the workplan that will guide the implementation of the strategic plan approved by the board.

The nonprofit board confirms the organization’s vision, mission, core values, and philosophy of service delivery. They review the current services areas and any emerging issues that might affect services and the way they are delivered.

Once the context is established, the board identifies goals for the next three to five years. These goals should be reflective of the mission statement, and be specific, measurable and achievable within the identified timeline and resources. This is all outlined in the non-profit organization’s strategic plan.


http://www.suite101.com/content/non-profit-organization-strategic-plan-as-a-board-responsibility-a373482





The board might or might not go so far as to develop an implementation plan for their strategic directions. Typically, though, the Executive Director/CEO of a nonprofit organization consults with his staff to turn the strategic plan into an organizational workplan, ready to implement over the next few years.

This workplan is simply the framework for management to organize all the work of the nonprofit organization, delegate it to the appropriate staff or volunteers, monitor for success, and review and revise, as necessary.

When to Develop the Workplan

A workplan is usually completed annually at least 6-8 weeks before it begins; e.g. by November for 2012. Workplan discussions should be integrated into the annual budget discussions among management personnel. For example, a plan to increase number of clients served will have an impact on budget and staffing requirements.

The workplan could also have an impact on services delivered elsewhere in SGH. If services are increased in one program, they might have to be decreased in another. This is information needed by senior management to make decisions for the entire organization.

Who Participates in Workplan Development

The workplan will be used by management at each level to accomplish the goals of the overall strategic plan. However, it is important that all stakeholders are involved in developing the actual plan. This includes staff and volunteers who are actually do the front line work and those who provide administrative support to them.

It is important for provide this opportunity for participation so there is a sense of ownership on the part of the people actually providing service to the public. It also allows the staff who supply behind-the-scenes support to have a better sense of the value of their work.

What the Workplan Looks Like

The scope of the workplan can vary from the high level of the work of the entire organization to the workplans for services units and even for individual staff. However, the key elements are basically the same.

Typically, all the necessary information is formatted in a table with the following components.

Key areas of activity. Specific tasks.

Person/work unit responsible.

Resources needed.

Deliverables.Project Management of 128


Timelines, including key milestones over the duration of the plan.

Expected outcomes and success indicators.

Regular updates on progress.

Recommended Steps to Follow

Following are guidelines for this process that will end with a completed workplan. If this is a multi-service agency, the plans for the various work units or branches can be submitted to senior management for ratification. Then, they are rolled up into an integrated plan for senior management to use.

These are the steps that each manager can use for the workplan of a specific work unit. Or, if the organization is small, this might be all that is needed for the ED/CEO.

1. Identify each component of the service.2. Confirm any services that will continue unchanged; document on workplan.

3. Identify any changes in services that should be discussed; e.g. expansion, reduction, elimination, different focus, shared staff, etc.

4. Develop rationale for these changes; this might include emerging issues about clients and various services in the service system; e.g. Agency X has received funding to help with applications for disability pensions which means the organization no longer needs to offer this service.

5. As part of the rationale, all staff should understand the links of that service to the mission, overall goal, and philosophy of service delivery for the nonprofit organization.

6. Identify resources needed or to be eliminated as these changes are implemented.

7. Identify the timeline for the various tasks.

8. Identify the lead staff who will be responsible for implementation.

9. Identify the expected deliverables and outcomes.

10. If this is the workplan for just one service unit, submit it to senior management for approval or revision and integration into overall organizational workplan.

11. Once implemented, regularly review the details of this workplan at staff or management meetings at least monthly; document progress.

12. Revise workplan, if necessary over the course of the year; document rationale for revisions.

13. Take any revision to senior management team for information and/or ratification . If this is the overall organizational workplan, the ED/CEO takes any significant issues or strategic changes to the board for approval.

14. Use all the progress information to begin the annual cycle again.



It is important that the ED/CEO and all the staff and volunteers do not feel overwhelmed by the work to be done. Regular updates at staff meetings, celebrating success and finding ways to address challenges can help everyone feel that they are moving ahead. A strategic plan is an evolving document. The workplan that frames its implementation is also being continually reviewed and revised so the organization can plan and then recognize all the good work it does in the community.

The Long Range Capital Planning Process

Nonprofit Boards Must Plan Ahead for Their Resource Needs to Thrive Dec 13, 2009 Michele Dane

Developing a Long Range Capital Plan - lisasolonynko

Identifying future equipment, building and inventory requirements is a key function of not for profit leadership. The steps for establishing a plan are explained.

Board members of nonprofit organizations have a variety of duties as part of their directorships. These include the creation and communication of the business’s mission, vision and values as well as the development of and adherence to a long range capital plan and budget. The following addresses the importance of long range capital planning as well as the steps involved in developing a plan.

Definition of Capital and Capital Planning

Capital is a productive asset such as equipment, buildings or inventory that is used to produce a good or service. Nonprofit entities like other businesses rely on capital in order to be able to perform. These items wear out, need to be replaced or upgraded over time. In addition, new forms of technology come into the market and the organization must prepare to acquire them.

The long range capital plan projects the equipment, physical plant and other tangible capital needs of an organization into the future (e.g. at least a five year time period).

Importance of the Long Range Capital Plan

The long range capital plan is essential if a business is to attain its mission and vision because this plan identifies the resources needed for future sustainability as well as the sources of funds necessary to obtain them.




Consequently, the plan is important because it:

Identifies the equipment, physical plant needs (expansion and/or new acquisitions of land or buildings) and other tangible, major assets needed by the organization to do business and achieve the goals of the strategic plan.

Ascertains the costs of these items and potential sources of funding. This allows the nonprofit to plan ahead regarding how it will go about acquiring what it needs through retained earning, the bond market, debt, etc.

The development of this plan and adherence to it puts everyone in the organization on the same page in terms of priorities.

Process for Developing a Long Range Capital Plan

The development of a long range capital plan involves the following steps:

1. The long range plan is developed by the key leaders of the organization. They identify the physical plant, the new buildings, land and equipment required for five years into the future and the anticipated cost of those items.

2. These items with their costs are assembled into a single list.

3. The list is prioritized by the Chief Financial Officer, committee or executive director. Who is responsible for prioritizing often depends on the size of the organization. Prioritization is based on criteria such as ability to achieve a strategic aim, cost/benefit, “must have” nature of the item, and other metrics.

4. Potential funding sources are identified. For example, revenues are projected over the five year period. In addition, sources of funding are identified that can be tapped to obtain needed assets.

5. The board then reviews and approves the long range capital plan. The plan needs to be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that new critically important capital can be added and less important items taken off the list.

The long range capital plan is an essential tool for any business, whether profit or nonprofit.The creation of this plan is a key function of the organization's management and board of directors.

Succession Planning - Replacing Key Leaders in a Non-Profit Sep 30, 2010 Constance Woloschuk

Succession Planning - Choosing Key Leaders - spekulator




The Executive Director resigns and the HR staff retires. Who is left to run this service agency? Non-profit boards might want to consider these guidelines.

Small non-profit service agencies are usually so busy doing their good work that they do not take the time to plan ahead for significant personnel issues such as replacing key leaders. Their energy goes into serving vulnerable clients in their communities and searching for more funding to keep them in business.

Then, when the Executive Director (ED) is ready to retire, the Board is stumbling. The solution to this situation is called succession planning. The following points summarize the need for this planning and guidelines on how to make it happen.

What is Succession Planning?

Succession planning is planning far enough ahead to ensure that there are talented staff internally who are prepared to succeed the person who leaves by stepping immediately into key management and other positions that are difficult to fill. The board's responsibility is to make sure that these staff are actually ready to make this move.

Why is Succession Planning Important?

There are several reasons that it is important to plan for all eventualities of key people leaving the organization. Succession planning does the following.

Minimizes the disruption of an unexpected events; e.g. the ED has a health emergency and retires immediately, the Finance Director has to be fired because of accounting irregularities, or the only HR staff goes on maternity leave.

Ensures that the public face of the organization continues to function seamlessly for the sake of the clients, staff, and the credibility of the organization.

Provides opportunity to prepare and train the person so there will be no hesitation in assuming the new position immediately.

Usually results in raising the standard of training and development throughout the organization.

Anticipates the current and looming workforce shortage in certain areas of experience and expertise.

Steps for Successful Succession Planning

This is where the non-profit board and the ED need to work closely together. The ED is in the best position to initiate planning for some of the key positions. However, the board is responsible for the selection of a successor ED. Here are the steps for the board to review and put into practice, working with the ED. Depending on the size of the board and the organization, it might be just a personnel sub-committee that oversees this process.


http://www.suite101.com/content/approaches-to-succession-planning-for-nonprofit-organizations-a260204

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/workforce_and_succession_planning/1442/succession_planning_model_detail/268679


Identify the key positions that will be the focus of succession planning. These are usually the ED position, financial management, Human Resources, and any senior management position responsible for the actual service delivery.

Identify what is already known about retirement dates, parental leaves, or any other planned events.

Identify the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to fulfill the responsibilities of these positions. Take into consideration any planned changes to the operations of the agency.

Develop an inventory of relevant, current competencies among staff.

Involve HR and senior management, which might be only two or three people, in using a staff performance appraisal process that includes a discussion about career goals, and training and development that might be needed to achieve those goals.

With that information, the board and ED are able to identify possible candidates and work with HR to design training opportunities, including external professional development.

Consult with all key stakeholders. This includes making sure that the potential successor is appropriate and interested. Not everyone wants to move into management.

Communicate the main ideas of the succession plan throughout the organization so the process is as transparent as possible.

Include in the implementation plan increased responsibilities with ongoing coaching, and supportive monitoring by the incumbent with support from HR.

Conduct regular reviews to ensure the effectiveness of the succession plan.

If these reviews indicate that the successor is not proving to be suitable, take the opportunity to stop the process before a final appointment is made.

Succession planning is usually focused on the potential of current staff. However, if the organization is small, it might be more realistic to also consider someone who is working within the same service sector as the successor. When the opportunity arises, this candidate could go through a regular recruitment process with the understanding that there will be opportunity to be groomed for a position identified in the succession planning.

No matter what the size of the non-profit organization, it is never too soon to begin succession planning in order to have a smooth transition, whether through a planned retirement or an unexpected crisis.

Non-Profit Organization: Strategic Plan as a Board Responsibility May 29, 2011 Constance Woloschuk




Board Developing Implementation Plan - wagg66

One of the primary responsibilities of a non-profit board is to develop and monitor a strategic plan for the organization's client services.

The board of a non-profit is responsible for laying out the path for the organization to follow over the next few years. No matter what the size of the agency, this is an essential component to ensuring success in its endeavors.

The process for strategic planning is straightforward. However, it is sometimes difficult to keep the board discussion at a level high enough to be truly strategic. It is highly recommended that an external person facilitate the process and that the planning discussions include senior management of the agency.

Review Current Situation

This step includes reviewing all aspects of the current situation to make sure that everyone understands exactly what is going on right now.

Confirm the organization’s vision, mission, core values, and philosophy of service delivery. There are not usually any revisions to these foundational statements, but, occasionally, the language needs to be updated or refocused.

Review current service areas with enough detail about strengths and challenges to bring the services to life for board members.

Consider any emerging issues that might affect services and the way they are delivered. These might include a change in the client demographic, a significant decrease in funding opportunities, the opening of more community agencies doing similar work, or even increased staff turnover.

Distribute this information to the board ahead of time so they are well prepared for the discussion and decisions. This information provides a rationale for any changes to services over the next few years. Three years is usually the minimum duration for a strategic plan that is reviewed and updated annually.

Identify Goals for the Next Three Years

The overall purpose of the organization is turned into specific goals that are still in keeping with the mission statement.

Identify primary areas of service activity. For example, these might be maintaining supportive housing for young, single mothers, operating an alternate school for single parents, and coordinating grocery programs for the entire service network.

Set goals for each area of activity. The board has an informed discussion about appropriate goals for each primary service area for the next three years. These goals might be stabilizing and maintaining a current service, expanding another service, or even eliminating a service.



Be specific and measurable. For example, “by December 2012, there will be a 30% increase in donations of money and goods to the grocery program” or “by March 2013, the school program will be merged with that of (name of other agency) and separated from the two agencies with its own board of governance”.

Explore options. For example, a pilot project to be reviewed after six months might be more feasible than an ongoing commitment to a new service.

Reality Check for the Strategic Plan

Once these goals are established, the board needs to do a reality check to ensure the following.

The goals are achievable. Due consideration is given to any significant barriers to changes in service. These might include restrictive legislation, funding mandates, union contracts, or community and political resistance.

The agency has the resources to achieve the goals. Resources include funding, staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, or whatever else is needed to operationalize the goal.

The timeline is reasonable. The board sets a realistic timeline for meeting each goal. It is better to allow extra time for unexpected situations, and then finish early, than to fail at meeting an unrealistic deadline.

Ensure consistency of all goals with the vision, mission, and core values of the organization. Non-profit organizations are notorious for taking on too much in the name of well-intentioned client service. Mandate drift dilutes resources so all stakeholders and all services suffer.

Develop the Strategic Implementation Plan

The implementation plan is the workplan that provides a framework for management to get the work done to achieve the goals. Here are the usual components.

Areas of activity Specific tasks

Person/work unit responsible

Resources needed

Deliverables

Timelines, including interim benchmarks over the three years

Expected outcomes and success indicators

Not everything has to be done at once. There will be more positive results from working whole-heartedly on just one goal at a time then scattering resources over several. Build those staggered timelines into the implementation plan, if necessary.


http://www.suite101.com/content/non-profit-organization-implementing-the-strategic-plan-a377477


Communication About the Strategic Plan

Communicate the main points of the strategic plan to the key stakeholders. This includes the staff and volunteers, funders, community partners, politicians who can influence decisions about policy and funding, and the clients. As appropriate, let each group know what is being planned and how they might be involved.

Be willing to accept feedback and even make revisions based on pertinent information. If there are going to be formal evaluations of certain services, let these stakeholders know how and when they will be able to contribute.

Role of the Board in Implementing a Strategic Plan

One of the board's primary responsibilities is to develop this strategic plan to give direction to management. However, they do not just hand it over and check in three years later. Here are a few ideas for ongoing monitoring and support.

An update on significant progress and challenges from the Executive Director/CEO to the board chair at their regular monthly meetings.

A formal progress report from the Executive Director/CEO on progress of the plan’s implementation is a regular agenda item for the board at least quarterly. This might be a time for review and revision.

Management accessibility to individual board members for input, professional advice, and support on specific tasks as the plan progresses.

Ongoing informal encouragement of board members to management and staff with more formal celebrations of benchmark achievements.

In diligently following this entire process, the non-profit board develops a tool for planning and monitoring the work of its organization at a strategic level. This is the greatest support it can offer management, staff, and volunteers who perform the day-to-day work of client service.

Using Strategic Planning in Non-Profit Organizations Dec 5, 2010 Tracey Lloyd

Strategic Planning Can Help Non-Profits - arinas74

Strategic planning is important for non-profit organizations as it will assist the group to identify threats and opportunities.

Many community and non-profit organizations do not undertake the important process of strategic planning. Reasons vary but include:


http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/traceylloydvireo


http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/communicating-your-strategy


beliefs that undertaking strategic planning will take too much time; not understanding how to do strategic planning; and

thinking that strategic planning is only for large corporations.

Strategic planning does not have to be a difficult or time-consuming process. In fact going through the process of strategic planning can enable a non-profit organization to discover insights into the organization, its processes, people and clients or members.

The Theory of Strategic Planning

According to Armstrong (1982) formal strategic planning is the deliberate examination of future capabilities, opportunities and threats, and the process requires the support and commitment of key stakeholders such as board members, managers, employees, clients and members.

Strategic planning encourages considering the bigger picture of the organization and the longer-term view. The use of formal strategic planning processes and systems can also provide direction, control systems and metrics for a non-profit organization (De Wit & Meyer, 2004).

Benefits of Strategic Planning

For community and non-profit organizations the process of strategic planning has many benefits including gaining understanding of the current state of the organization, providing an opportunity for new ideas to surface and identifying potential opportunities and strategic alliances. The strategic planning process can also be used as a team-building exercise and an opportunity to increase engagement of staff, members and clients in the organization’s future.

Using a Formal Strategic Planning Process

Using a formal process to undertake strategic planning in a non-profit organization will assist the organization to identify all possible impacts on an organization. Armstrong (1982) recommends using a four-step process and an ongoing seeking of commitment from key stakeholders.

The four steps in Armstrong's process are:

1. Specify objectives;2. Generate strategies;

3. Evaluate strategies; and

4. Monitor results.

Using these steps in conjunction with an external facilitator can assist non-profit organizations to ensure that a considered response can be provided for any future impacts on the organization.


http://www.suite101.com/content/making-decisions-by-group-facilitation-a120063


Elements to Consider When Developing a Strategic Plan

At its heart, a strategic plan is a review of current and past performance of the organization and a best guess of the likely impacts on the organization in the near to mid-term future and plans for how the organization will react to negative impacts and maximize growth potential.

Non-profit organizations should consider their funding base. Questions to ask include:

Is the organization dependent on funding from a statutory body? What is the chance that the organization will lose this funding in the future?

Is there an opportunity for any increased funding?

Are the members satisfied with the current services offered by the organization?

Will the members or clients have changing needs over the time frame of the strategic plan?

Will the potential member base expand or contract over the time frame of the strategic plan?

Will there be a need for a major infrastructure developments or changes in the way the organization may be required to do things, for example the need to obtain licenses in order to operate?

The process of strategic planning is important for community organizations as it allows the organization to review the resources it currently has and identify where gaps may need to be filled in the future or where there is a potential for a new service or strategic alliance. The overarching objective for the organization can also be set which allows an organization to respond to challenges in a considered manner.

References

Armstrong, J. S. (1982). The value of formal planning for strategic decisions: review of empirical research. Strategic Management Journal, 3, 197-211.

De Wit, B. & Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy process, content, context: an international perspective (3rd edition), Thomson, London

Essential Elements of Strategic Planning in Non-Profits Aug 19, 2010 Robert Elkington

Strategic Planning Sets Direction - clarita

There are four essential elements for effective strategic planning in Non-Profits: Leadership, Strategy, Organizational Culture, and Operations.


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When developing a strategic plan, a non-profit will need to identify and list the essential elements (McDonald, 1999) in setting direction. Once the essential elements have been identified and catalogued, the team can move on to the process of setting direction through developing a strategic plan.

The Four Essential (Key) Elements in Strategic Planning1. Leadership (Key people),2. Strategy (Key choices),

3. Organizational culture (Key understandings) and

4. Operations (Key capabilities).

Eseential Element Number One: Leadership (Key People)

One of the key determinants of the health and vitality of any organization is the current state of the leadership within the organization. The strategic planning team should be made up of those who are leaders within the organization. As both Kotter (1996: 175-186) and Collins (2001: 12-64) point out, in the 21st century every person within the organization should have leadership capacity. This means that good leaders will first choose the right people before embarking on a journey of doing the right things.

If a non-profit is to develop an effective strategic plan it will first need to identify who the key people (leaders) are within the organization and then bring those people together to collaborate on and support all of the elements of the emerging strategic plan. The following criteria should help in selecting those within the organization who are leaders:

Competence: These leaders are people who have exhibited key competencies in their areas of focus, but more than this, these are people who exhibit a tendency to life-long learning.

Credibility: These leaders are people who are respected and listened to within the organization.

Commitment: These leaders have shown remarkable commitment to the organization through innovation, hard work and endurance in tough times.

Courage: These leaders have emerged within the organization because of their remarkable capacity to take risks and to act ethically, even when to do so may have been costly.

Essential Element Number Two: Strategy (Key Choices)

The second aspect of setting direction for a non-profit organization is the need to work with the leadership to develop a strategic plan. The world of the 21st century is a complex network of interconnected systems. Within complexity, often, there are not solutions, only choices.

Developing a strategic plan does not necessarily identify solutions to what may be perceived of as problems. Rather, a strategic plan enables the non-profit to make some key choices based upon effective contextual research and collaboration. In order to set direction for a non-profit, a strategy needs to be developed. The strategy will include the following core elements.


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Strategic Framework: How Will This Non-Profit Derive a Strategic Plan?

The strategic framework refers to the specific mechanism/s that will be utilized to develop the strategic plan. Some examples of approaches to strategic planning are:

SWOT analysis Organic strategic planning

Emergent strategic planning

Systems theory planning

Simple linear process of strategic planning.

Driving Force: What is the Driving Force of This Particular Non-profit?

Why was this non-profit started? What was the passion of those who started this non-profit?

What is the passion of those who currently lead this non-profit?

Essential Element Number Three: Organizational Culture (Key Understandings)

The organizational culture of a non-profit is extremely important. The strategic planning team can get a read on the organizational culture by researching and by brainstorming together concerning the following areas:

Values: What does this non-profit value? Our documents may state that we value those who are poor, but if we never work with the poor, never assist the poor and have no programs to uplift the poor and to engage poverty reduction, can we truly say we value the poor?

Traditions: What are the traditions that are held precious by this non-profit? What can be jettisoned and what must be maintained even though it may be archaic and outmoded? Many a strategic plan falters because it does not have buy-in from key people within the organization because at some point it defies, ignores or undermines some long held and precious tradition within the organization.

Norms: What are the accepted ways of functioning within this non-profit? What aspects of the strategic plan will challenge accepted norms? If the employees of the non-profit are used to working thirty hours per week and this is the agreed upon norm, but the strategic plan identifies a need for thirty-five hours per week, how will this norm be challenged or changed or addressed?

Adaptability: How reflexive is this organization? Is it so bound by traditions and norms that it cannot quickly respond to a changing environment? How will the strategic plan address this question of adaptability?



Essential Element Number Four: Operations (Key Capabilities)

It is helpful, when developing a strategic plan, to be aware of current resource strengths and resource limitations. Some core areas to be identified when reviewing the operational capacity of an organization are:

Structure: is the organization hierarchical or flat in its leadership/management profile? Resources: What is the current resource profile with respect to:

Financial capacity?

Human resource capacity?

Donor capacity?

Good will?

Record, Review, Reflect and Refine the Essential Elements

The strategic planning team will need to work through each of the four areas mentioned above. It is extremely beneficial to codify findings through clearly and carefully written notes that are available to the entire team for review and for reflection. It may be extremely beneficial to compile the notes, review the notes, reflect on the notes and then return as a team to refine the four essential elements of setting direction.

Sources:

Collins, J. 2001. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t. New York, NY. Harper Collins. 300p.

Kotter, J. P. 1996. Leading Change. Boston, MA. Harvard Business School Press. 173p.

McDonald, P. 1999. "Strategic Planning and Goal Setting." Doctoral lecture notes

For-Profit Marketing for Nonprofit Communication

Comprehensive Nonprofit Marketing Strategy to Meet Multiple Goals Jul 26, 2009 Molly Schar




Hit Targets with Nonprofit Marketing - jaylopez

Nonprofits may lack the resources and know-how to implement an organizational marketing strategy employing effective marketing tactics used by corporate counterparts.

For organizations designed to operate without profit, marketing is often seen as an unnecessary expense. The gap between spending on marketing – and the corresponding results – by for-profit corporations and nonprofit organizations is substantial. It is often a philosophical difference. Corporations believe they exist to make money. Nonprofits believe they exist to perform the work of their mission. But where will the resources to do that important work come from without effective marketing?

Employing an Integrated Nonprofit Marketing Strategy

An integrated marketing strategy will tie together all nonprofit communications with a unified approach and consistent branding. While marketing functions often exist in different departments in an organization – fundraising communications in the development department and volunteer recruitment communications in the program department, for example – it is possible to create a comprehensive marketing plan to reach all stakeholders (groups that have a meaningful interest in the organization, such as donors, volunteers, employees, board members and governmental agencies).

In Nonprofit Marketing: Marketing Management for Charitable and Nongovernmental Organizations (2006), Roger Gomes and Patricia A. Knowles outline the dimensions of nonprofit marketing:

Planning – The marketing plan must be tied to the strategic plan of the organization. Research during this stage will help inform the overall marketing plan. It is often helpful to bring in staff members who communicate with specific groups of stakeholders to gather input and build consensus.

Positioning – Nonprofit organizations compete for attention not only with other worthy causes, but with all marketing messages bombarding stakeholders. The first challenge for a nonprofit, say Gomes and Knowles, is “becoming well-known to the community it serves.” The next step is to influence the public’s perception to create a favorable image. Finally, the nonprofit tackles the task of differentiation to frame how people perceive the organization in the context of similar nonprofits.

Communicating – A variety of tactics can be used to communicate with different stakeholders. Each audience will require its own set of tactics, such as press releases for members of the media and advertising for volunteer recruitment. The list of communications activities will likely be long, and should be coordinated so that individuals from more than one stakeholder group receive consistent information in a respectful timetable.

Attracting Resources – The ability of most nonprofits requires the attraction of time, talent and treasure. Time and talent refer to the contributions of volunteers, who might support an organization’s service delivery, help with back-office operations or perform leadership roles. Treasure refers to the role of financial donors, both large and small, in providing the organization with money and in-kind contributions to pay for the organization’s activities. This marketing dimension must be carefully coordinated to conform to best practices in volunteer management, leadership development and fundraising.



Nonprofit Online Marketing Can Help

An online presence with a website is no longer optional for most nonprofit organizations. Communication by email is rapidly replacing costly postal mail as the preference of organizations and their stakeholders. To translate this move to online communication, from email blasts to interactive websites to social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter, nonprofit organizations must employ new technologies.

Nonprofit marketing software providers such as Convio, Compass and Groundpring offer solutions that work directly with an organization’s database to automate marketing communications with segmented audiences. This will not replace the integrated marketing plan, but rather become an important part of that plan.

Successful nonprofit organizations can embrace the marketing strategies of for-profit corporations while honoring their mission and commitment to good stewardship of donated funds. Marketing for nonprofits need not be – or create a perception of being – expensive, but it should be professional.

Creating Strategic Business Plans - Acquisitions

Professional Small Business Development - Plan Components May 28, 2010 David Zietlow

Success - jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Growth through strategic acquisition requires well reasoned and actionable strategy. Key stakeholders require comprehensive business plan detail.

Organizational senior leadership must articulate a clear strategic rationale and the benefits derived from an acquisition. Small and start-up business are particularly challenged to create these professional business plans to meet the need of diverse and demanding groups of stakeholders. Identification of target investors, superior actionable market strategies, realistic financial models, combined company synergies, cost of culture acclimation, and strategic vision are essential elements of the business plan.

Components - Small Business Plans

Identifying actionable strategies supported by meaningful data is the cornerstone of an effective business plan. The utility of the plan is in the articulation and execution of its strategy. Components of business plans focused on growth through acquisition are:


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Executive summary - Tightly worded discussion that centers around current business situations and prospective acquisition. Acquisition discussion encompasses markets, products, sales channels, potential synergies, cost savings, price opportunities, risks, operational issues, and financial impact. Alternate organic strategies should also be communicated.

Individual sections focus on complementary, redundant, or strategic gaps, including: market positions; product portfolios; sales channels; overhead; operations; brands, and human capital.

Detailed realistic financial projections.

Effective action plans driving outcomes for each of these sections need to convey focused, data driven statements.

Characteristics - Professional Business Acquisition Strategies

Each component section of the business plan is driven by common characteristics of success. The successful integration of a strategic acquisition is dependent on identifying synergies, financial capital impact, and risk vs reward. A strategic business plan needs to be developed for the current business in order to assess the impact of an acquisition.

Identifying synergies focuses on the prime rationale for that acquisition. Development of these synergies through fact based data analysis requires answering penetrating questions. These questions are particularly important for small businesses and include:

Do the combined organizations fill a critical product gap? What is the cost of filling that product gap through new development vs acquisition?

Do the combined companies open new market channels for existing products?

Do the integrated companies gain geography or an international presence?

Risks vs rewards inherent in an acquisition must be honestly and objectively assessed. Questions that need to be answered include:

What are the business cultures and how can they be integrated? What are the best practices of the combined companies and how will these be assessed?

How will the rationale of leadership, people, and facilities be handled?

What are the potential cost savings?

What are the market share gains?

What are the risks of intellectual property loss and key customer losses?

What is the impact upon the sales forces?

What is the real financial cost of this transaction?



Balance these answers against the systematic risk involved. Most small businesses over-estimate the benefits and understate the integration risk. These strategies need to be objective, data driven and realistic to develop an effective business plan. The financial acquisition model developed must be honest and objective in its assessment.

Assistance - Developing Acquisition Business Plans

Advice for developing business plans is readily available. Libraries and bookstores abound with resources. Many local colleges offer courses with government grants potentially available.The leadership team's need for assistance is dependent on the complexity of the acquisition transaction, the investment capital required, and potential investor makeup. Consulting firms focused on guiding company leadership through the process, such as Bizplanit, offer professional templates and advice on accessing capital markets. The organization's leadership should weigh the cost of professional assistance on a case by case basis.

Growth through acquisition is not a panacea for all organizations. Tough questions regarding culture, customer, brand, and human capital integration require answers. This analysis forms the basis for the acquisition integration strategic plan. The plan should be actionable, measurable, and be accountable for delivery of the identified synergies

Action Plans Make Strategic Planning Meaningful Jul 9, 2010 T. Gopinathan

Action Plan Template - Ivan Walsh

Without detailed and measurable action plans to implement the strategic plan, the latter will remain just a dream, of no use to the organization.

Businesspersons can write the best small (or large) business plan based on carefully developed strategies. However, these will remain paper plans so long as the plans do not include specific action steps to implement the strategic plan.

What are Strategic and Action Plans?

Strategic plans are broad indications of how an organization plans to achieve its mission. For example, a small business might plan to use guerrilla marketing tactics to generate sales for its product, which is supplied by many other competing suppliers. It might even indicate the specific tactics to use.


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The plan so far is only an indication of the business' intentions. It is action planning that results in actionable specifics that will really help make these plans a reality. Without such specifics, actions could be wasteful and even fail completely in producing desired results.

Action planning focuses attention on the ground realities and forces the planners to come up with specifics such as, the ad agency to approach to conduct a campaign, the person who will work with the agency, the amount of money needed to conduct an ad campaign, the target areas to be covered by the campaign and several other details.

Action plans thus add the dimension of realism to top level plans. Action plans are developed for all the functions and departments involved. Ideally, every individual employee must have an action plan tailored to higher level plans. Together, all the action plans will lead to accomplishing the top level strategy.

How are Action Plans Developed?

When developing a business plan, even a small business will find it helpful to start with broad, top level plans outlining the mission and vision, and the overall strategies to be adopted for achieving these. Development of broad strategies for marketing, operations (e.g. the technology to be used) and financing (e.g. the approach to use for raising needed funds) can provide a sense of direction on how to proceed.

Accomplishing each of the strategic goals will typically involve breaking it down into several subsidiary level goals, objectives and results. For example, the broad goal of raising 50% of needed finance from banks might involve developing a detailed project report that will be acceptable to banks, approaching several banks and other institutions with the report to gauge their response, and negotiating a loan on terms the business can afford.

Top level plans are converted into next level plans by going into needed details to identify the specific steps needed to accomplish the higher level goal. Action planning will be complete only when the planners have reached the bottom level of "to do" lists of detailed actions, such as phoning the manager of a particular bank for a presentation appointment.

In addition to action descriptions, action planning also involves:

Identifying the sequence of the actions Specifying who will do what and when, e.g. the persons and timelines

Identifying the personnel, equipment and other physical resources needed to accomplish the goal being pursued, e.g. completing the bank loan negotiation will typically require the help of a finance specialist

Estimating the monetary resources needed to make the physical resources available and to take all needed actions



Describing how progress in achieving the goals will be monitored; this is typically done by developing measures to gauge progress and implementing systems that will use these measures to track and report progress.

Note that the last of the steps, monitoring, is extremely important. Without it, not only will it be difficult to know whether a goal has been successfully achieved but also to know how effective different courses of action had been in achieving specific results. With good systems in place, the business will be improving its effectiveness by identifying the best means to achieve specific results.

Action planning translates top and lower level goals into specific actions, resource requirements and timelines. At an actionable level, each manager of the business will know what results are to be achieved, the actions and resources needed to achieve it and timelines available to execute these. A lot of groundwork is typically involved in developing such specific action plans.

Strategic Planning in Business Jul 22, 2010 Maureen Cutajar

Strategic Planning Process - daecon

For an organization to be successful and prosperous it needs to perform strategic planning and implementation.

A successful organization needs a strategic business plan that outlines the goals and objectives for the future. In addition, it also strives for satisfactory performance to achieve the desired targets.

These two activities are achieved via strategic planning and implementation. Strategic planning is concerned with the setting of the organization’s targets and objectives, whereas strategic implementation is concerned with the planning on how to achieve the identified goals.

Strategic Planning Process

The strategic vision of an organization forecasts the overall goals of the business within 5 to 10 years time. The strategic plan takes into account a number of functions within an organization by conducting an internal and external scan in relation to its resources, products, customers, competitive advantage, costs and profitability. Strategic planning is drawn up by conducting a SWOT analysis in which executive managers evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to the organization.

Successful organizations ensure that their long term targets and objectives are clearly defined and that these are regularly reviewed and updated. When drawing up a strategic plan the main sections concerned with defining the strategy of an organization revolve around three fundamental questions:


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Where are we now? Where do we want to be?

How do we get there?

Strategic Business Plan Implementation

The strategic plan implementation is concerned in achieving the goals of the organization outlined in strategic planning. Strategic implementation concerns are usually included in the organization’s strategic plan and these include the following areas:

Research and development Investment in information technology

Investment in human resources

Organizational development and change

Strategic Business Planning Process

A strategic business plan outlines both strategic planning and implementation since there is no scope in setting a business strategy without defining the methods on how to achieve the goals and targets of the organization.

The end result of a strategic business plan will thus include:

The organization’s mission statement and its vision. This will set the tone of the strategic plan stating the current state of the organization and where it will be in 5-10 years time.

Strategic implementation will go into further detail splitting the goals and objectives into smaller achievable targets to meet the organization’s vision statement. This section will include specific data that includes areas such as human resources, costs, profitability and time schedules.

Operational Activities

Once the strategic planning and implementation have been established they are translated into specific actions at all levels of the organization. The overall strategic plan can only be achieved if each section performs its role effectively within the organization. Line managers will then review the progress made towards achieving these goals.

Strategic Planning for Social Enterprise and Nonprofits Mar 9, 2011 April Cullen




Strategic Plan - GCS

Evaluating the need for a strategic plan, and how it might be useful to any organization at every stage of its development

When Should You Have a Strategic Plan?

Start up

Don’t be fooled by this term – start up. This is not only at the time of forming the organization, though it implies that this is the only definition. Start up can also involve expansion into other activities, or the establishment of a new social enterprise arm of a nonprofit to support the cause.

The needs of an organization at this stage of its development will be unique. The primary concerns are the fundamentals – establishing the framework of the organization, introducing it to the greater community, and building its message, processes and financial base.

With a new enterprise as an off-shoot of an existing organization, the needs are similar. The division or entity must set out how it will do business, who will oversee it, how will become financially viable, and how it will get its message out.

At this stage, the plan is essential to establish partnerships with funders and other potential supports and stakeholders. The history of the organization may be scant, but any developments that have contributed to the development of the newly formed entity should be recorded and recognized.

Expansion and Growth

As the organization grows, there may be a need to hire more staff, recruit more volunteers, approach additional funders, or expand the capacity of the organization. At this stage, capacity building is key.

Expansion presents challenges, particularly for founding members, who feel an emotional attachment to the organization and its history. Original leaders need assistance to expand and trust others to take responsibility for the growing organization.

Reviewing the history, development, mission, vision, and future potential of the organization during the expansion phase will help re-establish its focus, and determine what is working and what needs to be tweaked or realigned to better meet the current and future needs of those it serves.

This is also a time to review the social mission and ensure that you are staying on track. The key to social enterprise is the concept of multiple bottom lines. If you are not achieving the social bottom line, you may be putting the organization at risk. This is your opportunity to evaluate your performance, and make key decisions that will determine whether you will continue to expand or perhaps decide not to proceed with expansion into areas that do not relate to your social mission.



If the decision is to proceed, the strategic plan will guide your path, and the implementation plan will provide a step by step approach to reaching your goals.

Stability

Stability can sometimes become staleness or mediocrity.

It is important to review your performance regularly, monitor your implementation plan if your organization already has a strategic plan, and make revisions where necessary.

If the organization has never completed a strategic plan, this may be the prime time to develop one. Stability allows you the time to dedicate staff resources, and hopefully the ability to commit financial resources, if necessary, to the development of your plan.

This activity may also light a spark in the organization, and create renewed excitement and enthusiasm.

Decline

This may seem counter-intuitive, but even in a time of decline, organizations can use the strategic planning process to re-examine the organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), re-establish the mission and values, and brainstorm solutions to the challenges.

Revisiting an existing strategic plan can help refocus stakeholders, staff and board members. Tackling problems and issues head on can result in creative problem solving. Reviewing previous successes can also reassure the group and improve confidence.

Strategic Planning Principles Apply to All Organizations!

The principles we have reviewed in this article, as well in my previous articles on strategic planning for the social sector, can be applied to any organization. They are relevant for nonprofits, social enterprises, for-profit businesses, or public institutions.

The key element that characterizes the nonprofit or social enterprise is the inclusion of the social mission. The strategic plan must address this element in order to provide an appropriate implementation strategy to protect the organization’s raison d’etre.

ABCs of Strategic Planning for Social Entrepreneurs Feb 24, 2011 April Cullen



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Social Enterprise - Noobpreneur

Outlines the building blocks and basic format of a strategic plan for social entrepreneurs and nonprofits. Where to start developing a strategic plan.

The ABCs of Strategic Planning for Social Entrepreneurs

A strategic plan for a social enterprise or nonprofit is fundamentally the same as a plan for a for-profit venture, from the perspective of the components that go into the "business" side of the plan. Defining your vision, mission, and values; providing a history of your organization; scanning the environment to understand your challenges and opportunities; projecting your financial sustainability and your plans to reach the financial "sweet spot" where your organization is operating in a break even position; and setting out the goals that arise from the collection and analysis of this data in an actionable way are all identical to the process followed in the for-profit world.

The differences arise in the additional components that address the social bottom line of your organization. In a for-profit firm, the bottom line is profit. All activities are aimed at achieving profit, maximizing profit and growing profit into the future. For social entrepreneurs, there may be a profit orientation, but it is always connected to the social mission or cause. The raison d'etre of social enterprise is the "social" mandate. Without this social mandate, your organization would merely be another for-profit entity. The social mandate is what sets you apart, and must be incorporated into your strategic plan.

How Is a Strategic Plan Different from a Business Plan?

At first glance, it would appear that the two terms are interchangeable. There are some similarities, to be sure, but a strategic plan takes a bigger picture view, and projects farther into the future. Business plans are primarily budget-oriented documents, and are often used by start ups. This is not to imply that background information or relevant situation analysis do not form part of the business plan, but the focus is different.

A strategic plan can also include input from stakeholders, such as volunteers and supporters. This input is very valuable, and helps create an additional level of buy-in for the plan. A static plan that sits on a shelf and does not have the support from key staff, board members, and other stakeholders, is a waste of time, effort, and money. Ideally, you want your plan to be a living document, that contains actionable implementation plans, and a feed back loop to allow progress checks at critical points to ensure the plan is working. These critical points could be specific timelines set out in advance, or they could be events that cause the organization to revisit the plan to regain focus or to make amendments to parts of the plan that are no longer relevant or have been unsuccessful.



Many practitioners use the terms interchangeably, and it is important that you understand what process you are engaging in, no matter what you choose to call it.

Where to Start in Your Strategic Planning Process?

The first priority is to decide that strategic planning is your goal. Questions to ask include:

Are we looking for a long range plan, or a shorter term, operational plan? Do we have the resources and time available to pursue this right now?

Does the leadership of the organization support this process?

Do we have the capacity to develop the plan internally, or do we need the services of an outside expert to assist us?

Once you address these questions, you can begin the journey.

Why Are These Questions Important to the Development of a Strategic Plan?

If you need a shorter term plan, then it may not be necessary to engage in this process of strategic planning at this time. Be sure that this is what your organization is looking for, and that it meets its needs.

If you do not have the resources, you must decide if you can find the funding or the staff to develop your plan in an effective way. There are funds available from various sources to fund a strategic plan, depending on your location. Investigate your eligibility for grants from foundations or other community funders, or even government grant programs, to support the financial aspects of your activity. Your senior staff and board must also be prepared to participate, through the data collection phase, meeting at critical junctures in the process to ensure the plan is on the right track, and in the implementation phase.

If you do not have the buy-in of the leadership of the organization, you are doomed to fail. Implementing a strategic plan requires the entire organization to participate willingly and enthusiastically in its implementation. Again, you don' t want a plan that sits on a shelf.

Your organization must also decide on who will do the bulk of the work. You can do it internally, if you have the staff and resources to do so. You must also have the expertise, or be willing to have key people receive training to develop the expertise, to ensure the plan is done in a meaningful way. If you do not have the ability to complete this internally, but can support an outside expert, you can utilize the services of a consultant. The consultant can do the heavy lifting, or you could have a member or members of your organization support the work of the consultant by doing some of the research or compiling information. The report could be written by the advisor, or they could be hired to provide guidance. There are many options, and you should choose the one that most closely meets the needs of your organization, in terms of affordability, availability of internal human resources, and the level of knowledge and expertise you may have on your staff already.



So, You Have Decided to Proceed...

In the next series of articles, we will look at the various components of a strategic plan for social enterprise and nonprofit organizations. Stay tuned!

Strategic Planning in the Social Sector Feb 21, 2011 April Cullen

How strategic planning can be used in the social sector. Is it really necessary, and what approaches work best? This is the first in a series of articles.

What is strategic planning?

Strategic planning is looking at the big picture and reviewing where you have been, where you are, and where you should be going. It is understanding the environment your organization is working in and discovering your purpose and direction. Through analysis of your current position, your strengths and weaknesses, your competition, your mission and vision, and the capacity of your organization to set and reach your strategic goals, you will ensure you are establishing a path to follow into the future. If you do it right, this path will suit your goals, values, capacity, and resources!

There is no point in developing a strategic plan if you have no intention of following it. The leaders in the organization must be onboard. A thorough plan will include input from all stakeholders. In the social sector, this is extremely important. Board members, staff, clients, and supporters all have a stake in the success of your plan. Most organizations in the social sector depend heavily on community engagement for funding and volunteers. If you overlook this element in your plan, you will have more difficulty achieving your strategic goals.

Strategic planning also involves all aspects of the organization. This is where the "business" terminology can be overwhelming to the nonprofit world. It doesn't need to be overwhelming, however, when you understand how this approach can benefit the social cause of your organization, not just your financial success.

Be realistic!

Developing a strategic plan can involve some brainstorming and day dreaming, but the implementation stage of the plan is where you will discover if your ideas are actionable. To avoid spending a lot of time and money on a plan that sits on a shelf or spells out steps that are beyond your capacity to implement, you must take your time and be honest about your organization's strengths and weaknesses. You must assess your strategic advantages in your market, and you must have a realistic understanding of your financial and human resources.

In the social sector, the values of your organization will also dictate your strategic direction. In this sector, there are multiple bottom lines, and the social imperatives of your organization are as important




as your financial requirements. Your goal is not profit, but sustainability. If you are trying to do too much or are not focused on your primary social strategy, you will have difficulty with sustainability.

Be thorough!

It is important not to take short cuts in your planning process. You must be prepared to dedicate time and effort and to ensure you have the commitment of your board and senior staff. If you choose to conduct the process internally, someone must be named as the lead to keep things on track. It is often a better idea to bring in an expert to do the leg work. Your staff will be required to provide information and to meet regularly with the consultant to review each step of the plan. The main work, including collecting information, reporting, and writing the plan, will fall on the shoulders of the consultant.

The expert should be able to offer experience in strategic and/or business planning, as well as have an understanding and appreciation for the social impact your organization hopes to achieve. Your social impact must be included in your plan.

Funders and Partnerships

Some funders, such as foundations, will provide funding for a strategic or business plan and then provide additional funding to assist in the implementation of the components of the plan. The benefit to the organization is the ability to provide detailed goals, strategies to achieve those goals, and a clear picture of what it will take in both financial and human resources to be successful. An organization that has a concrete, actionable plan has a much greater chance of attracting funding partners and sponsors.

In the next article, we will look at the different approaches to strategic planning and how they can be used appropriately to suit the needs of organizations facing different challenges.

Social Plus Innovation Equals a New Definition for Success Feb 6, 2011 April Cullen

Social innovation definition. Social innovation produces value. Introduction to the "fourth sector".

Social Innovation - what is it?

Enter "social" in Dictionary.com. It shows it is an adjective, and among the various definitions, you will find "of or pertaining to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community," and "noting or pertaining to activities designed to remedy or alleviate certain unfavorable conditions of life in a community, especially among the poor."

The most relevant definition refers to the relations and welfare of people in a community. This implies social problems, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and relationships are part of the concept of "social." To understand social innovation, you have to be open to concepts that go beyond the limited approach of poverty alleviation.




Now that we have a clearer definition of the meaning of "social," what about "innovation"? What comes to mind when one thinks about innovation? It evokes visions of science, medicine, and education. In reality, stripped of its implied meaning, the definition is as basic as "the introduction of new things or methods." It is something different, something new. It could include advances or discoveries in the fields of science, medicine, and academia, but it is not limited to these areas. Again, from Dictionary.com, "something new or different introduced ... the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods."

Social + Innovation = ?

Social innovation is fundamentally about blending the social and economic impacts of a project, idea, or activity. The benefits that accrue from social innovation flow to both the society as a whole, in measurable terms, and to the social good, which is more difficult to measure in some instances. A socially innovative idea is one that may address an unfavourable condition in a community, and provide a new or unique strategy to the potential solution of the problem.

For example, highlighting the difficultly in Afghanistan for farmers to move away from the poppy industry, where a large percentage of the world's opium is derived, a socially innovative company called The 7 Virtues has taken the approach of enticing farmers to grow orange blossoms. The oil of the orange blossom is then transformed into a perfume that is then sold in North America. Everyone benefits - there is profit made at all levels of the supply chain, and the direct benefit to the people of Afghanistan is measurable. The company projects that 400 people in the community benefit with each venture in this new agricultural approach. This is what social innovation and social entrepreneurship is about.

The challenges faced by modern society are not limited to economic prosperity or the lack of it. There are environmental concerns, economic and community development issues, and community capacity building challenges. The most promising approach to tackling these issues would appear to be social innovation. Traditional solutions have been tried, but the problems persist or have become worse.

The divide that exists between traditional sectoral interests must be overcome. The emerging "fourth sector" is a vital component to future success in our social development. The public sector, private for-profit sector, and the non-profit sector must accept the innovative hybrids of social enterprise and socially beneficial organizations. These traditional sectors have existed in silos for far too long. In order to adequately address the challenges we face, we must find new ways to do things.

The role of social innovation is that of catalyst and problem resolution in the face of economic hardship, environmental depletion, and social displacement. The declining ability of non-profits to raise funds is threatening their sustainability. Governments are under pressure to cut spending, and the experience of the settlement services community in Ontario demonstrates the real threat of the loss of grants and financial support. Non-profits have also lost a significant amount of autonomy in the constant grant-chasing that they are required to engage in for their survival.

Corporations have withdrawn their financial support or drastically reduced their participation in many non-profit organizations and charitable projects. The aftermath of the recent recession is that funding



from the private sector is in danger of being permanently eliminated, or greatly reduced, for the foreseeable future.

So, we can see the disarray in the traditional three sectors. What is the answer? The answer lies in the socially innovative approach.

Who is doing "Social Innovation" anyway?

Organizations that are meeting social needs of all kinds, with new methods and ideas, are social innovators. These can range from non-profits that have found new ways to raise funds to support their causes, to enterprises that funnel profit into the social bottom line while, at the same time, are minding the financial bottom line.

In Durham Region, there are several examples of social innovation: some are promoting the creative economy, some are promoting community development and social capital, some are promoting environmental stewardship and education.

There are several challenges going forward, and the issue of incorporating social innovation into economic development planning and long-term policy development will also form the basis of future writing in this space.

So what have we learned?

We can see that undeniably, social + innovation = value. Value = economic + social.

The "fourth sector" has an important role to play in our economy and our social development. Support of this sector will require innovative approaches from all other sectors in our society. Social finance, hybrid business forms, policy changes for non-profits and social enterprises, and an acceptance of the reduced ability of the traditional players to adequately resolve the challenges we face - these are all required as part of a plan to include social innovation in our everyday thinking and our approach to economic development.

Non-Profit Organization: Supervising Staff as Management Function Jul 22, 2011 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Manager Coaching Staff - davidlat

Staff supervision is an important management function in all organizations, including non-profit service agencies.




The basic principles of staff supervision apply no matter what kind of organization or what level of manager. It is the job of the manager to supervise the work of his staff. How he does this depends on the management style which, in turn, should depend mostly on the needs of the job situation.

Review Tasks and Expectations

The manager should be able to use his unit's workplan to develop the workplan for each staff who reports to him. He will be looking for consistency and integration with the work of other staff in order to achieve organizational goals. All work expectations should be aligned with the overall mission of the non-profit organization.

Review tasks and expected deliverables, and results. This includes any organizational standards or quotas. For example, the housing worker at a youth drop-in center will serve ten clients a day, placing six clients a month in appropriate housing.

Identify resources that are available to do the job. These resources might include space, equipment, personnel, and funds. For example, an intake worker in a shelter needs an interview room to develop a care plan with clients, access to a housing worker, gift vouchers as client incentives for assigned chores, and unlimited access to the computerized client database.

Attach timelines to the workplan. If appropriate, break tasks down into milestones. This is particularly useful if the work includes a time-limited project.

All this information is recorded on an individual workplan for the staff being supervised. The manager and the employee each have a copy of this workplan as a reference for any discussions and revisions to the work being done.

On-the-Job Coaching

Ongoing coaching is common practice for all managers. Be available for staff in day-to-day operations in order to demonstrate procedures, clarify expectations, offer advice, discuss options for handling certain situations, and always provide encouragement and support. Coaching is a practical complement to more formal job training.

The scope of this coaching depends on the size and kind of organization. In a small service organization, the Executive Director/CEO might be the only management person and will be coaching front line staff. In a larger organization, the ED/CEO would directly supervise only senior managers or supervisors.

Schedule Regular Meetings with Staff

The ED/CEO might schedule a monthly meeting with the management team. A program manager might meet weekly with front line staff to review client issues. No matter what level of management, it is important that there be a regularly scheduled meeting to address emerging issues, with staff collectively and individually. This is all part of a supervision process.


http://www.suite101.com/content/non-profit-organization-management-style-at-work-a378082%20Non-Profit%20Organization:%20Management%20Style%20at%20Work


Schedule regular, one-on-one meetings with each direct report. The frequency of these meetings depends on the level of supervision that is needed. For example, an ED/CEO of a larger non-profit service organization might meet with a senior program manager only once a month. That program manager or the ED/CEO of a small organization might meet weekly with each of the front line staff.

These regular meetings with individual staff serve several purposes.

Increased efficiency. When the manager or supervisor and the staff person know that they have a meeting scheduled in the next week, it will reduce, if not eliminate the need for ad hoc get togethers that interrupt each other’s agendas.

Increased purposefulness. A scheduled meeting allows time for preparation and consolidation of items to be discussed.

Timely documentation. It is important for a manager to keep up-to-date notes on staff performance. A regular meeting provides opportunity to discuss and note progress on the elements of the workplan, on any challenges to be addressed, and on successes the employee had in addressing issues.

There are two other points to remember.

Keep the meeting schedule on both calendars. Even though the manager might be really busy and not have anything in particular to discuss, the staff person might have been waiting for this meeting to bring forward a sensitive issue. There will be times when there is really nothing to discuss at a one-on-one meeting. However, keep cancellations to a minimum.

Be accessible. It is important that direct reports, whether managers themselves or front line staff, can easily access the experience, direction or advice of their manager.

Performance Appraisal

The annual performance appraisal is also a form of supervision. This appraisal provides opportunity to consolidate all the challenges, successes, progress, and outstanding issues of the previous year.

Most non-profit organizations have a standard form that has to be completed, usually in conjunction with an interview. Managers might consider the following points when preparing and implementing the performance appraisal process.

Use the workplan as a frame of reference for the process. Consolidate all notes from meetings throughout the year with this employee. There should be no surprises

for the employee if communication has been ongoing.

If the organization’s HR policies allow, give a performance appraisal form to the staff to complete at the same time.

Manager and staff each complete the form as a draft to be discussed.

Identify work that was well done.

Identify challenges that have been acknowledged and the action plan to deal with them.


http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-give-an-effective-employee-performance-ap-a115957%20Effective%20Employee%20Performance%20Appraisals


Meet with staff and discuss all aspects of the performance appraisal form, using examples of specific situations to confirm comments.

Review progress on all areas of the individual work plan.

With the employee, identify goals for the next year, including any training.

It is always easier if there is agreement on the final comments. However, the manager must ensure the official record is accurate and verifiable, even if the staff person does not agree.

Results of Staff Supervision

An effective manager is motivated to provide supportive, facilitative supervision of his staff, recognizing their strengths and helping them deal with their challenges. Even if there is a need for discipline, it is done in a pragmatic, non-judgmental way so the situation becomes a lesson. This kind of supervision results in staff working to their potential, which means better client service and a healthier workplace.

Non-Profit Organization: Management Roles and Responsibilities Nov 12, 2010 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Management Roles and Responsibilities - ljleavell

The primary management responsibility in a non-profit organization is to implement the strategic plan of the board. Here are some guidelines for success.

The board of the non-profit organization confirms the mission statement and the philosophy of service for the non-profit organization. It also develops the strategic plan and direction, the goals, and the objectives for the work to be done.

One of the most important responsibilities of the board of a non-profit is hiring the best CEO or Executive Director (ED) possible to implement its strategy. To do so means that the board has to have a clear understanding of what is included in that job. Recruiting someone with effective management skills to lead a non-profit agency, especially a smaller one that provides direct client service in the community, is not easy.

Here are some guidelines for expectations of management in a non-profit organization and the management skills required to achieve results.





Primary Responsibilities of Non-Profit Management

It does not matter if the senior manager is called a CEO, an ED, or something else. The primary responsibilities are the same.

Develop the workplan that will frame the implementation of the strategic plan. This includes the tasks to be done, lead staff person or unit, resources needed, timeline, and expected outcomes.

Recruit, train, and supervise senior management staff, supporting them all as a functioning leadership team.

Make sure that the organizational structure and staffing model is appropriate for the work to be done. For example, in a large community drop-in with many programs for low-income people, there might need to be a branch that oversees the direct client service and another branch that provides the administrative and property support services.

Oversee the development and delivery of client services to ensure that service outcomes are consistent with the mission and the strategic plan.

Oversee all human resources management to ensure that qualified staff are hired and supervised to provide both the client services and the administrative and property support services.

Oversee financial management, including budget preparation, ensuring all reports are submitted to government and funders, and accessing funding grants.

Liaise with, and support the board administration, providing it with regular progress reports on the strategic plan, emerging issues, and proposals for new initiatives.

These responsibilities are carried out using the four basic management functions of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.

Community Role and Responsibilities

A non-profit organization that provides client service in the community also needs a CEO/ED who projects a positive image among all stakeholders. This includes service partners, funders, media, and the general public.

This is a management role that takes the CEO/ED beyond the walls of the organization. Not everyone is comfortable in this role that usually includes the following responsibilities.

Represent the agency at public functions, speaking succinctly and articulately about the organization’s mission and operations.

Working collaboratively with other service agencies to achieve community goals. An example of this kind of effort is working together to ensure that every child goes to school with breakfast and lunch.

Negotiate with government agencies or foundations for funding for ongoing services or for projects.

Advocate for change. This could include working through advocacy associations that are advocating for changes to social policies in order to increase quality of life for clients.


http://www.suite101.com/content/basic-management-process---four-functions-of-management-a294215


Communicate strategically. This includes, dealing with the media, knowing when and how to approach them, and how to respond to queries about difficult situations. Ensuring a credible profile in the community is often a challenging responsibility.

Role of Non-Profit Management in Fundraising

This kind of fundraising is beyond the scope of writing proposals for government or foundation funding. It is developing and administering initiatives for soliciting donations, all aligned with strategic communication. This could be on a small scale with a few activities throughout the year or a large, professional campaign.

The board will have to make the decision whether this is one of the regular management responsibilities or if there will be a separate branch or foundation with its own management, perhaps even its own board. There are a few factors for the board to consider.

Amount of funds to be raised. For example, if $10,000 a year covers the value-added client service, the CEO/ED could probably organize events, especially if there is a board committee to spearhead the work.

Size of the organization. If the organization is small enough that the CEO/ED is heavily involved in client service and community work, it is probably more effective to hire a fundraising consultant to oversee an event or two with the support of the board. And, if the organization is large, perhaps at least an $8 million budget, and is planning significant capital projects, then it is important to have a separate unit or even agency foundation to look after this work.

Skills and expertise of the CEO/ED. Although this should not be the deciding factor, a board will often want to hire a CEO/ED to do this fundraising. This responsibility will actually be in the job description. The caution here is the responsibilities of an operational manager and a fundraising manager require different management skills, not easy to find in just one person.

Many non-profit organizations have a board committee that oversees all fundraising activities, working closely with the CEO/ED, as necessary, but not adding to the management workload.

Relationship of Non-Profit Management with Board

The non-profit CEO/ED is the primary liaison with the board. Besides fulfilling the liaison responsibilities listed above, it is important that the CEO/ED and the other non-profit management have an open and honest relationship with the board.

Just as the non-profit board should be committed to supporting management in implementing the strategic plan, the CEO/ED and other senior managers should be prepared to accept that support, ask for help when necessary, and make sure that the board has no surprises because they have not be told of difficult, emerging issues.

Non-profit management is challenging work, with multi-faceted roles and responsibilities. If the board hires the right person and provides ongoing support, the personal and professional rewards are incredible.


http://www.suite101.com/content/fund-raising---communications-and-public-relations-a303985


Non-Profit Organization: Role of Management in the Community Jul 13, 2011 Constance Woloschuk

Non-Profit Community Partnerships - teaksato

The Executive Director/CEO of a nonprofit organization is responsible for the agency's reputation and position in the community.

Although it is hoped that board members will participate in advocacy initiatives and fundraising events on behalf of the organization, it is the Executive Director/CEO (ED/CEO) who is usually the community face and voice of the nonprofit agency. This is the person on whom rests the credibility of the organization. The principal stakeholders include service partners, funders, politicians, media, and the general public.

Role of ED/CEO

The ED/CEO is representing the agency as a whole and should be reflecting the position of the board in any public statements and actions. Not every senior manager is comfortable in this role that requires so much external contact. However, it is an essential part of the senior job in a community-based nonprofit organization.

Community Activities for ED/CEO

The extent of community involvement can be determined by the mission of the nonprofit organization, the kind of work done, and the expectations of the community. Following are some typical activities expected of an ED/CEO of a nonprofit.

Attend and participate in events that are relevant to the work of the organization. This includes fundraisers, forums on client issues, chairing debates on social issues that have an impact on the agency’s client and anything else that is pertinent.

Develop and maintain effective, outcome based service partnerships. This includes working with other agencies to provide services to clients in common. It is usually the front line workers in both agencies who provide the direct service and need to collaborate for the sake of the clients. However, it is important that management of both agencies develop the service protocol, policies, and procedures that will provide the reference frame for that front line work.

Negotiate with funders. Although the board usually has to sign off on funding contracts, it is the ED/CEO who negotiates the terms of agreement. This can be as formal as responding to a Request for Proposals for client services to taking initiative in approaching a community foundation. It is up to the ED/CEO to ensure that the nonprofit has the capacity to provide the expected services and will receive adequate funding to do it properly. There is often a great deal of tact and patience required to develop a good working relationship with funders.


http://www.suite101.com/content/non-profit-organization-develop-a-good-relationship-with-funders-a319289


http://www.suite101.com/content/small-non-profit-organization---characteristics-of-successful-ceo-a325643



Participate in coalitions and associations that are active in advocating for client-focused changes in public policy, funding and/or service delivery. The board will set the parameters for this kind of advocacy and might even take part in such initiatives. Usually, though, it is the ED/CEO who participates in such advocacy groups to ensure that client interests are foremost and that the position of such groups is aligned with the overall mission and philosophy of the nonprofit organization.

Work with media. An effective nonprofit ED/CEO understands both how to respond to media inquires and how to initiate contact. Media people usually call key community contacts when there is a crisis that involves the client population, funding, and/or a political debate. This means that management should always have key messages ready, plus a thoughtful analysis of current situations. There are also times when it is appropriate for the ED/CEO to approach media contacts him/herself to see if they are interested in featuring an incident, a client, or an issue.

Network with politicians. The ED/CEO might want to connect with elected officials at whatever level of government makes the policy and funding decisions that are relevant to the nonprofit’s area of service. Although systemic issues might be dealt with through an advocacy coalition, the ED/CEO of one nonprofit agency can still do his part of making the politicians aware of the current issues and offer suggestions for improving the situation. It is always appropriate, and often very effective to offer opportunities for politicians, their staff and families to volunteer in providing service to clients in the community.

Resources Needed to Support ED/CEO in the Community

In even the smallest nonprofit organization, the ED/CEO needs access to resources that will help him be an effective representative among community stakeholders.

Board support. It is important that the nonprofit board understand the benefits of having an ED/CEO who is a confident, credible presence in the community. Board members can support the ED/CEO by attending functions with him, understanding and confirming key messages for stakeholders, confirming scope of advocacy initiatives, and developing a network of allies and supporters in the community at large.

Professional coaching. The ED/CEO might need this coaching, particularly for effective communication, from developing to delivering the key messages, appropriate to various audiences. Then, he will be able to speak clearly and purposely about the organization’s mission and operations, its needs and its position.

Time to participate in community events. The ED/CEO needs to know that there is time within his schedule to participate in community planning meetings, attend fundraising events, contribute to advocacy initiatives, and anything else that furthers the mission of the organization.

The organization, as a whole, from board members to front line staff and volunteers has to recognize that all this external work is an integral part of the job of the nonprofit ED/CEO. It is not ‘extra’, nor is it an option. The ED/CEO will be best able to fulfil his role in the community if his own capabilities are strengthened by the support of the entire agency.



Report · 12:22pmNice to see you!

Report · 12:23pmNice to see you.How's life?we're fine. thanks and you?me tooyou can speak 3 languageslolzzyesare you free from work?

Report · 12:35pmi have learned lots of foreign languagesbut only three of them i can use as formal.

Report · 12:37pmDo you learn all of them yourself ?

Report · 12:38pmboth

Report · 12:39pmok, good!I wanna learn french on my owncan I do that?


http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002464750062







Report · 12:39pmwith teachers, books, internet, friends, and my students.yes of coursefirst you have to be very practical like Englishand then you follow the explanation with english

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Report · 12:56pmProject Management of 128











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Report · 12:58pmការងារមនុស្សមិនគួរប្កាន់ច្រើទណាប្អូន

Report · 12:59pmខ្ញុំអ�់ប្កាន់ច្រើទ�ង់យកបទពិច្រើសាfសិន












Report · 1:00pmការងារតែដលប្អូនគួរច្រើf្វគឺការងារសុ�្ចរ�ិ


Report · 1:00pmការងារអ្វក៏ល្អតែដរមនុស្សតែដលអសា្ច រ្យគឺអា�ច្រើf្វការងារបានច្រើ��នB៉ងច្រើដាយមិនប្ការ

Report · 1:01pmបាទ�Qន់តែ��ង់បានការងារល�មអា��ិញ្ចឹមជវ�ិបាន�សលួច្រើទមិន��វូការច្រើ��នច្រើពកច្រើទ

Report · 1:02pmប្អូន��វូច្រើ�ះយក�ំច្រើណះវជិាo ពសាH មកអនុវ�្តឲ្យ��វូច្រើNនឹងការងារ

Report · 1:03pmបាទច្រើGទច្រើនះ�នឧិកាសនិBយភាសាអង់គ្សច្រើ��នច្រើ�Iះអ្នកគ្បគ្ង ជាជនជា�ិច្រើគ

Report · 1:04pmប្អូន��វូ�នគំនិ��្ប្ឌិ�ច្រើដម្បអភិវឌ្ឍការងារប�្ចុប្បន្នរបស់ប្អូនឲ្យបានកាន់តែ�ប្ច្រើសរ

Report · 1:04pmបាទបងនិBយត្តាម�្ង់ច្រើN ខ្ញុំច្រើGខ្វះភាពកា& ហានតែដរQ� នទំនុក�ិ�្ត











Report · 1:05pmម្យាuងប្អូន��វូច្រើ�ះស�ម�ួច្រើQលច្រើvការងារអន្មាគ�ឲ្យបានល្អ

Report · 1:05pm�ង់បណ្តុ ះពួកវាទាងំពរឲ្យខា& ងំ

Report · 1:05pmច្រើន្មាះមិនយូរច្រើទប្អូននឹងបានសម្�មិនខាន។ពិ�ជាបាន�Qន់តែ�ប្អូន��វូទទួលការ:�់ច្រើនwយជាងអ្នកfម�ត្តាបុ៉ច្រើណាx ះណាប្អូន

Report · 1:06pmបាទអរគុណ

Report · 1:06pmច្រើ�ប្អូន�នអាជពជាកឡាបាល់ទា�់តែមនច្រើទប្អូន?

Report · 1:07pmអ�់ច្រើទ ជាជំនួយការអ្នកគ្ប់គ្ងកម�វfិបាល់ទា�់ច្រើGអង្គការក្ងកំ�I និង�កក្

Report · 1:08pmជា�ួន្មាទល្អណាស់ប្អូនសូម�បឹងប្ងបន្មច្រើទ��

Report · 1:09pmបាទច្រើទបតែ��ូលបាន៣/្












Report · 1:10pmប្អូន��វូច្រើរ�នពការគ្ប់គ្ង ទំន្មាក់ទំនង ការច្រើរ�ប�ំគច្រើ��ងតែផនការ�ិ�្តសាស្

Report · 1:11pmបាទបង

Report · 1:11pmទស្សនៈវជិាo គ្ប់គ្ង�កមុ

Report · 1:11pm�ង់ច្រើរ�នការច្រើរ�ប�ំគច្រើ��ង និងសច្រើសរគច្រើ��ងខា& ងំណាស់

Report · 1:11pmក្ួបនទផ្សារ ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយច្រើ:យក៏��វូប្ឡូកនឹងការងារទា�់បាល់ច្រើនះផងច្រើទបល្អ

Report · 1:13pmខ្ញូំក៏ធ្លា& ប់ជាកឡាករតែដរ

Report · 1:13pmឯផ្កសុខភាពរាងកាយក៏��វូយល់ដឹងឲ្យបានច្រើ��នផងតែដរ


Report · 1:14pmប្អូន��វូច្រើរ�នពគំនិ�ក្នុងការស្ងរក:ិរញ្ញវ�្ថុស��ប់�កមុ

Report · 1:15pmបា�












បាទតែ�ត្តាមពិ� អង្គការឧប�្ថម្ភឲ្យទាងំអស់ច្រើគ�នកម�វfិ អប់រ ំនិងកឡា

Report · 1:17pmនិងកម�វfិគរចុ្រើកាសល្យអប់រ ំនិង អភិវឌ្ឍស:គមន៍

Report · 1:18pmបាទបង អ�់ទាន់�ូលច្រើf្វការច្រើទឬ?

Report · 1:25pmជួបQ្ន ច្រើពលច្រើ�កាយG evening bongToday

Report · 12:19pmជំរាបសួរបង

Report · 12:23pmទិវាសួស្តប្អូន!!!សុខសប្បាយជាច្រើទប្អូន?

Report · 12:23pmបាទបង សុខសប្បាយច្រើទបងខ្ញុំមិនសូវសុខច្រើទ

Report · 12:25pmផ្តា្ត សសាយតែមនច្រើទប្អូន!!!

Report · 12:26pm











មិនសូវ�សលួច្រើដាយសារបរBិកាសសង្គមច្រើf្វមកដាក់ខ្ញុំ

Report · 12:33pmកំុច្រើសាកច្រើ�អប្អូន ច្រើនះច្រើ:យជាសភាពពិ�របស់ជវ�ិតែ�ថា ច្រើយង��វូតែ�ច្រើ�ះជំនះឧបសគ្គទាងំច្រើន្មាះច្រើដាយសន្តិវfិ និងមិន��វូច្រើf្វបាន�ិ�្តខ&ួនឯងច្រើទណាប្អូន

Report · 12:35pmបាទបង!តែ�ខ្ញុំឆiល់ច្រើគ�ូក�ិ�្តច្រើf្វបាបខ្ញុំច្រើម&ះ ខណៈច្រើពលតែដលខ្ញុំ�ង់ច្រើអាយច្រើគល្អ

Report · 12:37pm�នតែ�ការអប់រខំ&ួនឯងបុ៉ច្រើណាx ះតែដលឆ្នាប់បានសម្�តែកខ&ួនច្រើយងបានល្អច្រើ:យ មិនយូរច្រើទអ្នកដថៃទនឹងតែកត្តាមច្រើយងមិនខានសូមកំុបារម្ភអណាប្អូន

Report · 12:44pmបាទបងនិBយ�ឹង ខ្ញុំប្តែ:លជាផ្តា្អ កការហា�់ល្ុបក្កច្រើត្តារបស់ខ្ញុំសិន ច្រើ�IះQ� នច្រើពលច្រើវHគ្ប់�Qន់ក្នុងការច្រើNហា�់ច្រើទសំុច្រើទាសផងបង

Report · 12:47pmមិនអច្រើទប្អូន ត្តាមស�មលួ�ុះណាប្អូនប្អូនកំុសូមខ្វល់នឹងទច្រើង្វអ្នកដថៃទអ

Report · 12:48pmbaT bong

Report · 12:48pmសូមច្រើf្វខ&ួនឲ្យបានល្អនិងទទួលនូវការច្រើ�ះដឹងឲ្យបានច្រើ��នច្រើf្វដំច្រើណ រច្រើNមុខ សម&ឹងច្រើNឆ្នាi យ ច្រើន្មាះសា្ថ នការណ៍នឹងប្ច្រើសរច្រើឡងវញិមិនខាន

Report · 12:51pmសូមច្រើអាយពិភពច្រើHកច្រើនះវា�ឹង�ុះបង











Report · 12:51pmពិ�ជាអា�ច្រើNរ�ួមិនខានណាប្អូន

Maha Som Piseth

ច្រើស�ក្តច្រើQរពសូម្ប�ិ��ូ� ដល់នូវការដូ��ច្រើ�មនបានច្រើ�Iះជាប់ជំIក់ត្តាមអង្គ�បាណ ច្រើវ�រគុណកល្យាណមិនគួរQប់។ច្រើ�សសូ�្អំច្រើបាះច្រើGច្រើលសិរ្យ តែដលច្រើគទ្ទ្ង់គង់ច្រើGជាប់ច្រើដាយផ្តា្ក កម្ងក្ងឆ្នា្វ ក់ភាo ប់ �ូ�ត្តា�ក៏រាប់ថាជាប់ច្រើG។Sothea Yon

ឆ្អិនគំនិតពិតជាឆ្អិនគ្ប់យ៉ា� ងឆ្អ្អិន ព្ងសំណាងផុតទុក្ខា� ។

Chheng Uor Yi posted to Chanbo Keo

អ្នកមីងជាទីគោ�រព!ក្មួយនិងភរយិ៉ា ព្មទាងំបុត្រា(បុត្ សូមជូនពរអ្នកមីង ត្ឡប់គោ,ក្ខាន់សហរដ្ឋអាគោមរកិវញិប្រកបគោ3យសុវត្ថិភាព!!!សូមអ្នកប្កបគោ,គោ3យសុខភាពល្អបរបិ្ូអរណ៍គ្ប់ប្ក្ខារ!!!គោ3យក្តីគោ�រពស្លាញ់បំផុតពីកូន យី គោឆងអួ៊ (គោប�ង)

Chanbo Keo មងមកដល់ផUះច្រើ:យ សុខសប្បាយជាច្រើទ។ អរគុណកូន តែដលបានជួយច្រើរ�ប�ំ ដំច្រើណ រការស�គម�បាជា្ញ ខ្រ B់ងស្វិ�សា្វ ញ។Chheng Uor Yi ក�យួ�នច្រើស�ក្ត�្កអរណាស់តែដលអ្នកមងបានច្រើNដល់អាច្រើមរកិវិិញប្កបច្រើដាយសុវ�្ថិភាពតែបបច្រើនះ។ក�យួសូម អ្នកមងតែ/រក្សាសុខភាពផ្តាU ល់ខ&ួនឲ្យបានល្អផងណាអ្នកមង។ស��ប់�កមុការងារស�គមប្ិ�ជា្ញ ខ្រ កូននឹង�បឹងប្ង�ងក្ងឲ្យខិ�ងតែ�បាន តែ�ច្រើពលច្រើនះក�យួមិនទាន់ទទួលបានគ�មលូក្ខខន្តិកៈជាភាសាអង់គ្សតែដលច្រើHកបងផHបានច្រើផ្ញមកនច្រើិ�ច្រើឡយច្រើទ។ សូមអ្នកមងច្រើមត្តា្ត ជួយ�បាប់បងផHឲ្យច្រើផ្ញមកកូនត្តាម អាស័យដា� ន [email protected] and [email protected] ច្រើដាយអនុច្រើ�Qះ។ពកូន យ ច្រើឆងអួ៊ (ច្រើប៉ង)






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