An outstanding board constantly evaluates itself and seeks out opportunities to build strength through ongoing development of skills and knowledge. Your board can engage in keeping up-to-date with effective practices, understanding the value of a board self-assessment and ensuring that they have an evolving understanding of ethical issues.
Becoming More Effective
Effective Practices
The Performance Imperative - Qualities of High-Performing Nonprofits
What does "high performance" really means for nonprofits? How do you get there from here? The Leap Ambassadors Community, a network of nonprofit leaders has developed clear, actionable answers to both questions.
Board Room Inquiry Discussions
Board room engagement can be made richer by the board routinely asking questions which prompt meaningful discussions and quickly get to the heart of the matter.
Sample Work-plan Calendar
Having a year-at-a-glance document that outlines key activities for your organization can help keep things on track.
Board Activity: The Culture of the Board
Use this activity to engage your board in a thoughtful discussion of the culture of the board.
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Board Term-Limit Worksheet
Track the important dates of your board members' terms with this worksheet.
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Governance as Leadership - Summary of Board Behaviors
This resource briefly summarizes some of the key differences between Fiduciary, Strategic and Generative thinking in the boardroom.
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Securely Distributing Documents to Your Board
Before the board meeting, you need to get some files to your board members for their review. Sending documents via email is not always the best way to accomplish this. This resource offers some tips for low/no cost sharing of files.
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The Five Phases of Board Development
Boards of directors and boards of trustees are similar to other groups in that they go through various stages or phases of change. Certain aspects of each phase are critical to the successful development of the board and, therefore, the organization. Lee Bruder explores these phases and the key tasks of the board during each phase.
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Nonprofit Dissolution: What to do When Closing the Doors
We never want to think about closing the doors, but this document will guide you through what that process entails.
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By-Laws Checklist
Review this checklist to see what you might be missing in your by-laws.
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Effective Board Meetings
Board Meeting Evaluation Form - Rating Scale
Get immediate feedback from your board members about the meeting with this form that asks them to rate aspects of the meeting on a scale.
Board Activity: The Culture of the Board
Use this activity to engage your board in a thoughtful discussion of the culture of the board.
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Boardroom Agendas that Inspire Strategy
Do your board meetings feel like a presentation of reports or a strategic discussion? Make sure your agenda sets the stage to best utilize the skills of the dynamic individuals who volunteer as board members.
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Planning and Preparation Sheet for Your Next Board Meeting
Keep this planning chart handy to jot down questions, issues and topics you feel deserve board thinking, input, strategy and decision making and use it when it is time to craft your next board agenda.
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Sample Board Agenda #3
This sample board agenda is structured to promote less reporting and more strategic thinking.
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Organization Dashboard Sample
An organization dashboard is a great way to organize financial information to present to your board and management team.
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Meeting Minutes Template
Let this template provide structure for your note taking in meetings.
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Sample Board Agenda #1
Use a sample agenda to prepare for your meeting.
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Board Chair Tips
Board Room Inquiry Discussions
Board room engagement can be made richer by the board routinely asking questions which prompt meaningful discussions and quickly get to the heart of the matter.
Board Meeting Evaluation Form - Rating Scale
Get immediate feedback from your board members about the meeting with this form that asks them to rate aspects of the meeting on a scale.
ABC’s of Executive Sessions
Learn more about the who, what and why of executive sessions.
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Functions of the Board and Chief Executive
Who's responsible for that? Outline the responsibilities of the Chief Executive and the Board.
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Board Meeting Organizer
Use this organizer to prepare for your meeting and record items for the minutes.
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Board Meeting Evaluation Form - Open-Ended Questions
Get immediate feedback from your board members about the meeting with this form that asks open-ended questions.
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Board Chair Meeting Checklist
Lee Bruder adapted this information to provide a concise checklist for the board chair.
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How Can I Find Good Board Members
This handout provides some ideas for developing your board recruitment program.
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Financial Questions Boards Should Ask
Use this list of financial questions as a guide to meeting your duty of financial oversight.
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Board Self-Assessment
Board Self-Assessment FAQs
Share this frequently asked questions sheet with your board when they wonder why board self-assessment is important.
Board Support Chart - Individual Self-Assessment
Shared by the Friendship Centers of Sarasota Florida, this chart gives board members an opportunity to look back at how they have supported (or not) your organization over the past year.
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Individual Board Member Self-Assessment
This tool allows board members to score their own individual performance on the board.
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Brief Board Self-Assessment
This survey is simple to complete and simple to score for board self-assessment.
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Board Satisfaction Survey
Use this quick tool to get feedback from your board about their level of satisfaction with their role.
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Board Self-Evaluation
This is a quick survey adapted from the work of Chuck Loring for the board to use for self-evaluation.
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Board Self-Assessment Tips
Here are some quick tips to set your board self-assessment process up to be successful.
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Governing with Integrity
Checklist: Ensuring Ethical Decision Making in the Board Room
Prior to key decision making sessions in your boardroom, use this checklist to ensure that the board is ready to move forward.
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Conflicts of Loyalty
Too often we think only of the types of conflicts of interests that involve financial gains. However, in the nonprofit sector it is perhaps more common to struggle with what are often called “conflicts of loyalty.” This document outlines some of these types of potential conflicts.
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Nonprofit Dissolution: What to do When Closing the Doors
We never want to think about closing the doors, but this document will guide you through what that process entails.
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By-Laws Basics
A fact filled Powerpoint presentation on by-laws from Assistant Director of the NH Charitable Trusts Unit.
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Conflict of Interest Sample Policy
This sample conflict of interest policy can be adapted to create your own.
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Sample Code of Ethics Policy
Create or update your code of ethics policy using this sample.
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Sample Confidentiality Policy
Create or update your confidentiality policy using this sample.
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Boardroom Discussions
Board Room Inquiry Discussions
Board room engagement can be made richer by the board routinely asking questions which prompt meaningful discussions and quickly get to the heart of the matter.
