Last week's post focused on individual board performance and assessment.  This post will focus on assessing the entire board along a number of dimensions.  Hopefully, your board has an annual work plan spelling out what you hope to accomplish in a given time period. 

There are a number of assessment tools ranging from the simple to the complex and validated by published research. You may want to check out Carter McNamara's free and very extensive nonprofit management library at  www.managemementhelp.org   or go to BoardSource www.boardsource.org for samples or examples.  The Upstate Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence also has a number of assessment tools, but when I go to what used to be their web address www.upstatealliancenp.org, all I get are advertisements from Go Daddy.  It appears the computer gremlins are hard at work again, but maybe you will have more success in getting to the site than I did.

What makes the most sense for your organization?   What questions need to be asked and answered in order to determine if your board is governing effectively?  A possible starting place might be looking closely at the key responsibilities of nonprofit governing boards, which include planning & evaluation, financial development and management, human resources, community connection, and board development. 

If you are going to develop your own assessment tool, use a 5 point scale - Excellent 5, Good 4, Average 3, Fair 2 and Poor 1, or use a Yes, No or Needs Improvement scale with an additional column for suggestions for improvement.  Have each board member complete the assessment form and then the Board Development Committee can tabulate the results and present them to the board for discussion.
    

Under Planning & Evaluation
    Does the organization have an ongoing process to examine internal and external community trends, to make forecasts and to systematically plan for its future?
    Does the organization have a current strategic plan with an updated and concise
    mission statement? vision and values statements?  clearly articulated goals?
    Are organizational policies consistent with the values statement?
    Is the board's work, and current programming moving the organization toward its vision?
    Are the quality and quantity of programs consistent with the plan and the mission?
    Is there a framework of accountablity for the organization?
    Have dashboard indicators for governance been developed so board members can quickly assess how the organization is doing?
    Do board members actively participate in the planning process?

Under Financial Development & Management
    Does the board approve an annual budget and fund raising goals?
    Do all board members make an annual contribution that is significant to them?
    Do all board members support special events and campaigns?
    Is there an audit committee?
    Is there a system for ensuring that resources are managed effectively via monitoring systems that assure executive and organization accountability?

Under Human Resources
   Does the organization provide orientation, training and evaluation for staff, volunteers and board members?
   Is the Executive Director/CEO evaluated annually against preset goals?
   Are personnel policies, including a grievance procedure current and understood by all?
    Does the organization have a wage and salary administration plan designed to attract and retain competent staff?
    Are board and staff viewed as working cooperatively as a team, and is each recognized by the other as having a distinct and important role to play?
   Is the board's relationship with the Executive Director one of mutual trust and respect?
       

Under Community Connection
    Does the organization publish an annual report?
    Does the board represent the organization to the community
    Does the organization have a system for obtaining input from individuals and groups affected by its planning of services, its methods of service delivery and its service results?

Under Board Development
   Are board members and officers carefully recruited and selected?
   Does the board operate under a clear and up-to-date set of by-laws with which all members are familiar?
   Does the board have diversity in terms of experience, skills, ethnic, racial, gender and age groups?
   Does the nominating committee use established criteria to recruit board members based on the needs of the board?
   Are there term limits?
   Does the board have an appropriate committee structure?
   Do at least eighty percent of board members attend meetings?
   Does each member of the board feel involved and interested in the board's work?

This post is not meant to be an exhaustive and all inclusive listing of assessment questions.  Think of it as grist for the mill in terms of some of the dimensions you may want to assess.  The results will point out areas where the board can be more effective and suggest possible topics for board development activities.   Common sense would suggest that you have to know where you are in the present to make plans for the future.   Organizations committed to self-improvement are more likely to perform at or near peak capacity, add value and help the organization to evolve to the next level of effectiveness.  Is it time for your organization to take this important step?

Until next time,
Pat