Lessons Learned Guiding Principles

Key responsibilities of the Board are:

• establishment and maintenance of the vision, mission and values of the organization.
• legal responsibility for fiscal accountability
• legal responsibility terms of the agency’s compliance with legislation and policy
• representation of the organization to the funder and to the public
• monitoring costs, functions and activities in order to ensure that resources are managed effectively
• approving overall planning and direction
• selecting the E.D.
• performance appraisal of the E.D.
• Board continuity and self-management.

• Key responsibilities of the Board are:
  
  
  • establishment and maintenance of the vision, mission and values of the organization.
  • legal responsibility for fiscal accountability
  • legal responsibility terms of the agency’s compliance with legislation and policy
  • representation of the organization to the funder and to the public
  • monitoring costs, functions and activities in order to ensure that resources are managed effectively
  • approving overall planning and direction
  • selecting the E.D.
  • performance appraisal of the E.D.
  • Board continuity and self-management.
  
  
• Many different models for effective Board decision-making exist. Reflect on what is working and not working in the structure and decision-making processes of your Board. Make sure your Board is working with the model most suited to them, and one that has the greatest potential to build organizational vibrancy



• Leadership and vision at the Executive Director and Board level contribute to financial vibrancy. The ED has a central role and actively develops a Board that can contribute expertise that builds the organization’s profile in the broader community.  Remember that there is a strong relationship between Board vision and organizational effectiveness.



• Senior leadership of the organization and the Board need to be integrated in the planning. This helps to create a solid understanding and buy-in from this group and recognizes that the entire leadership of the organization is working together toward a shared mission.



• While there are many things that Board and senior management can work together on, it is equally important to make the distinction clear between what are Board functions and what are operational issues: 
  
  
  • The role of your Board should NOT be to run your agency.
  • You have to ask yourself every time an issue comes up: is this issue an operational or a Board issue?
  • But things are not always that simple… it also depends on the maturity of the organization, the staff, etc.  Therefore, it is important to match your Board roles and processes with your organization’s maturity and organizational type – and your sources of revenue. 
  
  
• Effective Boards engage in reflection and self-evaluation of their effectiveness in such areas as their ability to:
  
  
  
  • envision a sustainability model for the agency
  • develop congruence between who sits on the board, the governance and financial model and the work the agency exists to do
  • network and develop relationships with people and organizations who provide access to funds
  • engage a broad range of stakeholders in thinking together about the work
  • keep their eyes on the prize – of mission and values in the midst of a project-based funding environment.
  
  

sjkdjfisdufoisdjflsdjfsdkjflsdkjfds