BoardMatch

The BoardMatch Program is an initiative that has evolved from discussions between the Wiregrass Foundation of Dothan, Alabama and the Alabama Association of Nonprofits. Board Match, modeled after initiatives across the nation, is designed to provide opportunities to match interested citizens who desire to volunteer their time, talent and treasure for service on nonprofit boards with nonprofit organizaions. BoardMatch prepares the volunteer for service and the agency for reception. The program trains the individuals to serve on a nonprofit corporate board and opens communication links between the organization and the prospective volunteer.

BoardMatch is an extension of the Board Marketplace program developed by the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, with initial funding from the Junior League of Birmingham and the United Way of Central Alabama.

Research documents that securing and maintaining adequate financial resources is the number one issue facing nonprofit organizations. This same research indicates that identifying, recruiting, and training committed individuals to serve on boards is also a critical issue. Most communities have civic, professional, and leadership programs that are rich sources of potential board members. Historically, however, these groups have not proactively shared the considerable skills and experience of their members with local nonprofit boards. At the same time, most nonprofit agencies have not developed a plan for strategically selecting board members. In fact, studies have found that the culture in the state of Alabama reflects that nonprofits in any given community tend to utilize the same, continuous pool of volunteer leaders. There are a variety of reasons for this; familiarity among leaders, desire to retain power, fear of change, among others. The Board Match Program will provide a proactive, structured process that will empower nonprofit agencies to risk in board development and potential board members to seek service opportunities not otherwise afforded.

Studies also document that service on nonprofit boards provides excellent leadership training and experience that leads to career advancement. 90% of women and minorities who currently serve on corporate boards credit the experience they gained, and the network they established on nonprofit boards, for their corporate board position. Today’s young professionals want their leadership skills to be utilized and they want to provide leadership that will make a difference in their communities.

BOARDMATCH PROGRAM GOALS

• To broaden the pool of diverse, trained candidates for nonprofit boards
• To strengthen the ability of nonprofit boards to govern
• To match trained volunteers to nonprofit boards
• To increase the impact of trained volunteers in the community

BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY

• Increases the community’s ability to connect leadership resources and boardroom needs
• Fosters a spirit of life-long public service
• Improves the quality of life
• Increases the interaction among individuals from diverse backgrounds

BENEFITS TO NONPROFIT AGENCIES

• Develops current and future board members into more effective governing board members
• Increases board leadership and strengthens board/staff relationships
• Improves access to volunteers who have a range of skills, experiences, and interests
• Broadens community support

BOARDMATCH PROGRAM COMPONENTS

• Identification of potential board candidates / Agencies
• Structured training program on responsibilities of nonprofit boards for candidates
• Identification of nonprofit agencies seeking board candidates
• Structured training program on strategic board recruitment and board-staff partnerships for nonprofit agencies
• Matching of trained board candidates to nonprofit agencies
• Follow-up and evaluation with nonprofit agencies and candidates

SELECTION PROCESS:
Selection of both Participants and receiving agencies will be based on a number of things:

Participant:

• Profession and personal skills listed
• Volunteer history
• Time availability: both instructional and one year commitment to receiving agency.
• Personal Goals
• Additional discussion needs to clarify how the class will be selected as a whole: diversity of age, race, background; professional expertise, etc.

Receiving Agency:

• Consideration of receiving agencies needs to include organizations that have a stable governance structure and proven track record for effectiveness and efficiency.
• Willingness of the agency to provide a board mentor
• The Board mentor will support BoardMatch participant. The Board assigns a Board mentor to the BoardMatch participant for the initial year of service.
• The Executive Director and Board Chair sign a memorandum of agreement that ensures active participation and support of the program.
• Agency partners commit to electing a BoardMatch graduate for a minimum of a year of service on the Board of Directors.
• Willingness of the agency to present to the participants on assigned date.

DELIVERY METHODOLOGY:
It is proposed to deliver the core program in six (6) weeks with an introductory week for orientation and a closing session for the actual Board Matching.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS:

Nature of Nonprofits: The orientation week would be a brief orientation (1 1/2 hours) with the goal for the participants to have a clear understanding of the logistics of the Board Match Program and their responsibilities for participation. The group of participants will get to know each other better and develop an understanding of the basic nature of nonprofits, the volunteer/staff relationship and the driving force of mission. The session would be led by John Stone and Vince Edge with remarks from the United Way or Community Foundation Director.

Governance and Leadership I: The first core session would begin the learning process with the goal for the participants being to review the Governance functions of a nonprofit board of directors. Board responsibilities of care, loyalty and obedience, legal and ethical concerns would be thoroughly discussed. Sample Board and Committee charters would be introduced as well as their need and rationale. Additionally, responsibility on the part of the board to hold itself accountable and continue Board development throughout the life of the organization would be critically reviewed.

Governance and Leadership II: The second core session Board Match participants will continue to learn best practices of innovative board governance and leadership. Participants will learn the attributes and indicators of a model board/staff partnership and true leadership. They will have the opportunity to study sound, positive board deliberative processes and practices, seeing governance as leadership. Also, they will be exposed to objective board development procedures designed to ensure this.

Mission Vision and Strategy: The third core session participants will gain an understanding of the importance of strategic discussions and planning as a responsibility of the nonprofit board. Outcome measurement will be discussed in length as a significant tool for organizational evaluation in pursuit of mission. The participants will discover different options in analyzing organizational and programmatic effectiveness. “Who does what” in a nonprofit will be discerned and understood by participants as to the distinctive roles of board and staff.

Board Fiduciary Responsibilities: The fourth core session will introduce participants to their role in oversight of fiduciary functions of the organization and ways to ensure against risk. They will understand what fiscal stewardship involves, the importance of the Finance, Audit and Investment Committees in this role, and their responsibility in assuring fiscal compliance with best practices and state and federal law.

Board’s Role in Fund Development: The fifth core session the Board Match participants will gain a clear understanding of the role of the Board and individual board member to actively participate in fundraising for the organization. They will learn that fundraising is an opportunity to share enthusiasm for the organization with the community and the value of its mission. In addition, participants will review the balance of the receiving agencies and mane a determination as to their own desire and capacities to serve and settle on their best fits.

Graduation / Agency Match: The Final week will provide an occasion for participants and agencies to mix and mingle. This session will host an opportunity to share in a formal fashion the capacities of the Board Match volunteers to serve blending their skills with the needs of the agencies seeking additional / new board members.

Mentoring will occur for a minimum of six months, with a preference of one year, through a matching initiative where the receiving agency provides an existing board member as a mentor for the Board Match participant, assuring a smooth orientation to the agency for the new board member, and ongoing discussion of the dynamics and business of the board. The mentor would be trained by BoardMatchâ„¢ as to how to interact with the new board member.

Measurement: Participants’ progress will be measured based on the evaluations given by the participants at the end of the sessions and the reports from nonprofit agencies. Additional evaluation will occur through a reporting process during the mentoring period.

Board involvement and knowledge gained could be measured through the reporting process along with interviews with CEOs and Board Chairs of receiving agencies.

For more information about BoardMatch please contact John Stone at john@alabamanonprofits.org. Or download a BoardMatch brochure by clicking on this link: BoardMatch Brochure

BoardMatch Part. Application

BoardMatch Agency Application