Nonprofit Governance and strategic leadership<

Governance is the process of providing strategic leadership to a nonprofit organization. It entails the functions of setting direction, making policy and strategy decisions, overseeing and monitoring organizational performance, and ensuring overall accountability.Nonprofit governance is a political and organizational process involving multiple functions and engaging multiple stakeholders. The meaning of governance is relatively different for nonprofit and governmental settings. Public sector

Used broadly to define a group or cluster of agencies that share some commonality. Here ‘the sector’ refers to community based agencies that serve immigrants and refugees in Ontario. Other relevant sectors include the broader non‐profit sector (sometimes referred to as the voluntary sector), and the community social services sector.

(government) governance refers to the political process of policy and decision making for communities and political jurisdictions, whereas nonprofit governance refers to the process of providing leadership, direction, and accountability for a specific nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization. This chapter addresses only the topic of nonprofit governance. In the United States and many other nations, an incorporated nonprofit organization must have a governing boardYour board of directors provides governance to your organization. and, as a matter of law, this board constitutes “the organization.” It is common for boards to hire staff

For our purposes, staff refers to agency employees who are neither managers nor executive directors.

to actually do the work of the organization, often with support from volunteers. 

In view of the evolving responsibilities and influences of boards, we set about to study how boardroom heterogeneity is perceived and valued by directors. Our focus was gender, as there has been a significant amount of change regarding women in the boardroom over the last decade. We were less interested in the often-quoted statistics and “glass ceiling” issues that have been analyzed and discussed by many before us and instead set out to go further, to identify why it is important to have a diversity of perspective in the boardroom. As we began to probe, we realized that our findings on this issue transcend gender to address a broader subject. How does diversity of perspective in the boardroom lead to a good dynamic and better governanceRefers to the source of strategic thinking and decisions that shape and direct an organization and its work and where, ultimately, accountability lies. Includes anything related to non‐profit boards as well as strategic leadership issues.? How can boards better structure themselves to benefit their constituents? Finally, how can candidates and nominating committees respond to the opportunities and needs that already exist? 

But diversity for its own sake falls short of both the need and the opportunity. An evolution is under way, and boards now are beginning to realize that it is the breadth of perspective, not the mere inclusion of various diverse traits, that benefits the organization.

The paper characterizes existing governanceRefers to the source of strategic thinking and decisions that shape and direct an organization and its work and where, ultimately, accountability lies. Includes anything related to non‐profit boards as well as strategic leadership issues. models along two dimensions: established vs. innovative and unitary vs. pluralistic. It also provides a way to map current perspectives according to four different models; the Policy Governance model, the Entrepreneurial model, the Constituency model and the Emergent Cellular model.  It also briefly describes the characteristics of each model and outlines the positive and negative features of each. It concludes by describing a new hybrid model which embraces the strengths of each model and also capitalizes on some of the new ways of framing management

Includes an organization’s Executive Director and managers, but not staff or supervisors. See also definition for “staff.”

in turbulent times.

Bradshaw, P., and Hayday B., (1998) Non-profit Governance Models: Problems and Prospects The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector

Used broadly to define a group or cluster of agencies that share some commonality. Here ‘the sector’ refers to community based agencies that serve immigrants and refugees in Ontario. Other relevant sectors include the broader non‐profit sector (sometimes referred to as the voluntary sector), and the community social services sector.

Innovation Journal, Volume 12(3), 2007, article 5.

The objective of this booklet is to help volunteers better understand their role in good governanceRefers to the source of strategic thinking and decisions that shape and direct an organization and its work and where, ultimately, accountability lies. Includes anything related to non‐profit boards as well as strategic leadership issues., guide organizations in their desire to balance transparency and accountability and to provide guidance to grassroots organizations as they grow and mature. A clear mandate helps attract new volunteers (p. 9) The Board of Directors

A group of people who are legally charged to oversee the operations of a non‐profit organization. There are a number of different types of boards, including:

Working Board: Board members attend to strategic matters in addition to working with staff to carry out the mission; usually characteristic of newly established organization or ones driven by volunteers (also known as an Operational Board or Management Board).

Membership (Representative) Board: There is a clear link between the board and the service users, with board members being clients and employers at the same time.

Policy Board: This model distinguishes between the board and Executive Director role. The Executive Director provides operational leadership in managing the organization to fulfil its mission, while the board focuses primarily on strategic matters and ensuring responsiveness to community stakeholders.

Collective Board: Board members and staff share equal responsibility in deciding upon strategic matters and carrying them out. They emphasize equality and power sharing.

Corporate or Entrepreneurial Board: There is an emphasis on innovation, with a focus on efficiency and effectiveness measures that push the organization to achieve a maximum result on its investments.

Institutional Board: When the organization is very mature, with all the systems in place to run efficiently and effectively, the Institutional Board tends to exist primarily to raise funds.

(p. 11) Grassroots Growth (p. 12) To Incorporate or not to incorporate (p. 13) Types of Boards (p. 14) Transparency and Accountability (p. 17) Conflict of Interest (p. 26)

 Grassroots Governance: Governance and the Non-Profit Sector

Used broadly to define a group or cluster of agencies that share some commonality. Here ‘the sector’ refers to community based agencies that serve immigrants and refugees in Ontario. Other relevant sectors include the broader non‐profit sector (sometimes referred to as the voluntary sector), and the community social services sector.

Certified General Accountants of Ontario. First edition, 2008 Grassroots Governance: Governance and the Non-Profit Sector

This workbook is designed to help you and your boardYour board of directors provides governance to your organization.: 1) understand the cultural and developmental context of your organization, 2) recognize strengths and challenges related to how you work together, and 3) consider alternative strategies that build on your strengths and guard against challenges. The goal of this resource is to provide you with a useful framework for being intentional about how you function as a board

Conflict competence is essential to create energetic organizations with strong relationships between staff

For our purposes, staff refers to agency employees who are neither managers nor executive directors.

, volunteers, members, partners, funders and other stakeholders. It improves morale, clarity of purpose and allows the non-profit to work with greater strength to achieve its goals. This article shares some of the common sources of tension and conflict within non-profit and voluntary organizations. These observations are also based on findings from 16 experts -- eight non-profit leaders and eight consultants who work with this sector

Used broadly to define a group or cluster of agencies that share some commonality. Here ‘the sector’ refers to community based agencies that serve immigrants and refugees in Ontario. Other relevant sectors include the broader non‐profit sector (sometimes referred to as the voluntary sector), and the community social services sector.

.

 

Peringer. C. (2005) Building Peace within Nonprofit Organizations

In this resource, First Non-profit Foundation has identified topics of particular interest to boardYour board of directors provides governance to your organization. members and provides digests of time-tested wisdom, emerging thought, and the insights of highly experienced practitioners. Its purpose is to create mutual exchanges of value and, while there are specialized roles, marketing is everyone’s job in organizations seeking to grow and succeed. Topics covered are: Understand Your Mission and “Primary Customer” (pg. 3) Make Marketing Policy (pg. 4) The Six “Ps” of marketing (pg. 5) “Branding” (pg. 6) Having clear Expectations for Board Members’ Supportive Roles (pg. 7)

 

Gary J. Stern (2011) Champions with a Cause: The Non-profit Board Member’s Role in Marketing 2nd edition

This resource was developed by Spring Tide. It aims to help organization review their current policy using an Anti- oppression

The systemic mistreatment of one group of people by another group of people between whom there is an imbalance of institutional power. Mistreatment can include psychological, physical and verbal forms of abuse and subjugation; it can be subtle and need not be intentional. Examples include racism, sexism, ableism, heterosexism, classism, and so on.

framework. This toolkit is full ideas of what organizations can do to challenge social inequality (pg. 2) Barriers and challenges to integrated ant-oppression (pg. 6) Applying anti-oppression

Used as an umbrella term that includes activities, practices, policies, ways of thinking, and initiatives that address oppression in all its forms (e.g. racism, homophobia, classism, ablism). Key to anti-oppression is an understanding that inequality and oppression exist in the world, and that all of us participate in unequal power dynamics in a variety of ways. Anti-oppression involves reflection and making choices about how to give, share, wield, or withhold power to assist and act in solidarity with people who are marginalized. Anti-oppression is sometimes used with the terms equity and accessibility: Anti-oppression is a broader term that includes a commitment to equity and accessibility. See both equity and accessibility.

to policies (pg. 9) setting up a policy review committee and accessing the accessible of your  policies and work sheets (pg. 15-40)

Alexander, M, (2008) An Integrated Anti-Oppression framework for Reviewing and Developing Policy. Springtide Resources. 

This document developed by Centre for community

The broad group of people who are stakeholders of an organization. Extending beyond the people that enter our buildings and use our services, an organization’s community may include cultural groups, sectoral partners, and other groups of people joined together by common identity, geography, and other bonds. Often where we use ‘community’ the word is actually short for multiple communities.

organizations came out of workshops that conducted 2012-2013. The goal of this document is to help start dialogue on how to build organizations and workplaces where all experiences and voices are welcome, valued and fully able to participate. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of strategies, or a "quick fix"- rather, it provides ideas regarding challenges to implementing Anti-Oppressive practices within organizations, as well as Strategies and Solutions to make organizations more open to fostering equality and diversity.

Centre for Community Organizations (2013) Anti-Oppression

Used as an umbrella term that includes activities, practices, policies, ways of thinking, and initiatives that address oppression in all its forms (e.g. racism, homophobia, classism, ablism). Key to anti-oppression is an understanding that inequality and oppression exist in the world, and that all of us participate in unequal power dynamics in a variety of ways. Anti-oppression involves reflection and making choices about how to give, share, wield, or withhold power to assist and act in solidarity with people who are marginalized. Anti-oppression is sometimes used with the terms equity and accessibility: Anti-oppression is a broader term that includes a commitment to equity and accessibility. See both equity and accessibility.

Practice for Community Groups

This information fact sheet was developed by the Centre for Community

The broad group of people who are stakeholders of an organization. Extending beyond the people that enter our buildings and use our services, an organization’s community may include cultural groups, sectoral partners, and other groups of people joined together by common identity, geography, and other bonds. Often where we use ‘community’ the word is actually short for multiple communities.

Organizations. They state that a conflict of interest occurs when someone in a position of trust has competing professional or personal interests. These competing interests can possibly interfere with the person’s ability to remain impartial as they fulfill their duties.

COCo – The Centre for Community Organizations Published November 2010