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Nonprofit Boards: Leave a Lasting Memory

It is up to your nonprofit’s board of directors to create the vision for the organization and set the course for achieving objectives. This entails a wide variety of tasks that can take years or even decades. However, perhaps the most important task for a board is the final one: Paving the way for the next board of directors.

Background: The board that succeeds the founding board of directors can help the nonprofit organization thrive as well as survive or it can start it on a downward spiral that may ultimately lead to dissolution. Thus, it is important that your current board of directors implements the steps needed to replace itself with a new board that shares a common plan for the future.

Typically, the board of directors will play a pivotal role in its successor while working in conjunction with the chairperson and the chief executive officer. With input from the board, the “next generation” should take shape, probably within five years of the board’s founding. Here are several recommendations that can help pave the way for a smooth transition of power.

*Know and understand the key issues inside out. This includes the main challenges facing the organization, the optimal opportunities for the future, the fulfillment of the mission, strategic alliances and the revenue methodology. What will it take for the organization to become more effective? How can it make an impact?

*Determine the best ways in which the board can “add value.” What sort of expertise, flexibility and strategic relationships will be needed in the future? For instance, it may be critical to develop diversity in funding sources as the nonprofit grows out of its infancy. Consider the enhancements that are most likely to be beneficial.

*Make projections for the coming decade. Envision the character of the people who can build on the nonprofit’s current foundation. Describe the qualifications and expertise of the board members who can take the organization to the next level.

*Create a plan for finding successors. How will you entice the “right people” to join the board? You might assign responsibilities to current board members for reaching out to the best candidates.

*Shore up the accounting aspects. Make sure that any potential fiscal problems are addressed or resolved. Prime prospects for future board positions may shy away from the organization if its financials are not in order.

*Map out a timetable for the succession. This will depend on the particulars of the nonprofit and how and when the current board is willing to cede control. It may be difficult to come to a consensus, but it is important to begin the process. Otherwise, inertia takes over and the board can become stagnant.

Practical advice: Board members should not rest on their laurels. The best way to leave a lasting impression is to build for the future.

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