The Match Game: Ensuring Fit as a Nonprofit Board Member

The Match Game:

Ensuring Fit as a Nonprofit Board Member

Karmen Lemke Manager - Community Relations/Contributions

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Today’s topics

My background/experience

Basic responsibilities of a Nonprofit Board

Common Board shortcomings

Board Building Cycle – identify, cultivate, recruit, orient, engage,

educate, rotate, evaluate and celebrate

Intentional Board Recruitment– Salvation Army and others want

you!

Before you commit – do your homework – is this the right match

for you?

Resources available

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A Family of Companies

Electric

Generation and

Distribution

Electric Transmission

60% ownership

Natural Gas Distribution

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Serving the Region’s Energy Needs

WEC Energy Group

We Energies

Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation

Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation

North Shore Gas Company

The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company

Wisconsin Public Service Corporation

4.4 million customers

8,377 employees + 3,401 contractors

More than 70,000 miles of electric lines

More than 44,000 miles of natural gas lines

Power plant capacity – 8,803 MW

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Local Commitment

Wisconsin Public Service is an integral part of

the communities we serve through reliable

service, active civic involvement and charitable

giving.

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Our Framework for Corporate Citizenship

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My first “community” service…

Mom and I

Brownie Girl Scout Daughter #2, Mom, and I

today

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Meet the whole family…

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One of my first board experiences

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17 years is a long time to serve on a board

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Professional Connections

Bay Area Community Council

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Community Connections

Daughter #3

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Personal Connections

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Nonprofit Boards By The Numbers

7.4 - Average number of board meetings a year

3.4 - Average number of hours for each board meeting

3 - Average length, in years, of a board member’s term

16.1- Number of people on an average nonprofit board

3% - Share of nonprofits that pay board members an honorarium

26% - Nonprofits that reimburse board members for travel/meetings

70% - Nonprofits that require a personal contribution from board

members

86% - Share of board members over the age of 40

2 - Average number of boards on which board members serve

82% - % of all board members who are Caucasian

Source: Board Source Nonprofit Governance Index

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Trends in Board Development

1. Boards are smaller.

2. Board meetings are shorter and there are fewer of them.

3. There is an increased reliance on technology.

4. Board members are learning the difference between

governance and support

5. Board members focus on impact and results.

6. Recruitment is harder.

7. The pressure to fundraise is growing.

8. Composition: From personal connections to strategic diversity.

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Trends in Board Development (Continued)

9. Focus on impact and results, not reports.

10. Clarity about risk management issues.

11. Orientation/Training: From informal to formal.

12. Education: Mission related, learn about the issue, understand the

organization’s customers.

13. Evaluation/Assessment: Accountability at all levels.

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Primary Board Responsibilities

Establish Strategic Direction

Determine mission and purpose

Ensure effective planning

Ensure the Necessary Resources

Ensure adequate financial resources

Select the chief executive

Build a competent board

Enhance the organization’s public standing

Provide Oversight

Monitor and strengthen programs and services

Protect assets and provide financial oversight

Ensure legal and ethical integrity

Support and evaluate

62nd annual CP

Telethon

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Common Board Shortcomings

Veering off the mission

Complacency

Misguided motivations

Multiple voices

Micromanaging

Limitless terms

No self-assessment/lack of self-improvement

Knotted purse strings

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Questions to Ask When Invited to Serve

Why me, and why now?

Could I first join a committee?

What skills and talents are needed? If they can't tell you...

How many open board seats need to be filled? Why are the seats

open?

How are the terms laid out?

What are the term limits? The most common is 2 terms, 6-years in

total, if term limits are enforced.

How often do people step down before their term is up, and why?

What is expected of a board member as far as time, talent,

treasure, contacts?

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Questions to Ask When Invited to Serve (Continued)

How can I benefit by being involved? This is NOT a bad question.

In what areas does the board get bogged down in and/or what

issues do they have trouble addressing?

Do the executive director and/or founder serve as a voting member

of the board?

Do 100% of the directors make an annual contribution? What is the

expected amount?

Does the board conduct an evaluation of their overall and individual

performance?

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What’s In It For You?

Meet new people – even your next boss

Community awareness and connections

Intrinsic motivation – want to give back

in a meaningful way and aligns with your

skill set

Learn a new skill – try something new

Gain formal leadership experience

Be apart of solving critical community

issues

Build the capacity of organizations that

are impacting lives

Have fun!

Literacy Green Bay

Annual Literacy Bee event

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Tips to becoming the best

board member you can:

Get to know the organization

Know your responsibilities as a board member

Avoid a conflict of interest

Support the board’s final choices

Maintain confidentiality

Don’t be a board hopper

Be open-minded

Learn how to read the organization’s financial statements

Be prepared to participate in board meetings

Take advantage of training and development opportunities

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Is Nonprofit Board Service Right for YOU???

What type of experience is most fulfilling for you?

How much time are you willing to put into board work?

Are you willing to collaborate with others on a regular basis or

would you prefer to work alone?

Do you have the willingness and the ability to assist a nonprofit

organization with fund development?

Are you willing to be an enthusiastic advocate for an organization

and its mission and encourage others to get involved?

Are you committed to sharing your time and talent to help make the

world a better place?

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What Is Next For You?

You may not be asked – so don’t wait.

Find your passion.

Make a connection.

Start small – committee vs. board

If feeling like an outsider – change it!

Don’t have time? Then what?

Can’t afford the financial commitment?

Remember time and talent counts, too!

Talk to your boss/company – make it a

development goal in 2016

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Time to Make a Connection!

Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know

Share a Board or Committee experience

What are you passionate about?

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Resources

Leadership Green Bay

United Way Impact Councils

Enterprising Nonprofits May 17 in Appleton

Volunteer Center of Brown County

BoardSource.org

www.volunteergb.org.

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Questions?

Questions?

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Thank you!

Karmen Lemke

Wisconsin Public Service Corp.

[email protected]

920-433-1433