The document discusses key aspects of effective nonprofit governance and management. It emphasizes that nonprofit boards must work as equal partners with operational staff. Additionally, it highlights the importance of clarifying roles and responsibilities between boards and staff to coordinate their work. Finally, it stresses that nonprofit organizations should engage in strategic planning and lifecycle analysis to help guide their work.

1. Nonprofit Governance
What distinguishes exemplary
boards is they are robust,
effective, social systems.
Questus Strategies | 7331 Monica Lane, Evergreen, CO 80439 | 303-881-6786 | www.questusstrategies.com | www.rsolosky.com | @rsolosky

2. Three Sectors
Private
Enterprise
Nonprofit
Government
(Public)
Regulatory Agencies
Schools &
Human Services
• Transportation
• Hospitals
• Day Care
• Neighborhoods
• Communities
• Families

3. Nonprofit Reality
“Nonprofit” is an IRS
classification….
it is NOT a Business Strategy!

4. Change Agent
Impact
Action
Need
Nonprofit Community Engagement

5. Leadership
Change
Agent
Fundraising
Values
Vision
Strategy
Positioning
CollaborationCommunications
Empowerment
Coaching
Measurement
Outcomes
Nonprofits as a Community Change Agent

6. Governance Axioms
1. The operational leader and the board must work as equal
members of a team rather than one subordinate to the
other.
2. The work of the two does not divide neatly into policy-
making versus execution of policy; each need to be
involved with both functions and must coordinate their
work accordingly. often
3. In a well-functioning nonprofit organization, the
operational leader will take responsibility for assuring
that the governance function is properly organized and
maintained.
- Peter F. Drucker
(Paraphrased from Nonprofit Management & Leadership: Lessons for Successful Nonprofit Governance - 2006)

7. Governance Model
Board
Funding
Legal
Regulatory
Staff
Operations
Program
Administration
Shared
Responsibility
Implementation
Policy Decisions

8. Board
Foundations
Staff
Committees
Constituencies
General PublicDonors
Volunteers
Media
Government
Board Relationships

9. Legality
Corporate Directors are held accountable
under the law for the following:
• Making sure the organization is
run in such a way that it returns
profit to its shareholders.
• Ensuring the organization
complies with the law.
• Safeguarding the financial
health and physical assets of
the organization.

10. Governance
• The board is comprised of individuals.
• However, a director – or even a group of
directors – can not set policy, give directions
to staff and volunteers, or make
commitments on behalf of the organization.
• Only the full board, acting as a
unit, can do these things.

11. Fundraising
1. Make a Financial Contribution
2. Recruitment of New Members
3. Solicit Contributions
4. Oversee Fundraising Efforts

12. Board members and the board as a whole,
must exercise due diligence and the kind of
judgment that ordinary, prudent people
would in similar circumstances.
Duty of Care
Discuss ways to fulfill…

13. Board members and the board as a whole,
must put the best interests of the
organization first.
Discuss ways to fulfill…
Duty of Loyalty

14. Each board member and the board as a
whole, must comply with the organization’s
policies and with all applicable local, state,
and federal laws and regulations.
Duty of Obedience
Discuss ways to fulfill…

15. Creating Progress
“Don’t Push Growth, Remove the
Factors Limiting Growth”
Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline -
The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization

16. Board Development
"What are the three most
important things for the board
to accomplish this year, and
what kind of board members
do we need in order to do so?"

17. Executive Transition
1. Develop Strong Board with a Public Role
2. Conduct Organizational Assessment
• Define Organizational Vision
• Evaluate Financial Stability
• Assess Business Model
• Understand Organizational Challenges
• Identify Executive Skills
3. Develop Transitional Plan
4. Communicate with Stakeholders

18. Systemic Thinking
Service
Satisfied
Consumers
Increased
Funding
Balancing Loop Example

19. Systemic Planning Process
Who
Are We?
Where Are
We?
How Did
We Get
Here?
Where Do
We Go
Next?
How Do
We Get
There?
Adapted from “The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution”
Step One
Step Two
Step Three

20. Strategy Pyramid

21. Lifecycle Analysis
Grass Roots-Invention | Startup – Incubation | Adolescent-Growing | Mature-Sustainability | Stagnant & Renewal | Decline & Shutdown

22. Lifecycle Analysis
Stage Key Question
Grass Roots - Invention Is the Dream Feasible?
Startup - Incubation How Do we get started?
Adolescent - Growing How can we build this to be viable?
Mature – Sustainability How can we ensure sustainability?
Stagnation & Renewal How, if any can we renew?
Decline & Shutdown Should we close?

23. Lifecycle Analysis
with respect to functionality…
• Administration & Systems
• Staffing
• Governance
• Finances
• Marketing
• Programming

24. 7331 Monica Lane, Evergreen CO 80439 | 303-881-6786 | www.questusstrategies.com | www.rsolosky.com | @rsolosky