Sanctity of Human Life

Hot Ideas for Nonprofit Board Meetings (Part 2 of 7)

by James C. Galvin, Ed. D.

As I work with the boards of faith-based organizations across the nation and talk to CEOs of leading ministries, I have the opportunity to learn from what they are doing right. Here are seven of the hottest ideas I've seen lately. These are all emerging best practices that your board can immediately implement to get more done in less time, hold down costs, stay informed, make better decisions, and be more effective as a board of directors.

Hot idea #2 … Launch a Private Website for the Board

This is easier than it sounds. If you have a website, simply add pages that are password protected. The private website can provide all the information a board member could wish for and then some. For example, some essentials include constitution and by-laws, the absolutely up-to-date board policy manual, minutes for all past meetings, organizational history, new board member orientation materials, and board member bios. You could also include links to other helpful websites such as BoardSource and John Carver's website on Policy Governance (www.carvergovernance.com). Don't you think your board would want a private website?

The Acton Institute of Grand Rapids, Michigan (www.acton.org), has a well-developed section of its website for the board. Acton is an internationally-recognized think tank that organizes seminars aimed at educating leaders from all walks of life in economics principles and the connection between virtue and economic thinking. Their website includes monthly balance sheets, previous year's audit, list of current and past board members, scorecards on every program area, current strategic plan, calendar of events, and monthly management dashboards. The website is expertly executed and I wish I could show it to you, but, it is private.

Editor's Note: If you don't have a private website where you can share documents online, there are other options. For instance, Microsoft Office Live Workspace is a free online service that allows you to store and share up to 5 GB online in a password protected environment. This could be an easy way to create and store documents in folders that contain board agendas and minutes, committee reports, calendars, articles of incorporation, or mission and vision documents. Do you have other examples that have been helpful to your board? Share your ideas with us at lifematters@family.org.

James C. Galvin, president of Galvin & Associates in Winfield, IL, is an organizational consultant specializing in releasing the potential of faith-based nonprofits. Visit his website at www.galvinandassociates.com or contact him directly at jim@galvinandassociates.com.

Reprinted with permission from the Engstrom Institute; © 2009 Christian Leadership Alliance - 800.727.4CLA. Visit CLA's website to see what they offer your organization to help build leaders and enhance organizational effectiveness!