If after reading the title of this you are guessing I am addicted to ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition and its companion show How’d They Do That? - you’ve guessed correctly! I can’t watch one show without the other…knowing why and how things happen completes things for me, and not just in TV land, but in virtually all I do.

I take this approach, as does the AFA Executive Board, when it comes to working with our volunteers. We try to share as much information as possible with you so that you have a complete experience. To do any less would leave things undone.

That is why this e-newsletter – The AFA Volunteer – took form last year. We knew that a more informed and engaged volunteer corps would serve the Association well, and that in turn we would be serving you better. We hope you agree.

With that in mind, I’m taking this opportunity to provide insight into key functions of the Executive Board. By sharing more about three basic responsibilities of the Board I hope to answer some of the “Why’d They Do That” questions that may exist. And, (shameless AFA plug) I hope that after reading more about the board and its functions you will nominate qualified candidates (self-nominations included!) for 2006 elected leadership positions.

One of the best resources I’ve encountered during my tenure as AFA Executive Director is the Nonprofit Board Answer Book (Andringa & Engstrom, 2002). As I skimmed its lengthy table of contents in preparation for writing this article, the following three areas of board operations struck me as the most relevant to share at this time: the importance of board communication with members, the board’s role in strategic planning and the board’s responsibility to the financial viability of the organization.

Communication with Members

“Every board should identify and define the ‘moral owners’ of its organization: the people to whom the board should be accountable….Effective boards form links with these constituencies…building loyalty and confidence in the organization” (Andringa & Engstrom, 2002, p. 35). The AFA Executive Board has most certainly identified our members as the Association’s “moral owners” and we work hard to create links to the membership through ongoing, two-way communication.  It is not enough to simply share news with you; we must listen and provide opportunities for feedback so that members - the owners - have confidence in the Association’s leadership and the direction it is steering the organization. The various surveys we send – our most recent being on the strategic plan – are examples of this outreach.

Andringa and Engstrom (2002) are very clear that this important board function paves the way for a successful board. It is the reason why we communicate with you monthly via The AFA Volunteer, and with the general membership via the Association Update. You’ve undoubtedly heard AFA leaders in the past year use the word “transparency” to describe our approach to our work. In order for our volunteers and the greater membership to feel confident and comfortable with the decisions the Board is making on their behalf, we must provide a window into our work and our thinking. We’d rather be criticized for communicating too often than not often enough. We’ll continue to strive toward this goal and we welcome your feedback along the way.

Strategic Planning

Unless you’ve been in hibernation this winter, you’re likely aware that the Association is fully engaged in a strategic planning process. It is a very exciting and complex process, one in which we are fully engaged. Andringa and Engstrom would be glad to know this, as they state:

A board must ask continually: What is our purpose? Who are we serving? How are we doing? Where are we going? Strategic planning is a way to sort out these questions. But make no mistake: Strategic planning is difficult. It requires time, resources, patience, conflict resolution, persistence, and controversial choices… It is a process that demands the full attention and involvement of the board. (Andringa & Engstrom, p. 23)

Our process most certainly commands the attention of the board and staff…it is simply the most important thing we are doing. I recently sent an email to the board, along with the sixty-plus pages of survey results to read, sharing that while this work was daunting and time consuming, “this is the good stuff!” I believe this to be true, for to be trusted with determining the roadmap for the organization’s future is quite humbling. Be assured that we do not take this responsibility lightly.

A formal planning process will encourage ongoing strategic thinking. This is most certainly happening within the Executive Board. It is nearly impossible for a board conversation to take place without at least one board member asking “how does this/will this relate to the strategic plan?” We remain mindful of the need to combine this board responsibility with our duty to communicate to members; thus the many and varied communications related to the strategic plan since December. We will continue to update you on our progress in this area.

Financial Viability

In the five-plus years I’ve served the Association, I’ve seen tremendous advances in the manner in which our board approaches its financial responsibilities. As Andringa and Engstrom state: “If board members must know one thing, it is their responsibility for helping the organization to stay financially viable with integrity” (p. 239). You can feel confident the Executive Board understands this responsibility. May marks the beginning of the budgeting process for the next fiscal year, and there is no better example of the internalization of this board duty than each officer’s involvement in the creation of a budget that balances the priorities outlined in the strategic plan with the financial realities of our operations. If you were asked to assist in the creation of a budget request form this spring, you assisted with this process as well.

It isn’t easy to reconcile the long list of resources and services members desire with the fact that we run a ‘tight ship’ when it comes to our budget. We’re investing money from reserves this year for upgraded technology (website and data management), and are certain members will benefit in multiple ways from these changes. The decision to raise membership dues for 2005-2006 was a difficult one. However, after careful reflection it became clear to the board that in order to remain financially viable and, more importantly, vital to our members, we needed to take this step. We’re working hard to identify alternative revenue streams so that we can continue to enhance the programs and services the Association offers you.

As you can see from these examples, the Executive Board has serious responsibilities to manage. They represent just a small sample of the many duties board members juggle. Acting in the membership’s best interest, the board works to be transparent with members, think strategically about the Association’s future and secure our financial future. With the assistance and support of you, our volunteers, there is no doubt good things will be accomplished.

Reference:

Andringa, R. C. & Engstrom, T.W.  (2002). Nonprofit board answer book: Practical guide for board
members and chief executives. Washington, DC: Boardsource.