As an organization grows and evolves, so should the volunteer board members who are responsible for the governance of that organization. The needs of each non-profit or membership association change over time, and the board needs to change along with it to meet those needs. Here are the three stages that a board should go through over time.
Stage 1:
Organizing/Founding Boards – These boards are small and passionate about the mission of the organization. The meetings are often informal, and the board members are often willing to do mundane tasks to execute the mission and needs of the group.
Stage 2:
The Governing Board – As more staff members are hired, the board often needs to either step back or re-define their role in the organization. The growth of the organization requires leadership, so the board should take on the responsibilities of planning and executing the vision and yearly goals of the group.
Stage 3:
The Institutional Board – This is the mature stage of a board, when committees have been established and the board has grown in size, with experienced members who are much more involved with fundraising and are considered key members of their communities.
For more details on the three stages of a nonprofit board’s lifecycle, contact Sage & Rosemary today!
Reminder: Stacy De La O, CAE, Principal of Sage & Rosemary Consulting, has completed the BoardSource™ Nonprofit Board Consultant certificate course. To celebrate the new year, Sage & Rosemary is offering a free, two-hour, virtual board training for the first five organizations to sign up in December 2020 and January 2021. This training will introduce board members to the fundamentals of effective governance by defining the basic roles and responsibilities of the board and examining strategies for building effective boards.
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