governance

Thoughts on Future and Current Board Members

May 30, 2012 By Benjamin Mohler

According to the old adage, “you are what you eat.” I believe that the same holds true for what we read.

When ever I am asked to serve on a search committee or take part in interview sessions with job candidates I often include a question about reading habits, preferences, or guilty pleasures. Sometimes I ask if they have a favorite author or magazine, what book they most recently finished or what is on their nightstand. There really is no right or wrong answer. What their answer does is tell a lot about who they are and what they value.

I believe that nonprofit organizations should be selective in who they tap for board service and make the process competitive. To this end I strongly believe that nonprofits should interview potential board members.

While interviewing candidates for board service, try including a question that seeks to gain insight on what they have read or are reading with regards to board service, governance, fundraising, or volunteerism. A conversation of this nature may illuminate gaps in understanding or it may uncover a potential resource for the organization’s current board members.

If the former is true, it may prompt you to make reading recommendations for the potential board member to seek out before being considered for board service placement. If it is the latter, you may have a new board member than can champion best practice, excellence, ethics, governance, or any number of issues relevant for transforming the culture of your existing board or taking them to the next level.

If you are limited in your ability to add new board members, but want to encourage a culture that seeks out authoritative sources to help inform the board governance role, you may want to consider some other options. Give a board member an article, blog post, or book (either physically, or on loan through an e-reader). Ask them to summarize the text at a future meeting. If you are looking for ideas for potential resources try one of the e-book samplers from Wiley/Jossey-Bass:

NTEN 2012 Free e-Book Sampler – Includes chapters from four books on technology and the non-profit sector including – 101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: Melanie Mathos and Chad Norman, Building Nonprofit Capacity: John Brothers and Anne Sherman, Everyone Leads: Paul Schmitz, The Future of Nonprofits: David Neff and Randal Moss

AFP 2012 Conference e-Book Sampler – Includes chapters from recent additions to the AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series including – Fundraising and the Next Generation: Emily Davis, A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members: Julia Walker, An Executive’s Guide to Fundraising Operations: Christopher Cannon, Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding: Jocelyne Daw and Carol Cone, The Nonprofit Development Companion: Brydon DeWitt, and Donor-Centered Planned Gift Marketing: Michael Rosen

CFRE Updates Certification Requirements

June 10, 2011 By Benjamin Mohler

CFRE International sent me an E-mail yesterday announcing two revisions to the policies for initial and re-certification. I wasn’t able to locate this announcement on the CFRE website so here is the information for anybody considering to obtain this professional fundraising credential (I recommend you do, as do others).

1) Earning Continuing Education credits.
Applicants for initial certification and recertification DO NOT have to attain 50% of their continuing education credits from CFRE Approved Continuing Education Providers.
In January 2010, a new requirement was introduced that 50% of reported continuing education activities needed to be from CFRE Approved Continuing Education Providers. However, many candidates indicated that meeting this threshold was difficult due to the educational offerings available in their region. In response, the CFRE Board of Directors decided to defer the implementation of the 50% CFRE Approved Provider requirement, pending further evaluation. Based on this evaluation and continued candidate feedback, the Board since decided to discontinue the 50% policy going forward, and retroactive to March 2010.

The CFRE Approved Continuing Education Provider program enables you to quickly identify those educational opportunities which have been reviewed and deemed eligible for credit by CFRE International. Eligibility is based on content that is reflected in the CFRE Test Content Outline, which is the identified framework of professional fundraising practice. We encourage you to seek out these opportunities as you are able.

It is important that our global certification and recertification applicants have ample access to required continuing education activities. To that end, CFRE will continue to work with our Participating Organizations and Approved Continuing Education Providers to enhance the availability of educational offerings while encouraging certificants and applicants to take full advantage of these valuable opportunities.
Click here to view the Continuing Education Credit Policy – Click here to view the CFRE Test Content Outline

2) CFRE now recognizes half-time employment to meet eligibility requirements.

In response to feedback from current and prospective CFRE’s, the CFREI Board of Directors has voted to allow part-time (half-time) employment to be documented in the Professional Practice category on the application for the purpose of initial certification and recertification. CFRE defines half time employment as ½ full time employment (FTE) or greater.
This change in policy was made in consideration of the changing employment landscape in many regions, and after conducting research on the employment requirements at several international certification programs.

CFRE International appreciates the diversity of the fundraising field and is dedicated to staying abreast of trends in the profession, while maintaining the highest standards established for certification programs.

Please feel free to contact CFRE International with your questions or to discuss how this new policy may impact your eligibility.

Click here to view the Policy on Eligibility for the CFRE Credential and Policy on Eligibility for Recertification of the CFRE.

Our hope is that these changes will encourage and assist you in seeking or maintaining your CFRE certification, for your benefit and that of the profession.

CFRE is YOUR certification. Thank you for your continued support of the CFRE program.

Warm Regards,

Denny Smith, Ph.D.

President and CEO

Ethics Rapid-fire for Your Next Staff Meeting

June 8, 2011 By Benjamin Mohler

I’d like to improve on a quote I often use; “philanthropy, an awkward word that does so much good” by adding “ethics, a simple word that can ruin or fix everything.”

The thing is, ethical lapses don’t have to happen. It’s helpful to be talking about general ethical issues to help your staff how to respond should something crop up. Or, at least make ethics present in your organizational culture. To help keep the discussion of ethics alive in your organization, here are some rapid-fire questions to use at your next staff meeting. Use these general examples to discuss how your organization should handle similar situations.

Ethical scenario rapid-fire – What would you do?

A donor, whom you did not invite to your wedding, sends you an expensive wedding present, or gives you a gift when you have a baby.
Your organization’s expense policy forbids the purchase/reimbursement of alcohol. You are having dinner with a donor and she orders a glass of wine.
You receive a memorial gift made out to your organization praising a staff member who does not work at your agency.
When you are running a donor’s credit card, it comes up as “stolen.” What do you do? What if the person is right there, say at your event?
A board member wants you to issue her a receipt for all of her gifts to your organization; including $1,200 she spent at your events last year.
You receive a matching gift for $50, the price the person paid to attend your black-tie dinner.
You have a board member that sits on a Foundation grants selection committee. Is it ethical for them to do both?

For further consideration

Does your organization have policies in place to guide ethical decisions?
At what point should you release staff or donors engaged in unethical behavior?
You know of ethical breaches in your organization, how should you respond?

For more information on fundraising ethics visit the AFP International web site.

How Long Will it Take You to Raise the Money?

November 17, 2009 By Benjamin Mohler

All too often well intentioned staff or board members will come to you, the seasoned fundraising professional asking for help securing funds for a need not originally in the strategic plan and more specifically, the integrated development plan.

These requests are usually for last minute programs, non-budgeted expenses, “silver bullet” fundraising events, and my personal favorite consultant fees… upfront payment for somebody promising to write grant requests.

When these requests come across my desk I’ll typically ask these questions:

Is the (insert urgent need here) worth alienating the donor most likely to fund the request? Not usually. If you have been properly cultivating and stewarding your donors you might have somebody interested in helping with urgent needs. If this is true, be sure to link the funding need to your mission and provide a clear case for support that resonates with your donor’s personal interests.

Why wasn’t this in our original budget? Usually last minute financial needs are not considered in the original budget because they are not essential to your ability to satisfy the organizational mission. If the emerging need is critical for organizational success, ask yourself (and the board) “what can we cut from the planned budget to fund this unplanned item?”

If we pay upfront for somebody to write grant requests, how do we keep them accountable for meeting performance benchmarks? You can’t. Staff performance should be built into the strategic plan and should be reviewed by the board at least quarterly. Adding staff or consultants to the payroll without clear performance expectations, and which are paid irrespective of performance sends a terrible message to the remainder of the organizational staff being held accountable by the strategic plan and proper board governance.

So when I’m asked “how long will it take you to raise the money?” I typically respond that it will take anywhere between four months and a year. This range varies depending on how the specific item relates to organizational mission, strategic plan, integrated development plan, budget priorities, board oversight, and donor linkage, ability and interest.