In this episode of "Counting On Chazin," Chris Bavolack, the Director of Finance and Operations at Chazin and Company, discusses the high-level role of nonprofit boards and the challenges associated with understanding and fulfilling these roles.
Chris explains that while everyone involved in nonprofits is passionate about their mission, it's crucial to view the board, staff, and volunteers as a team with defined roles. Just as in sports, each player has a role to play, and if everyone fulfills their role effectively, the organization will succeed. The board's role is to oversee and guide the organization, ensuring compliance, financial health, and strategic direction. Chris acknowledges that many nonprofit CEOs, especially those new to the role, may struggle to understand and manage their relationship with the board. He emphasizes the importance of guidance for both board members and the CEO to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
When assembling a board, Chris advises organizations to strategically consider the skill sets they need, such as having board members with finance and accounting expertise, along with individuals who are knowledgeable about the organization's specific area of focus, geographic location, age groups, and key partners. The board's composition should reflect the diverse needs and interests of the organization, including the issue of language diversity and communicating effectively with the communities served.
The discussion also highlights the board's fiduciary responsibility for the organization's success, financial viability, and compliance. Chris explains that the board's high-level oversight role should focus on key financial indicators, financial health, and overall strategic guidance. The CEO, on the other hand, manages the day-to-day operations, budget, resource allocation, and staff. Chris emphasizes that the board should avoid interfering in staff management, as it can lead to confusion and disrupt the organization's functioning. To address the confusion surrounding roles, Chris suggests three key areas for improvement: the meeting agenda and information provided, the management and leadership of board meetings, and the board orientation process. He advises organizations to provide digestible information to board members, focusing on key financial indicators and important organizational updates. Chris recommends starting meetings with mission-centric topics to avoid excessive time spent on financial reports. He also emphasizes the importance of effective board orientation to introduce new board members to the organization, its mission, and the expectations of their role.
The discussion also covers the impact of an organization's growth on board roles. As nonprofits grow and hire more staff, the board's role should transition from being involved in day-to-day operations to providing strategic oversight, which can be challenging, especially when some board members are accustomed to being heavily involved. However, it's crucial to strike a balance and ensure the board focuses on its oversight responsibilities while keeping passionate individuals engaged through volunteer opportunities.
In this episode of "Counting On Chazin," Chris Bavolack, the Director of Finance and Operations at Chazin and Company, discusses the high-level role of nonprofit boards and the challenges associated with understanding and fulfilling these roles.
Chris explains that while everyone involved in nonprofits is passionate about their mission, it's crucial to view the board, staff, and volunteers as a team with defined roles. Just as in sports, each player has a role to play, and if everyone fulfills their role effectively, the organization will succeed. The board's role is to oversee and guide the organization, ensuring compliance, financial health, and strategic direction. Chris acknowledges that many nonprofit CEOs, especially those new to the role, may struggle to understand and manage their relationship with the board. He emphasizes the importance of guidance for both board members and the CEO to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
When assembling a board, Chris advises organizations to strategically consider the skill sets they need, such as having board members with finance and accounting expertise, along with individuals who are knowledgeable about the organization's specific area of focus, geographic location, age groups, and key partners. The board's composition should reflect the diverse needs and interests of the organization, including the issue of language diversity and communicating effectively with the communities served.
The discussion also highlights the board's fiduciary responsibility for the organization's success, financial viability, and compliance. Chris explains that the board's high-level oversight role should focus on key financial indicators, financial health, and overall strategic guidance. The CEO, on the other hand, manages the day-to-day operations, budget, resource allocation, and staff. Chris emphasizes that the board should avoid interfering in staff management, as it can lead to confusion and disrupt the organization's functioning. To address the confusion surrounding roles, Chris suggests three key areas for improvement: the meeting agenda and information provided, the management and leadership of board meetings, and the board orientation process. He advises organizations to provide digestible information to board members, focusing on key financial indicators and important organizational updates. Chris recommends starting meetings with mission-centric topics to avoid excessive time spent on financial reports. He also emphasizes the importance of effective board orientation to introduce new board members to the organization, its mission, and the expectations of their role.
The discussion also covers the impact of an organization's growth on board roles. As nonprofits grow and hire more staff, the board's role should transition from being involved in day-to-day operations to providing strategic oversight, which can be challenging, especially when some board members are accustomed to being heavily involved. However, it's crucial to strike a balance and ensure the board focuses on its oversight responsibilities while keeping passionate individuals engaged through volunteer opportunities.