The Alliance for Nonprofit Management has today successfully completed its redesigned and dynamic effort to link practitioners, researchers and funders to inform the way each does their business to support nonprofits' success. More of what was said and done here will eke out in a variety of ways.
One thought though that I heard shared was about developing a new standing board committee focused on policy. Please understand, I do absolutely believe that pretty much every board is in need of addressing policy gaps. But set-up another standing committee? No way!
You may have gathered from me by now that in my experience, standing committees have proven a failure, tying down and even distracting some board members, often focused on micro managing and more often, not doing much at all. The exceptions: a Governance Committee and a Fundraising/Finance Committee directed by clear mandates from the board.
Yup, get rid of those standing committees and introduce task forces or whatever is given a specific, time-limited assignment. This structure accommodates busy people, gives great satisfaction to having completed something, and, most importantly, can get needed homework done for the board.
Say no to standing committees! Say yes to task forces!
Comments