Being on a Board in COVID times is hard. With so many things still up in the air, it is hard to govern wisely in these times. Fortunately, there is a lot of great help out there for you.
Quickly Read up
If you are the kind of person who likes to read up on an issue, a great first step is checking out the huge number of resources from Board Source. Board Source can give you a good grounding in essential issues that confront charities from a governance perspective.
Imagine Canada has a large number of resources in the Managing an Organization part of their website. Both organizations can give you a good grounding in essential issues that confront charities from a governance perspective.
Reach out
Let's say you need more hands on help. There are a couple of great places to check out - one is MAS (Management Advisory Services), located in Toronto, which is staffed by over 60 current and former business executives and who work pro bono. Another option is Endeavor Volunteer Consulting which can provide excellent, free advice on projects and issues.
Need help understanding finances?
Is your charity in reasonable shape but you need a Board member who really understands the intricacies of non-profit accounting? CPA Canada offers an on-demand course on the not-for-profit sector. This is a great way to get a new director up to speed in this area in this complex time.
Ask Colleagues for Advice
Don't be shy! If you aren't sure of something as a charity Board member, you can reach out to partners for their thoughts. For instance, if your organization is a member of an association, they will have professional staff able to give you the benefit of their thoughts combined with direct experience in your part of the charitable sector. So if you are a housing provider, you are likely a member of an association of other nonprofit housing providers. Even if there is not a formal association, there is often an informal group or "table" in your area.
Affiliate or federated charities, like Goodwill, also have a national office (or North American office) who can provide expert advice. Or, you can simply contact the head of one of the other affiliates who is of similar size and ask their advice.
One of the things that the charitable sector is noted for is how willing charity employees are to help people from other organizations. As a charity Board member, you can take this opportunity to learn more about your role and how to be an effective Director.
Full disclosure - I volunteer for both Imagine Canada and for Endeavour.
Ann Rosenfield is the Vice President of the Board for Rainbow Railroad as well as serving as the Editor of Hilborn Charity eNews.
