Facilitation skills can and should be a key component of any funder’s toolbox. From board meetings, to conversations with grantees, to meetings with fellow funders, well-facilitated meetings can mean the difference between productivity and frustration. Luckily, good facilitators are made, not born.
Choosing a way to take care of business is an important decision for your foundation, and one to revisit from time to time as your foundation evolves. Small foundations use volunteers, consultants, paid staff — and, quite often, a combination of the three. Which arrangement is right for your foundation right now?
A number of you have called CFC over the years asking a variety of questions about Directors and Officers Liability insurance: Should we have it? If so, how much coverage should we have? Is there a “group plan” available for CFC members? And what kind of D&O coverage do other CFC members have? This document will look at some general aspects of D&O liability insurance.
With the increasing complexity of regulations, demand for accountability, and sophistication of donors and gifting vehicles, community foundations must not only be professional in their approaches to all of their work but also ready and able to handle any situations that arise. In fact, many people would agree that the Board’s most important responsibility is establishing policy. A policy can be a governing principle; a guideline for carrying out work; and a way for the Board to delegate authority. Policies let individuals make sound decisions while relieving the Board of Directors and the Executive Director and/or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of involvement in routine decision making. Policies ensure that operations within your community foundation are administered consistently, within regulations and that donors and members of the public are treated fairly and uniformly.
This template is provided as a tool for community foundations to develop policies on all matters related to conditions of employment. There are parts of this policy which also apply to volunteers and individuals working on contract.
Board members are the heart of a foundation, and continuing to provide education and development opportunities is critical for boards to thrive and grow. Healthy boards find ways to stay curious, fuel their passions, pursue new knowledge, and refine foundation strategies and governance.
Now you are on the board of a Community Foundation and exploring the investment policy mandate and direction. This session explores: Understanding the differences between “types” of investment managers and how to select them; Set it and forget it: the crucial role of an investment policy in surviving turbulent markets; When and ways to evaluate and monitor your investment manager; What is a reserve fund and why is it important?
If you have recently been appointed Treasurer, or are responsible for the day-to-day financial management of your community foundation, join us for this 3 workshop series. From budgeting, accounting and investment practices, audits and risk management, there is a broad range of skills for foundation staff and board members to understand. This session focuses on strengthening your financial understanding by reviewing the various components of audited financial statements, key financial health metrics and internal financial reporting — budgets, board reports and responsibilities of the bookkeeper, treasurer and CFO.
As coronavirus spreads, registered charities and non-profit organizations (“NPOs”) that help the needy and vulnerable are likely to face unprecedented demands. Thus, it is critical that operations continue to the extent possible. This article discusses some key governance considerations that should be top of mind for management and boards of directors in the coming weeks, if not months.
As a community foundation grows, it gets pulled in multiple, competing directions. Those competing directions can harm its financial sustainability and the clarity of its value proposition to the community and donors. A clearer path to growth comes when the foundation is aligned toward a primary operating model. Building on their presentation at the 2019 CFC Conference, this is the first of two webinars by Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates’ on the Four Quadrants operating model framework, the reasons why foundations choose each model, and trends in philanthropy and the community foundation field challenging each model. Presenters: Tony Macklin and Steve Alley, Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates