What Your Pop-Up Nonprofit Nominating and Governance Committee Will Miss

Or, turning that around, why YOU need a standing nonprofit nominating and governance committee

nominating and governance committeeMany nonprofits create pop-up/ adhoc nominating (or nominating and governance committees) committees a month or two before they have their annual meeting to determine new board members. And while this is a common practice – this is NOT Best Practice. In fact, it’s bare minimum practice.

Best Practice is to create a combined a standing committee that focuses on nominations, governance, and leadership development. A group that will focus on finding and recommending potential board members as well as overseeing and evaluating the board and its efficacy.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a year-round Nominating and Governance Committee (often called a Governance and Leadership Development Committee)?

  1. Help identify prospective board members.
  2. Research, assess and recommend ideal candidates
  3. Oversee the board and its committees’ assessment of the:
    1. composition,
    2. size,
    3. structure,
    4. effectiveness, and
    5. performance.
  4. Oversee an annual self-evaluation process to determine whether:
    1. The organization is fulfilling its mission
    2. The mission and vision are still representative of the organization and the space in which the organization works.
    3. Collect suggestions and recommendations of board members and consider which ideas should be acted upon.
  5. Provide regular updates to the board
  6. Consider whether the organization is serving its purpose according to the by-laws.

This is, of course, the briefest of overviews, but it shows the elements that are crucial to ensuring a nonprofit fulfills its mission and vision – with a strong set of board members – each and every year.

Interested in more information on Nonprofit Committees?  Consider reading:

Assuring the Best in Nonprofit Management: The Committee on Governance and Leadership Development
 
The Fundraising Committee Experience

To learn more how Mersky, Jaffe & Associates can help your nonprofit’s nominating and governance committee or Board? Click here

For a more personalized assessment of your nonprofit and how Mersky, Jaffe & Associates can strengthen your board and its committees – call us at 800.361.8689 or email us by clicking here