I 501(c) You - The Podcast for NonProfit Board Members

Why Every Nonprofit Board Member Should Contribute Financially

We believe that every nonprofit board member should make a personal financial contribution to their organization. Yes, this means beyond anything your company provides, beyond connecting others to the organization, and asking others to donate. This is for a few reasons:
A Board Member making a personal financial contribution is a public display of support for the organization.
If the board members are not willing to donate, why would the public be willing to donate?
On grant applications, many funders will ask "does 100% of your board give to the organization?"
This does not mean that a board member should be required to donate a significant amount. Many organizations will ask board members to donate "an amount that is meaningful to you". However, some organizations do require a minimum donation, although that would be made clear before joining the board.
 
Timestamps:
00:40 - Why do I have to donate to the organization in which I volunteer as a board member?
01:45 - The organization you are a board member on should be your #1 priority giving organization
02:20 - It shows public support of the mission, vision, and values of the organization
03:09 - It shows the board is 100% behind the organization
03:35 - Funders will ask “does 100% of your board give to the organization?”
04:05 - Some nonprofits require a minimum donation
04:30 - Contribute something that is “meaningful to you”
05:45 - Set a contribution policy, set the expectation
 
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast

Maximizing Impact through Strategic Communication with Debra Jacobs

On this week's episode of I 501(c) You, we are joined by Debra Jacobs, President & CEO of The Patterson Foundation. Debra has been a long-time friend, mentor, boss, coach, and is a master in strategic communication. We are excited to have Debra on to share with us her insights on strategic communication including the importance of painting a picture, over communicating, and the CEOs role in creating a culture of communication.
 
Key Takeaways:
It's not always about what the CEO says, it is about what everyone buys into.
Move from a scarcity mentality to a collective abundance mentality.
Keep your empathy antennae up.
Timestamps:
01:09 – Interview starts
01:42 – Debra introduces herself/discusses chapters of life/the start of The Patterson Foundation
04:40 – Who needs to know what, when?
05:20 – What is the CEOs role to ensure there is a culture of communication?
06:20 – How TPF made its announcement and using words to paint a picture
07:43 – Communication is two ways
09:05 – Internal audience 5s
10:10 – External audience 5s
11:10 – Working with organic intentionality
13:15 – How do you think about communicating with internal vs external stakeholders?
15:40 – How do you create an environment that balances technology and communication?
17:40 – Managing versus leading
18:15 – Is strategic communication always on your mind?
19:45 – Advice to a CEO that wants to improve their communication
21:00 – Move away from a scarcity mentality
22:30 – Cope, Adapt, Innovate
25:30 – Using framing to simplify the message
26:20 – Can you over communicate?
29:40 – Final thoughts - cookie jar analogy
31:30 – Recapping with Read
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
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Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast

How to Have the Best Board in Town

If you're like most nonprofit organizations, you've probably struggled with the challenge of recruiting new board members. But what if you could create a board that was so desirable, talented individuals were eager to join without any effort on your part?
In this episode, we're sharing our tips on how to build the best board in town - the kind that draws in top-notch candidates and has its pick of the best talent available. Get ready to discover the simple yet effective steps you can take to transform your board into a highly coveted team that people are clamoring to be a part of!
 
Timestamps:
00:40 - How do you become a board of choice in your community
01:10 - Why do people want to join a nonprofit board?
02:14 - What do people NOT want in a nonprofit board?
03:00 - Have a strong CEO/Leader
03:50 - Have a defined process for recruiting new board members
04:50 - Have a good board culture
05:34 - Provide training and support
06:07 - Have strong governance in place
07:20 - Have engaging meetings
07:57 - Have a strategic communications plan
08:57 - Show board members the impact of the organization
09:45 - Show board members appreciation
10:30 - Closing statements
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast

Culture Shift: A CEO’s Journey to Transforming her Nonprofit with Jessica Muroff

This week, we are joined by CEO of United Way Suncoast, Jessica Muroff. Jessica took over the role of CEO just before the beginning of the pandemic and has lead the organization through a transformative culture shift. Jessica shares with us how she assessed the current culture, how she made this new culture stick, and as with all our interviews we end with Jessica's advice to a new CEO.
Key Takeaways:
Have a bias for action.
Communicate with radical transparency.
Follow through, do what you say you are going to do.
Timestamps:
00:50 - Interview starts
01:00 - Jessica introduces herself
02:20 - Jessica’s first 100 days as CEO
06:00 - How did you structure your communication and discovery in those first 6 weeks?
07:36 - How did everyone receive your thoughts on the direction of the organization?
09:55 - What was your assessment of the culture? 
12:15 - Where did you want to take the culture and what steps have you taken
15:40 - What made you realize you needed to take these steps?
17:25 - How was the huddle structured and how has it evolved?
20:45 - How did you approach the huddles?
22:20 - Did you have to change the structure of the organization to change the culture?
25:45 - How do you ensure people are hearing what needs to be heard?
29:00 - What would you do differently if you became CEO of UWS again?
30:40 - What would you say to a new CEO who is looking to change the culture of their organization?
33:20 - Recapping with Read
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
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Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Building an Effective Advisory Council for Your Nonprofit

In episode 20 of I 501(c) You, we learned about Amy's Partnership Council and how she uses this group as a source of expertise and a way to observe potential board members.
Today, we are discussing the reasons why a CEO would want an advisory/partnership council, what their purpose would be, and how to go about creating one.
 
Timestamps:
01:10 - What is an advisory council?
01:40 - Why would a CEO form an advisory council?
03:00 - Using an advisory council as a way to identify future board members
03:53 - A way for former board members to stay involved
04:31 - Forming an advisory council
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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From Vision to Reality: A CEO’s Path to Community Impact and the Board’s Contributions with Amy Alexander

Join us as we sit down with Amy Alexander, Co-Founder and CEO of The Refuge Center for Counseling in Franklin, TN. Over the past 18 years, Amy's vision and leadership have transformed The Refuge Center from a gap-analysis inspired idea into a vital part of the Franklin community, providing over 37,000 counseling sessions to over 4,300 clients each year. Hear how Amy's unwavering commitment to accessible care, through the use of a sliding-fee scale based on income, has made a lasting impact on those in need.
Amy speaks about the role the board played in the organization's growth, her board member recruitment process, and how she views her board members as family.
We are grateful for Amy's time and applaud the transformative services The Refuge Center provides to those in need.
Visit The Refuge Center for Counseling's Website:
refugecenter.org/lunch
Hope Grows 2023 - An amazing night of fellowship, encouragement and hope!
Timestamps:
00:48 - Interview starts
01:15 - Amy introduces herself and The Refuge Center
04:40 - Starting The Refuge Center
05:50 - Amy describes her board in the early days of The Refuge Center
07:05 - The role of the board in the growth of the organization
09:20 - What makes an effective board member?
11:45 - What makes an ineffective board member?
13:15 - Providing great support to the Executive Director
13:40 - Communication with the board
14:35 - Interaction with the Board Chair
16:25 - The culture at The Refuge Center
17:45 - What advice would you give to an Executive Director about managing the board?
18:40 - Can you explain the role of the Partnership Council?
20:15 - How did you implement the Partnership Council?
21:55 - How have you strategically used the board to help you accomplish your mission?
23:20 - How do you interact with the board committees?
24:55 - You have to get to know your board members as people
25:45 - The process of identifying and nominating new board members
27:29 - Board orientation process
29:05 - A few of Amy’s biggest mistakes when recruiting board members
31:14 - What are your visions for your board?
32:58 - What have been some of the biggest challenges in growing The Refuge Center?
34:45 - How do people get in touch with you or The Refuge Center?
37:03 - Recapping with Read
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Board’s Eye View: Evaluating the Nonprofit CEO

High performers want to be evaluated. We have heard in previous podcast episodes and it could not be more true for today's episode. Michael covers why and how a nonprofit board might go about evaluating the CEO.
Having a formal evaluation process is important for many reasons, the CEO needs feedback and wants to know how to improve, the process allows the board to measure progress, and it shows as a board that you are invested in the success of the organization.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 - The lack of performance evaluation on the CEO/ED
02:17 - Who should provide feedback?
02:34 - Why would we perform an evaluation of the CEO?
04:00 - How might you perform an evaluation of the CEO?
 
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Two Sides of the Coin: Cultivating a High-Performing Board with Cheryl Taylor

With a wealth of knowledge and a lifetime of experience, Cheryl Taylor of Taylor Leadership elegantly shares with us thoughtful and actionable steps to create a high-performing nonprofit board of directors. Cheryl has immense experience in the nonprofit sector, having been the President and CEO of the Foellinger Foundation for 20 years. She has cultivated and engaged with hundreds of high-performing boards and is here today to share her wisdom with us. In this episode, Cheryl speaks from two perspectives: the board recruiting a new member and the new member being recruited by the board.
Cheryl is now a leadership coach and consultant, helping nonprofit leaders develop their leadership strengths and talent in a respectful, empathetic, and honest style.
Referenced Resource- BoardSource: The Guide to Board Member Roles and Responsibilities 
Timestamps:
00:50 - Interview starts/Cheryl introduces herself
03:00 - Cheryl’s experience with high performing boards
04:15 - How does a board identify future board members?
05:55 - How do you invite someone onto the board?
07:00 - Best practices in vetting potential board members?
10:00 - Whose responsibility is it to recruit board members?
12:20 - What should someone think about when being approached to join a board?
15:10 - What questions should someone ask when being approached to join a board?
21:45 - Why is it important for every board member to contribute financially to the organization?
23:45 - The best boards keep track of board engagement
26:25 - Is it important to have some involvement with the organization before joining the board?
28:05 - Reflect on your interest and ability to be involved in the board before joining
32:40 - Recapping with Read
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
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Spotify Podcasts
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Building a Better Board: 3 Essential Tips for Nonprofit Recruitment

A friend of mine reached out to me recently. She is stepping into the role of Board Chair and is wondering how she can recruit new board members.
I have received this question a lot. Having experience as a board chair, I know the struggles that come with recruiting new board members. 
Listen to this episode to get my answers to the question, "how do I recruit new board members?"
Timestamps:
01:08 - Identify the skills you want on your board
01:40 - Identify the current skills you have on your board
02:40 - Have a board member recruitment process
03:30 - Have an advisory council or committees that non-board members can serve on
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Joining a Board? Be a ”contributor” not a ”placeholder”! with Cathy Layton

This week we are joined by Chair Emeritus of The Bay Park Conservancy, Cathy Layton. Cathy has a tremendous amount of experience on nonprofit boards and have been the chair of several organizations, most recently, The Bay Park Conservancy. 
Cathy shares her life lessons from being on nonprofit boards, how she operates as a board chair, and thoughts those being asked to join a board should keep in mind.
We are extremely appreciative of Cathy for sharing her insights from 20+ years of nonprofit service.
 
Key Takeaways:
When thinking about joining a board, take inventory of your strengths and make sure that is what the organization needs.
Boards need to tell board members what is expected of them.
Be a contributor to a board, not a placeholder.
If you say "yes" to too many favors and would like a graceful way to say "no", Cathy offers this phrase: "I love what you are offering, but I am fully focused on this effort for the foreseeable future."
 
Timestamps:
00:40 - Interview Starts
01:00 - Cathy introduces herself
02:10 - What are your life lessons when reflecting on your board service?
04:20 - “I love what you're offering, but I am fully focused on this effort for the foreseeable future.”
06:20 - How did you evolve to become a board chair?
08:20 - Placeholder vs contributors on a board
11:20 - As a board chair, how do you deal with placeholders?
12:25 - Board need to tell board members what is expected of them
13:20 - Being on a board is “service”
14:55 - Criteria for finding the right board
17:57 - Should you meet with the CEO before joining a board?
20:05 - The dynamics between board, board chair, and CEO
23:50 - Annual meetings are a great time to review board expectations
25:05 - Frequency of communication between board chair and CEO
26:30 - What is Cathy’s style of leading the board?
29:40 - When you are doing work you care about, it is personally enriching
31:20 - Recapping with Read
 
Join us every week as we release a new podcast with information about how you can be the best board member and provide great service to your organization.
Listen to the podcast on any of the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcasts
Amazon
iHeartRadio
Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
Follow us on:
Linkedin and Twitter