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

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:
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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:
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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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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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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:
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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:
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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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Brace for Impact: 7 Ways to Protect Your Nonprofit During a Recession

Every news outlet is talking about it, a recession. However, not many are talking about what a nonprofit leader can do to prepare their organizations. In this episode, Michael shares his 7 actions nonprofit leaders can take to prepare their organizations for a recession.
 
Timestamps:
00:45 - Introduction
01:00 - Michael’s 7 tips for nonprofit leaders to prepare for a recession
02:15 - Plan and Prepare
04:05 - Be open with your stakeholders
04:55 - Align expenses with new revenue projections
06:25 - Prepare for staff reductions
08:45 - Review and update your budget
09:53 - Diversity revenue streams
10:30 - Build relationships with community partners
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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The Board’s Role in Recruiting a New CEO with Charlie Murphy

In this episode of I 501(c) You, we talk about the board's role in a recruiting a new CEO with Charlie Murphy. Charlie, who has participated in over 12 search committees, offers valuable insight on how to recruit and hire a new CEO for a nonprofit organization. Charlie talks about the value of an interim CEO, hiring a search firm, the search committee's obligation to the board, and more.
"The ultimate responsibility of the board is to hire the right CEO for the organization." -Charlie Murphy
After listening to this episode, you'll have a better understanding of how to find and hire your organization's next CEO.
Major Takeaways:
Do not hire someone just to get a CEO in the seat. Wait until you find the right candidate (this is harder said than done). (37:00)
You can make the transition process fun. Use this time as an opportunity to upgrade the position. (3:15)
Utilize a search firm. They can help you with many aspects of the hiring process and find you the best candidate for your organization. (5:30)
Timestamps:
00:00 - Episode Introduction
01:00 - Interview starts and Charlie introduces himself
03:00 - How do you approach the recruiting and identification of a new CEO?
04:25 - How do you rally the board when a CEO exits?
05:25 - When should a board engage a search firm versus conducting the search on their own?
07:15 - Name a search committee
08:20 - Evaluating internal candidates
10:45 - How many people should be on the search committee?
12:10 - What is the search committee's obligation to the board?
14:16 - Benefits of hiring a consultant
14:55 - Interviewing a funder’s recommended candidate
16:20 - Bringing in the final candidates from the search firm
18:00 - Do you want to have an interim CEO?
19:40 - The discipline of hiring the right CEO
22:50 - Preserving the confidentiality of candidates
25:30 - What is the board’s role in onboarding the new CEO?
28:30 - Do you onboard an internal hire differently than an external hire?
30:20 - Leaders need to have a vision
31:05 - How do you approach compensation for a new CEO?
35:00 - Search firms and background checks
36:45 - What should you avoid doing when beginning the hiring process of a new CEO?
39:05 - Any last thoughts?
41:34 - 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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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast
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New Year’s Resolutions for Nonprofit Board Chairs

In this episode, Michael shares his top five resolutions for nonprofit board chairs. These resolutions focus on building relationships, succession planning, and other areas that every board chair can improve upon. Listen to the episode for more information and check below for timestamps for each resolution.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 - Episode Starts
01:13 - #1 - Strengthen relationships with Board members
02:10 - #2 - Establish a consistent rhythm working with the CEO/ED
03:14 - #3 - Establish the priorities for 2023
04:15 - #4 - Conduct a performance review for the CEO
05:48 - #5 - Start succession planning
06:58 - Conclusion
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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Ready, Set, Inflation: Nonprofit Leaders’ Guide to Preparing for Rising Prices

Are you a nonprofit leader concerned about the impact of rising levels of inflation on your organization? In this episode, we will share 7 quick tips to help you prepare for and manage the effects of inflation.
First, it's important to understand what inflation is and how it can affect your organization. Inflation is a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money. It can occur when the supply of money increases faster than the demand for goods and services, leading to a decrease in the value of money.
Listen to this episode and we will provide you with 7 quick and actionable items you can use to prepare for rising levels of inflation in less than 10 minutes!
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:50 - Podcast Starts
02:00 - #1 - Talk to your leadership team
02:35 - #2 - Educate your staff
03:04 - #3 - Scrutinize your expenses to eliminate waste
04:10 - #4 - Consider a budget adjustment
05:20 - #5 - Start to track your funding sources
05:58 - #6 - Explore an earlier launch of a fundraising campaign
06:35 - #7 - If you have earned income, raise your prices
07:22 - Conclusion
08:15 - Honor your mission
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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