How-To Tips: Implementing Practice 4a

Conduct a regular or periodic governing-body self evaluation.

In a 2005 Donors Forum survey of its Members and Forum Partners, only about half of respondents reported that the organization's governing body engaged in self evaluation. Self evaluation serves several purposes: it reminds governing body members of their responsibilities; it allows for individual and group reflection on how the governing body can improve its service to the organization; and, it is an important part of assessing the organization's overall effectiveness.

Self evaluation usually takes the form of reviewing responsibilities and areas for assessment, collecting and tabulating responses to a paper or online questionnaire, discussion of the results and their implications by a committee or the full governing body, and decision-making about next steps. Most experts recommend governing bodies undertake self evaluation at least every three years.

Areas for evaluation include both internal and external responsibilities from financial oversight to supervision of the chief executive to communications and promotion of the organization. The organization's by-laws, code of ethics, and board expectations documents will help guide the assessment process. While some nonprofits involve consultants in tailoring questionnaires and compiling results, others use pre-packaged surveys available on the Internet and staff or volunteers tabulate the results.

It may be tempting to "have a conversation at a board meeting" as an alternative to a more formal process. Such activities are not generally comprehensive enough, nor do they provide opportunities for individual reflection on governing body responsibilities. A structured discussion of survey results and next steps will prove a much better use of limited governing body time.

Search terms for locating samples on the Internet include "board self assessment" or "board evaluation." How-to guides and tools may be purchased from BoardSource, which has governing-body self evaluation resources tailored by type of foundation (e.g., family, community, etc.) as well as nonprofit and association surveys. BoardSource also offers an online process in addition to paper copies.

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