Profile of Dynamic Animal Protection Boards

  1. What is the title of the chief paid director of the organization?

CEO

CEO/President

Executive Director

Other

  1. What is the title of the person who runs the board?

President

Chairperson

Other

  1. Is the chief paid director a member of the BOD?

YesEx-Officio with no vote

No

  1. If a member of the BOD is it a voting position?

Yes

No

  1. What makes your board truly effective?
  1. What is your board recruitment/selection process? (share application form if there is one) See Board Recruitment flow chart attached in a PDF file. Board candidates are generally identified by board members with a priority on previous board governance experience, financial capacity to support, and interest/passion for our cause.
  2. What is your minimum and maximum number of board members?

Current maximum is 21 but will increase to 25+/- as we move into a capital campaign and try to correct an abnormality in our staggered board service chart.

  1. How does your board evaluate its performance? (share docs)

Informally as a collective body and by attendance, positive contribution of talent, level of participation in major donor identification and cultivation, and level of financial support commensurate with means for individual board members.

  1. What are the term limits for board members?

Two three year terms

  1. What committees does your board have?

Finance, Development, Investment, Audit (required by CA law), Nominating, Strategic Planning (meets to review annually), and Executive.

  1. How are the committees structured?

Chair and majority of members are board members. Appointed by President, generally with concurrence of Board. All are advisory to the board unless specific authority is delegated. Committees to which specific authority is delegated may not have non board member members. Executive Director is ex officio member of all committees except audit (CA law prohibits ED, Finance Dir, Finance Committee Chair from being members). Relevant senior staff attend as liaison

  1. Do people not on the board serve on committees?

Yes, only on committees without authority to act on behalf of the board.

  1. If so, which ones?

Currently, Investment

  1. What are the areas of focus for your board?

Governance, Major Donor Development, Setting Strategic Vision.

  1. At what level does your board focus on operations?

Approves staff prepared budget and monitors operations through financial performance, a one page operational statistical report, and senior manager operational reports.

  1. Do board members volunteer at the shelter?

No

  1. What role does your board play in fundraising?

Development Committee members are highly involved in major donor cultivation with the expectation that committee members will identify major gift prospects, invite for lunches and tours, and participate in the ask at some level. All board members are expected to make a gift on a sacrificial level.

  1. Is there a minimum personal financial contribution required of board members?

No minimum, sacrificial according to capacity is articulated as a standard but there are no sanctions other than not being re-elected

  1. How often does your board meet?

Eight times per year. Does not meet during the last month of each quarter.

  1. How long do your board meetings last?

One hour

  1. Are your board meetings effective?

Yes

  1. If so, what makes them effective?

Effective Board leadership, quality staff reports, consent agenda, quality board members

  1. Who runs the board meetings?

Board president

  1. Who prepares the agenda for board meetings?

Executive Assistant in concert with the president and executive director. We have a pretty stock agenda.

  1. How are executive sessions of the board handled?

The only planned executive session is when evaluating the executive director

  1. Does the CEO/Executive Director attend executive sessions?

No. See 25 above

  1. Does the board hold annual retreats?

No

  1. What areas of expertise are represented on your board?

CPA, former Fortune 500 Board Members, philanthropists, community leaders

  1. Does your board have a clear understanding of the mission and vision of where the organization hopes to be in five years’ time?

Yes

  1. What training do you offer board members?

First 15 minutes+ of most board meetings are training/familiarization with program. Virtually all board members are well schooled in governance before joining our board.

  1. What information do board members receive in advance of board meetings?

Reports from ED, Development Director, Community Outreach Director + (media log), Director of Operations, Finance Director. Effort is made to keep reports succinct.

  1. What is the relationship between the CEO/Executive Director and the Board Chair/President?

Open and commitment to “no surprises” in either direction. President leads board, ED leads operations. We talk weekly or every other week but do not meet formally between board meetings.

  1. Do they meet between board meetings?

Not formally

  1. How does your board provide proper financial oversight?

Finance Committee meets quarterly with senior staff, reviews quarterly finances against budget and prior year and reports to full board. Committee also has first cut at proposed annual and capital budget.

  1. Does the board assist in developing the annual budget?

No

  1. Does the treasurer of the board give an overview of the financial status or are board members given lengthy financial reports to interpret?

Board is given a streamlined report—important and relevant information packaged in a small a package as appropriate—and Treasurer reports to board at each board meeting. Treasurer communicates with Finance Director before each board meeting if we don’t have a finance committee meeting that month.

  1. Does your board operate under an agreed upon code of ethics? (share doc)

Yes, see attached.

  1. Does your board clearly articulate the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community?

Yes, in the context of major donor identification and cultivation as well as in their social settings. ED is only spokesperson for the organization.

  1. Does the board ensure that the CEO/ED has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization?

Yes

  1. Does the board have conflict of interest and confidentiality policies? (share docs)

Yes, see attached.

  1. What staff members do the board members interact with?

Primarily senior staff but are told to ask anyone any question they wish, just don ask them to do or not do things—goes to ED accountability.

  1. Are there job descriptions for the board? (share docs)

See attached

  1. Does the organization have a strategic plan that the board and staff develop together?

Yes

  1. How doesthe board track the progress of your strategic plan?

Annual review. Is also periodically tied to staff reports.

  1. Does the board have a code of conduct? (share doc)

See attached

  1. How does the board deal with an ill-mannered board member?

In two cases, Board solidarity and informal peer pressure has caused them to resign.

  1. Do board members sign an annual contract with the organization stating what they will commit to during the year? (share doc)

No

  1. What are the specific elements of your board structure that are central to its success?

Well defined separation of board work from management work and great attention to recruiting quality members. Excellent leadership, commitment to fundraising, commitment to mission of agency, active participation in events, understanding of importance of fiscal oversight.

  1. How often does the board review and update the by-laws? (share doc)

Did so two years ago in streamlined form that depends on Robert’s Rules of Order for the detail. Not my favorite but seems to be working fine.

  1. If you were to advise another shelter to set up a dynamic board from the very beginning, what are the main requirements they would need to get started?

Individuals with integrity, governance experience, community contacts at high level, committed to major gift development. Most importantly, never ever compromise on quality, integrity, ethics.

  1. How long did it take your organization to develop a dynamic board?

Three years but started with a very ethical process oriented president that ED could trust.

  1. What insights have you learned that would be helpful for another organization that is seeking to develop a dynamic board?

In addition to the above, elect individuals who have a passion for the cause tempered by the pragmatism that allows them demand that the organization be operated as a well run business, but one with a heart.

  1. If you were to change anything about your current board structure what would it be?

Term limits are a double edge sword. We will be losing many very effective board members to term limits but I acknowledge their utility in terming out poor performers and injecting new blood. Would really not change the current structure.