Nonprofit Board Chair Succession Planning

Board directors are responsible to ensure the long term sustainability of the organization.

Nonprofit board chair succession planning.

Getting the right people is fundamental to excellence in board performance. Still board of director succession planning is essential to good governance as it sets the stage for board engagement and performance not to mention effective leadership. The board chair is responsible for leading the board in the oversight thinking and support that are critical to good governance and organizational success. Keeping them engaged is essential for good leadership but only 1 in 5 ceos surveyed by boardsource strongly agree a majority of their board members are engaged.

This is why board chair succession planning as well as the identification and nurturing of promising board members should be a priority and an ongoing activity for every board. Begin cultivating internal talent for future transitions. This position provides for automatic succession when the term of the chair is up. Best practices for nonprofit succession planning are beginning to include the use of electronic tools such as a secure board portal for board director recruitment collecting resumes and for use in collaboration for board succession planning committee work.

Outline the executive search phase of your nonprofit succession plan. In profiling candidates for vacancies it is an opportune time to consider along with experience and personality other aspects such as gender age culture and to the extent. Some boards also have a chair elect who is a chair in waiting. The treasurer keeps the board on top of the finances.

Assess what vacancies your nonprofit succession plan will address. Unfortunately according to boardsource s research only 27 percent of nonprofits surveyed reported that they had a written succession plan in place. Recruiting and maintaining effective leadership at the top is a major part of the board s fiduciary responsibilities. The succession planning process comprises the following key steps.

We offer membership and partnership programs for those working in or with nonprofits. Officer succession is only part of board succession planning. Many nonprofit boards find it helpful and expedient to delegate the responsibility for succession planning to a board development. Align an internal vision for your nonprofit succession plan.

And effective board leadership matters more than many think as noted by asae and referenced by social venture partners in succession planning for the non profit board chair. The vice chair fills in when the chair is not able to carry out the duties. A board portal system offers a secure platform for board work that ensures confidentiality.