Pre-Conference Sessions – Thursday, December 8th

Pre-registration for these workshops is required, and space is limited. An additional fee of $50 is required for each workshop.

Introducing:  Effective, Motivated Board Governance
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

A program of the ASU Center for Nonprofit Management and Leadership

The effectiveness of a nonprofit organization is directly related to the effectiveness of its governing board.  The ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership & Management is developing a multi-level program designed to train boards on their responsibilities, then to address areas the board would like to more fully explore, and to strengthen the staff/board chair leadership team.   This pre-conference workshop will introduce the first level of this program -- an overview of a board's many areas of responsibility. 

These responsibilities include (and are not limited to):

• Legal and fiduciary
• Strategic planning
• Resource development
• Financial management
• Board development
• Relationships with the CEO/staff
• Responding to external pressures

This interactive session will respond to questions facing board members and key staff as they work together to fulfill the mission of their organizations.  You will learn:

• New information about board development
• Tools for your own professional development
• How you may wish to utilize it, and its variations, in the development of your own board

Risk Management, Finance and Your Nonprofit Board: Who, What, When and How
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Presenter: Melanie Herman, Executive Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center

Risk is inherent in nonprofit organizations as in every other sector of the economy. One of the roles of a nonprofit board is to ensure the systematic identification of the risks that threaten the mission and survival of the organization. This pre-conference session will explore the disciplines of risk management and finance and the various intersections between these essential subjects. The session will ask and answer a number of urgent questions facing nonprofit boards, including:

• What is risk management?
• What are the top finance-related risks facing a nonprofit? How do these compare to the overall risks facing a nonprofit?
• What is the board's responsibility for risk management and how can board members discharge this duty?
• How is risk management different from buying insurance?
• How can the board discharge its legal duties without overstepping?
• How can a board make certain it is "covering the bases" with regard to critical risks?

The Board's Role in Fundraising
8:30 am – 11:00 am

Presenter: Kay Sprinkel Grace (Bio) , Nationally Recognized Author and Consultant

Motivating board members to get involved in donor and fund development is not as hard as you think.  The key?  Finding out what motivates them.  Every board member needs to be involved in development, but not all board members are ready (or able) to be involved in frontline fund raising.  This session will roll out the presenter's unique “AAA” board involvement program, and provide the strategy and the checklist for getting your board members involved.  Author of “The Ultimate Board Member's Book,” a bestseller from Emerson & Church (which can be read in 45 minutes and is jargon-free), Kay Sprinkel Grace will also focus on creating a culture of philanthropy and developing a full development team – including involved board members – in your organization.  Kay works nationally and internationally from her office in San Francisco , and is widely known for her inspiring insights and practical applications of fund raising theory.  She is the author of five books.