Do they have a long list of clients and references? That way, you can fully participate in your own retreat. Will you cover your board's annual meeting requirements at your retreat? IT depends on where it's being held. Gather input from participants about issues they'd like to discuss, and outcomes they'd like to achieve. If your board is more on the competitive side, a NASCAR racetrack or famous baseball stadium will spark everyones interest. Heres advice for hosting your board retreat remotely. If youre in the process of planning a retreat, dont settle! -Check available dates with senior managers whose participation in theretreat is critical to its success. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Welcome and Introductions . (A full day is even better.). He is considered America's best board retreat and strategic planning facilitator and is a leading authority on high-performance nonprofits, and his impact on the industry has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek. Board retreats can be a lot of fun, but the best board retreats achieve specific outcomes and impact. Its impossible to throw together your nonprofit board retreat agenda in a single afternoon. A quiver of good content is a simple way to validate your facilitators knowledge of important topics and situations nonprofits face. Provide Engagement Opportunities. Tom Iselin has built four sector-leading nonprofits and four foundations. If youre working with a facilitator like. Download our free checklist to make sure you have everything covered. Schedule an ideal time with attendees. Given the hectic lives of all employees with social, family and community commitments, you cannot expect everyone to drop everything to attend on a moments notice. 12. A mountaintop cabin will establish a completely different vibe than a renowned sporting stadium, so it is important to brainstorm a number of location possibilities that your board could excel in. At this time of the year you are planning for next year. OnTrack, then you do have expert help putting together your agenda. . Raise More Money . Instead, serve yogurt, fruit, and small muffins for breakfast. Prepare a handout of activities available during down times (ex. Hire an Outstanding Facilitator. Some of your retreat may be and other parts may not. A nonprofit board retreat may seem like an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, but its a vital component of. Serve water and diet drinks, and keep fatty snacks to a minimum. Lets face it, the majority of board members loathe fundraising. Close-to-home retreats are often less hassle, and theyre less expensive for everyone involved. , and your company has an excellent mission that you just know is going to take off. You might need that to ensure youve met your organizations needs this year and that your board is on track to contribute effectively in the coming year. Board Retreats - Part 1: Why Have One, Themes and Planning Board Retreats - Part 2: Working with a Facilitator and a Planning Checklist Board Retreats - Part 3: An Sample Board Retreat from Soup to Nuts The NonProfit Times: 12 Reasons For A Board Retreat Also consider Related Library Topics Learn More in the Library's Blogs Related to This Topic Budget is always a factor, so tap into your board; they might have a connection to secure the perfect spot. Get updates delivered directly to your inbox. PDF BOD/2015/12-DOC 01 Retreat and Meeting of the Board of Directors A nonprofit board retreat may seem like an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, but its a vital component of board governance. At a minimum, a retreat is normally a half-day to a full day, meaning, four to eight hours. From start to finish: How to plan an in-person retreat your clients will love. That said, your budget depends on the scale of things. Section 7. Organizing a Retreat - Community Tool Box 1. You might send out a message to all individuals you would like in attendance and offer a few potential dates and ask which dates are ideal for each person. If you want to host a retreat that has everyone raving, This is the best board retreat ever! you need to hire an outstanding retreat facilitator. Why sign board member agreements at your annual meeting? How to Find and Hire the Best Strategic Planning Facilitator a 9-Point Checklist . Follow procedures for advertising and notice under. . You might be able to blow through all of this in 30 minutes or an hour. Meeting Location . Hire an Outstanding Facilitator. Describe your areas of agreement in a written form, e.g., contract, MOU, Letter of Agreement. And do not forget to keep a retreat checklist to follow so that you can more easily manage the entire process. Board retreats for nonprofits offer a great way to combat this. The question here really is: How do we make it actionable? Each year, Tom speaks to more than 5,000 nonprofit leaders at conferences across the country. Many retreats will offer a social hour with drinks before dinner. A summary checklist and sample retreat planning tools will help executives and board members organize a productive retreat (see appendix B for a checklist). Compare benefits to group of using a facilitator or not, and determine whether an outside facilitator is warranted. Establish communication framework across departments). Decide whether this as a one-time event or part of a series of meetings. Quilt Retreat Checklist - Page 2 - Quiltingboard Forums Are you up to date on your current plan? A board retreat gives a great opportunity to check in and ensure youre in line with your goals. Dont take it personally, its just human nature. These are just a few reasons to host a retreat. The best facilitators will address these issues in a sensitive, thoughtful, and helpful manner so the board can snip the ropes that tie these touchy anchors. board engagement, fundraising, and all things nonprofit! 17. 3. Any ya-hoo can get a facilitation certificate from an online course. Get it on your calendar and ask board members to save the date. Try to incorporate icebreakers to allow people to feel at ease and comfortable with the activities and each other. Community and Economic Development Professionals, Other Local Government Functions and Services, Deciding on Participants, Location, and Time, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They are fun, yet bold. It is essential to consider a wide variety of aspects. Tom is the president of First Things First, a business specializing in board retreats, strategic planning, fundraising, executive coaching, and speaking. The best board retreats are powerful and meaningful, but theyre also FUN! Its a board retreat, so why include staff? If you prefer the comforts of city living, an art museum or gallery could host a paint or sculpture workshop to kick start your boards creativity. Do they stand out? Find the Best Board Develop Facilitator and Trainer - 9 Things to Look For. They should be inspiring and motivational and use a variety of speaking and facilitation tactics to make the day high-impact, remarkable, and fun. If you havent had a retreat recently, then plan a retreat for this winter or spring. Encouraging small group discussions helps develop stronger interpersonal relationships. They also bring an unbiased perspective to consolidate and evaluate different ideas and options to design concrete action plans. Theres so much work that boards need to get done. Consider purpose(s) and format for mealtimes. There are hundreds on the web. in advance of the retreat, youll want to have decided whats being assigned and made sure everyone has access to the resources. Here's How to Get Donors to Respond to Your Messages. Once this important conversation is finished, design an agenda with their specific goals in mind. The event should not feel like every day at work. Define objectives for your time together. Youre paying good money. Location is more than just a room to facilitate a discussion, it sets the entire tone for the retreat. PDF Sacramento County Mental Health Board Retreat Learn more in our Cookie Policy. He is considered a leading authority on high-performance nonprofits, and his impact on the industry has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek. Tom Iselin has built four sector-leading nonprofits and four foundations. Seperate multiple e-mail addresses with a comma. As the CEO and Co-Founder of the Capital Campaign Toolkit, as well as a speaker, author, and trainer, Amy helps thousands of organizations raise significantly more money each year. Gather a small subgroup representing diverse opinions, approaches, or perspectives to finalize retreat objectives, topics, and agenda (with facilitator). Major Gift Readiness Assessment: 10 Questions to Ask and Answer, 4 Ways to Find a Fundraising Mentor or Coach to Raise Major Gifts, Simple Stress Relief for Busy Development Directors, 10 Ways to Improve Your Fundraising Mindset this Summer, Empowering Women Fundraisers: 9 Tips to Excel in Nonprofit Leadership, 7 Personal Pet Peeves that Are Undermining Your Fundraising. Nows the time to start planning your board retreat. For example, What are your favorite interests or hobbies? or What food do you detest and why? For laughs, have a few people share the unusual responses they heard from their partner. 2023 BoardOnTrack | 177 Huntington Ave Ste 1703, # 50437, Boston, Massachusetts 02115-3153 US | 1-844-268-8326 | PRIVACY | TERMS & CONDITIONS, Annual Board Retreats: Answers to the Most Common Questions. The first thing is you need to get everybody on board with the notion of having one. In response to the request made by Executive Board representatives after the second Board retreat in April 2016, the Office of the Secretary (SEC) has regularly prepared a matrix to reflect the issues and actions agreed upon during the Board's annual1 retreats for the Board's review and approval. It is possible that some people may not know each other before the retreat and some people may be shy. Plus -- what to do before, during, and after your retreat to set yourself up for retreat success. Regardless of the team building exercises you choose to implement, they should all eliminate any internal power structure as much as possible. Find an Inspiring Venue. If you leave the subject blank, this will be default subject the message will be sent with. 6. Begin to structure agenda time to meet those objectives. Outline how results will be conveyed to participants, public. Its possible to put together an amazing day thats engaging, meaningful, memorable, and fun. 1. For lunch, think tasty salads, soups, and small, finger sandwiches. If youve decided to have the board engage in on-demand board training in advance of the retreat, youll want to have decided whats being assigned and made sure everyone has access to the resources. Checklists for Managing a Retreat | Workforce.com If you do choose to travel, take steps to make the experience as smooth and relaxing as possible. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Confirm reservation for the retreat site. A glamping retreat in the great outdoors could include a nature hike or outdoor yoga class. If you cant afford to hire a professional facilitator, all is not lost. Abstract: A successful board retreat is a product of commitment, objective-setting, planning and preparation, data-gathering, and finally, the conduct and follow-up of the retreat. . Sharing information about an organization will satisfy peoples rational questions, but what emotionally moves people to give money, inspire commitment, and incite action, are compelling stories. Practice Telling Stories. A summary checklist and sample retreat planning tools will help executives and board members organize a productive retreat (see appendix B for a checklist). Most charter schools bylaws will specify that youre required to have an annual meeting. Will you cover your boards annual meeting requirements at your retreat? Hes written six books, sits on six boards, and hosts a video blog and podcast. Some may have influential connections to potential supports. Holiday Giving . Everything was set up when we arrived. If you operate a hunger relief organization, hosting a retreat there could provide inspiring reminders of why everyone is passionate about the mission. Between full-time obligations and other commitments, board members are busy, which leaves many nonprofits struggling to keep their boards motivated and engaged. Training and engaging your board to help raise major gifts is paramount to having a successful major gifts program. Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, What a waste of time! Youre squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. This may work for some, especially large groups. Protect the board, its members, and the organization from risk. Do they have a professional website? Its possible to put together an amazing day thats engaging, meaningful, memorable, and fun. Quilt Retreat Checklist - Page 6 - Quiltingboard Forums Some popular choices include learning experiences, such as painting and cooking, and structured discussions. Is it to address and strengthen a particular area, provide employees with an opportunity for R&R, work on a project, or something else entirely? Here's Your Winning Checklist - 17 Keys to Success Below is an outline of a blog I wrote for the amazing software company Qgive. Bringing in someone from the outside can crack the humdrum atmosphere often found at board meetings, where the same people tend to lead and dominate conversation and the same baggage and drama deaden the mood. From Start to Finish: How to Plan a Retreat People Will Love - ConvertKit Last week I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet with Sheila Weiner, President and Founder of The Event Group. Break the lists into categories (fundraising, advocacy, volunteering, committees, other work, and skills youre looking for). Nonprofit board retreats allow members to reconnect with your vision and conduct strategic planning to chart a clear sense of direction going forward. Youve learned lots of techniques to get your board involved, and today youll learn an indispensable tool to engage your board.