To help non-profit organizations effectively accomplish their goals it requires a strong board that is collaborative. Collaboration can be a difficult task for many boards. This article outlines some key suggestions for building and fostering a productive nonprofit collaborative board.
Communication is the key. Be clear with new members of their roles and obligations. It is important to clearly define the roles of each member of the partnership. This will ensure members actively take part in meetings and are well-prepared for discussions, and visit this page support the organization’s vision and objectives. It’s also crucial to lay out the expectations for financial contributions for both current and new members. This will stimulate a lively discussion and assist in managing expectations.
Nonprofits are limited in terms of staff, knowledge and financial resources. Collaboration with other nonprofits may enable them to reach a wider range of people and make a greater impact than they could do on their own. However, they must be cautious about the projects they select to collaborate on and ensure that all parties gain. This will result in win-win scenarios and will lead to better outcomes.
In the case above, Family Focus and CYC were able to leverage their individual resources to deliver more services. This enabled both organizations to increase their reach and aid more families, without increasing their budgets. It also allowed CYC and Family Focus to refer new clients. This partnership resulted in an increase in the number of families served and a greater societal change than either organization could have been able to achieve on its own.
