Berkeley Board Fellows places grad students as members of nonprofit boards of directors for one academic year. It is the largest Board Fellows program in the country and is co-sponsored by Haas Net Impact student group. Visit http://bit.ly/boardfellows

1. Program Kick-off
October 24, 2012
Haas School of Business
UC Berkeley
Governance for Social Impact

2. Agenda
• 4:00 – 4:10 Welcome
• 4:10 – 4:30 Berkeley Board Fellows Program
• 4:30 – 4:50 Board Governance
• 4:50 – 5:20 Panel
• 5:20 – 5:30 Mentors & Fellows & Coaches Intro
• 5:30 – 6:00 Mentor & Fellow Discussions

3. Welcome
Nora Silver, Director and Adjunct Professor, Center for
Nonprofit and Public Leadership
Paul Jansen, Adjunct Professor, Center for Nonprofit
and Public Leadership and Director Emeritus, McKinsey
& Company
Alison Brock and Ariel Dekovic, MBA 2013
Net Impact Co-Vice Presidents

4. Center for Nonprofit & Public Leadership
Center Mission
Inspire leaders to create and seize
opportunities to achieve social impact
across sectors.
Berkeley Board Fellows
Preparing the next generation of board
leaders

5. Berkeley Board Fellows Growth
Number of Fellows

6. High Program Quality
Board satisfaction rates from 2011 survey
6

7. (Some) 2012 Board Fellow Organizations

8. Purpose
Students
• Work at the highest level of an organization with dynamic and
experienced board members
• Understand governance and develop valuable governance skills
• Learn leadership skills
• Understand the intersection of the business and nonprofit sector
• Make an impact on your local community
Nonprofits
• Access new skills and a fresh perspective
• Receive a valuable work product
• Develop skills in recruiting and working with young,
professional board members
• Mentor future social sector leaders
8

9. Fellow Commitment 8-10 Hours per Month
Board Service
• Fellow actively participates as a non-voting board
member
Board Committee Participation
• Fellow serves on a board committee or task
force, usually based on the content of the project
Board-Level Project
• Fellow completes a project on a critical board
need (working in pairs when matched)

10. Sample of Past Projects
MARKETING FINANCE
• Brand audit • Financial analysis of
• Market research underperforming programs
• Analysis of the organization’s • Financial sustainability model to
value to clients determine fundraising needs
• Financial reporting development
OTHER
• Program evaluation STRATEGY
• Implementation plan for an • Strategic plan for leveraging social
alumni association networking technology
• New online fundraising tool • Feasibility study of a new service
• Progress reporting tools to • Development plan for recruiting next
inform the board on a major generation board members
organizational overhaul

11. Mentor Commitment
INTRODUCE
COACH Provide a formal
Guide and coach the introduction to the
fellow organization, the
board, and its work
INTEGRATE ENCOURAGE
Include the fellow in all Encourage the fellow to
board meetings and
actively contribute
connect with key
board/staff/stakeholders
his/her perspective

12. Program Year (October – May)
Coaching Deliverable: Fellows Final
Kick-off Session
sessions Update Workshops deliverable
(October)
(November) (December) (February) (Mid-May)
Regular attendance at board and committee meetings
Oct 24 Nov 9 May 3
Nov 27 Feb 8
Kickoff Project Finale
Fellow Board
scope
Workshop Workshop
due
12-2pm 4-6pm

13. Dates Impacting Students’ Availability
Fall Final Exams……….….....………..Dec 4th-12th
Winter Break (travel)…………Dec 17th-Jan 21st
MBA Classes Resume.…..………..……..Jan 22nd
Exam Week..………………..………..Mar 11th-15th
Spring Break…………...….…………Mar 25th-29th
Spring Final Exams….……..……..May 13th-18th

14. Introduction to Governance –
Why do Boards Exist?
• Hold public benefit corporation “in trust” for the
community
– All corporate powers exercised by or under direction
of the board
– Substitute for shareholders and/or represent
members
– Prevent nonprofit executive abuse and protect
donors
• Legal duties:
– Care (prudent person)
– Loyalty (put organization first)
– Obedience (faithful to mission and laws)
14

15. Types of Boards
 Organizing Board
– small, homogeneous, informal
– committed to purpose, often very hands on
– “leading boards” and “following boards”
 Governing Board
– larger and more diverse
– committees become important
– shared authority between board and staff: board chair and executive
director are principal leaders
– transition to governing board takes at least 3 years and a lot of staff time
 Institutional Board
– largest (35-60 or more)
– often prestigious -- includes large donors or those with access to funders
– key role in fundraising
– sometimes delegates governance tasks to executive committee
15

16. 9 Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
• Select, evaluate
and develop CEO
• Shape, clarify • Ensure adequate
mission and financial
vision resources
• Engage actively • Lend expertise;
in strategic provide access to
decision making people
and policy • Enhance
decisions reputation of
Monitor and improve performance organization
• Oversee financial management, ensure
appropriate risk management
• Monitor performance, ensure accountability
• Improve board performance
16

17. Lessons From Our Research
– There are 9 clearly defined roles of a nonprofit board, with a gold
standard of performance for each
– Lots of ways boards, as entities and individuals, can help. Pick
your spots carefully to allot valuable time where needed most
– Recognize performance and risk management as one of the
nonprofit board's core roles
– Good governance is execution, so sweat the little things: good
meeting agendas/materials, open communication, having fun.
– Invest significant time in board evaluation and continuous
improvement
17

18. Resources
• Center Faculty and Staff
• Coaches
• Nonprofit Boards Class – Spring, 2 Sundays (Fellows)
• Student and Mentor Program Guides (pdf)
• Fellows have access to:
• Other Online resources
• Guidestar.org
• www.boardcafe.org
• Boardsource
• www.bridgespan.org
• Foundation Center
• www.compasspoint.org/
• Chronicle of Philanthropy boardbasics
All info available at
http://bit.ly/boardfellows

19. Coaches
Coach Subject
Bob Miller Children & Youth, Education
Colin Boyle Health
Delphine Sherman Education
Jamie Allison-Hope Children & Youth
Jay Espovich Human Services
Jessica Mancini Economic Development
Lynne LaMarca Heinrich Arts & Culture
Nora Silver Social Justice, Other
Paul Jansen Int’l Development, Environment
 Provide guidance and resources
 Work with Fellows from approximately 5 organizations
 Assignments based on board experience and industry knowledge

20. Panel
• Aylin Bell, MBA 05
– Board Mentor, South of Market Child Care
• John Zowin
– Board Mentor, Society of St. Vincent de Paul of
Alameda County
• Lloyd Noronha, MBA 12
– Board Fellow & Mentor, Leadership High School
• Mike Ciccarone, MBA 13
– Board Fellow, Berkeley Public Education
Foundation

21. How Board Fellows Add Value
• Skills and expertise (own and accessed)
• Preparation
• Teamwork
• Ask and speak up
• Fresh set of eyes
• New contacts

22. Mentor-Fellow Discussion
• Fellows and Mentors are at the same table
• Coaches are seated with their group and will
introduce themselves
• Find others from your nonprofit
• Take the rest of the time to discuss your
expectations of the experience (next slide)

23. Mentor-Fellow Discussion
• Personal introductions
• Project Scope (due November 9th)
– Problem to be solved
– What information/analysis is needed
– Deliverables
– Timing
– Process for working with mentor/organization
• Integrating fellow into the board
– What kind of board is it? Members? Style?
– Getting engaged- introduction, committee
– Meeting dates

24. Stay Connected & Tap Into Resources
Email: socialimpact@haas.berkeley.edu
Facebook: http://bit.ly/cnpl-fb
Board Fellows website: http://bit.ly/boardfellows
The Business of Making a
Difference Starts Here
http://nonprofit.haas.berkeley.edu