The Board Transformation Blueprint

Welcome!

There are five clear steps you must take to transform your board into the powerhouse team your mission deserves. 

Interestingly, it is this same process you must follow to build a solid structure for your organization and a fundraising system that guarantees the financial sustainability of your mission.

There are two critical factors necessary to build a solid structure for your organization: a plan of action for each area of your organization and a team to execute the plan. This includes all the areas that move the needle for the organization, including fundraising, marketing, partnerships, program execution, etc.

And it is the very process of creating the plan and building the team to execute the plan that gets your board to step, give, raise money, and work alongside you to make the organization.

This is the primary responsibility of the board of which you are a part. 

As I always say, it is not your role or that of your board to do the work; it is your role and that of your board to create the roadmap and build the team that executes the tasks whether it involves fundraising, marketing, program execution, or any other activity within the organization.

The challenge we've seen working with small-sized nonprofits across the country is that many boards do not understand this distinction. 

This is why you see founders doing all the work, executing programs, chasing donations, and board members disengaged due to being burdened with everyday tasks that wear them out instead of building systems that ensure the sustainability of the organization.

But right here today, you have the opportunity to make the corrections as you learn the process of transforming your board into a powerhouse team that builds with you and commits to the organization as much as you do.

As you will learn, it is your job to guide your board through this process as co-leaders while building their capacity and your capacity at the same time.

Not by pushing them or coercing them, but by guiding them through a process they will thank you for.

Regardless of the present state of your board, if you guide your board through each step of this process, you will end up with a board that steps up, gives, raises money, and works alongside you to build your organization.

And your organization will have the structure to achieve its mission while funding your impact.

This is why we call the process The Board Ultimate Fix. 

The fix starts with your board and then ripples into the organization's structure and fundraising system.

And no, you do not need an expensive consultant to help you execute this process. 

You can take charge of this process yourself. In short, you must and should take charge of this process yourself. Only then can your board respect and follow you as their leader.

And taking charge of this process yourself, you build the capacity to replicate this process over and over again, as this process will continue for as long as your nonprofit remains or for as long as you remain in the nonprofit world. 

You only need to understand the process and have access to the tools you need to execute, and that's exactly what you will be getting here today. 

But before we go into the five-step framework, let's understand what the board's ultimate fix really is.

What really is The Board Ultimate Fix

Years ago, I started a nonprofit with a board composed of friends and family. Within months, I was overwhelmed, bearing the entire responsibility for the organization, including self-funding the mission.

I still remember the experience as if it were yesterday, as it was a tough one.

To get them to support me, I heard somewhere I needed to delegate responsibilities even when I was hoping they would step up naturally. Well, I went on to delegate, and I did it wrong; that broke my board. It also damaged some of my relationships, and I haven’t been able to recover to this day.

After that painful collapse, I decided to learn how to recruit new board members and had some good success recruiting impressive resumes.

Sadly, the result was the same with my previous board after a couple of months of hyperactivity. 

That’s when I realized: The problem wasn’t just who I recruited. It was my inability to activate and lead them to build a system for the organization.

That took me on a learning journey, engaging professionals, connecting with other founders to understand how to get board members to step up and build with me. Since there was no system at the time, I had to piece together one or two. With months of trial and error, I finally built a system. I tested it, refined it, and watched it transform passive boards into high-impact teams. A couple of months down the line, I found myself teaching other founders who were facing the same challenge in the system. 

Since then, I’ve taught this system to hundreds of founders so they can stop carrying the weight alone, systematize their work, and raise money sustainably for their mission.

 
💬 Founder Success Story

"Working with Rooney has inspired myself and my board members to continue going forward with the mission. Each member understands the overall mission and how they play a critical role in going forward. For much of the time as the Founder and Executive Director I came to a point where I felt stuck. Rooney was able to strategically help guide me to map out a plan where each board member is able to take charge in their area of expertise. He was also able to get the board members engaged and ready to help make an impact in our community. We are all so grateful for the opportunity for the board retreat which was much needed."
— Martina Jones, Bless It Solutions, SC

The 6-Step Board Transformation Process

This is the process that transforms you from a stressed-out founder into a master board builder.

Step 1: Board Audit: Reactivating your current board. Some of your current board members, though passive or lacking direction, may still be worth their weight in gold. Your first step is to get these individuals to recommit and step up, and to get those who aren't willing to commit to step down gracefully. You want to make sure the people who remain on your board are genuinely interested in being on the board and are eager to put in the work expected of a board member. You can achieve this through the board audit process. The board audit process also helps you identify the gaps in your board, so you know the right board members to recruit to build a complete powerhouse board capable of achieving your organization's mission.

Step 2: Recruiting new board members. Now that you know the gaps in your board, it's time to launch a board recruitment drive. This will allow you to bring in the right skill set to complement your board, for example, recruiting a professional fundraiser, marketer, CPA, or lawyer. But note that the process for recruiting these board members is as important as recruiting the right person, because the process will ensure their commitment even before they join the board. If you simply invite them in, you may lose them in no time.

Step 3: Strategic planning. With your old board members recommitted and new board members ready for action, the most important step forward is strategic and organizational development planning. This is important for three reasons:

• To provide each board member a sense of shared purpose. By sharing their voice to shape the organization, they feel a sense of ownership, knowing their voice and ideas matter.
• To get them to commit to executing the plan with you. In the nonprofit world, we say, people who plan together execute together.
• To get both new and old board members into one spirit. Strategic planning gives them the platform to build the rapport necessary for teamwork as they all execute together.

Lastly, by planning out the organization, they get a good understanding of the resources and effort needed to achieve the mission, which will be important as they execute with you down the line. Strategic planning, when done well, can be a platform to get board members to give, especially to initiate the execution of the plan.

Step 4: Delegation and empowerment. To crown the strategic and organizational development planning effort, you must delegate responsibility. By delegating, you aren't outsourcing tasks, but you are delegating leadership, giving them the opportunity to build out various aspects of the organization. This is very crucial, as this can make or break your organization. This was what broke my first board when I was starting out. And you don't just delegate, you also provide them with the support they need to take on their role successfully.

Step 5: Execution. While delegation starts with planning, execution begins with recruiting the team to execute the plan and developing the execution materials needed. The board member in charge then provides supervisory capacity as the team executes the plan while reporting back to the board on the progress of the areas that have been delegated to them. This way, board meetings become working sessions where integration happens as each board member reports their progress, setbacks, asks for feedback, and requests approval and support.

Step 6: Keeping the fire burning. With your board members now committed and executing with you, you must do everything in your power to keep the fire burning. This includes putting accountability processes in place, recognizing effort, celebrating results, evaluating your board, and you leading from the front. This way, you keep everyone committed and focused on the goal.

This is how you build a board that lasts and leaves a legacy.

When you learn and understand this process, you become a founder and leader your board respects and looks up to, and they will gladly follow you.

You also gain the capacity to replicate this process repeatedly, as this will be the hallmark of your leadership skills.

What Other Founders Are Saying

"I wasted 6 months not knowing what I didn't know before engaging Rooney, Founder of Nonprofit Board Builders LLC. We accomplished in 4 months a board, a volunteer program currently staffed with 8 volunteers, a strategic plan for funding, and too much to share. If you are on the fence, reach out to me."
— Donna Kargel, Community Thrive, FL

Mr Rooney did an outstanding job! The Board Leadership training gave me principles and resources to apply to recruiting board members and how to properly keep them engaged. I feel like I have the tools I need to be a great Board Leader and lead my team to executing plans we set out to reach. Thank you again for giving me structure for my Board of Directors.
- Devona Boone, Natalie’s Place Transitional Housing, VA