Procedure for New Board Member (revised by the Vetting Committee) 1. The name of a prospective Board Member will be submitted to the Chair of the Vetting Committee. 2. A member of the Committee will contact prospect to set up a meeting: a. At the meeting, a discussion of any information items on sheet will occur, and if interested, the prospect will be given the Application Form and the Board Skill and Trait Assessment Form to be completed and sent back to Chair. b. The Committee will discuss prospective member’s responses. 3. Time will be given for 2-3 committee members for follow up if needed. 4. If the Vetting Committee agrees that the prospect will be an asset to Board, the Committee will propose him to the Board of Directors and nominate him or her for membership. 5. If elected by the Board, the new Board member will be informed and invited to attend the next Board meeting.
Information to Relate to Prospective Board Members The museum began in Houston as a gift shop in the North-West Mall for seven years. It was the mission of Effie and Bill Rosene, founders and CEOs, to build an edifice for the Museum. Land was found on the present site and a fund-raising campaign began. Funds were raised, the Museum was built, and it took its place in the Museum District of Houston. Activities and events at the Museum have included exhibits, films, plays, operas, concerts, dance recitals, book reviews, and dinners recognizing Czech culture and history. Other information to be shared with prospective Board Members: • • • • •
Current information regarding the Museum’s financial status Any legal issues Strengths and weaknesses Board member responsibilities and their term of service, the list of Board Committees, and a list of current Board members Future goals
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Mission Statement The purpose of the Czech Cultural Museum Houston is to unify the Czech/Slovak American community around issues of importance and provide a central focus for all things Czech related, serving as a clearing house for information useful for members, visitors, individuals, organizations, and the media.
The CCMH Will: • • • • • •
Promote the Czech Culture and heritage by preserving, recording, and celebrating the language, scholarship, and the arts of Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, and Silesia. Sponsor activities and events to accent special persons and places Provide a Czech forum for lectures, concerts, and exhibits Promote interaction with citizens visiting from the Czech and Slovak Republics Provide Czech language instruction Collect archived, genealogical, historical, and contemporary materials for research opportunities by the Czech peoples
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Czech Center Museum Houston Board Member Nomination Application Form
1. Candidate Name: Mailing Address City
State
Zip
Tel.
Email Address
2. Current Position/Employer:
3. Relevant Experience and/or Employment. Please attach resume.
4. Please circle area(s) of expertise/contribution you believe you can make to further the mission of this organization: *Fundraising
*Policy Development
*Public Policy Advocacy
*Special Events
*Strategic Planning
*Evaluation
*Capital Campaign *Marketing *Communications
*PR
*Legal
*Technology
*Legislative Contacts *Restoring Arts
*Museum Background
5. Please list prior experience serving as a Board member for other organizations, including nonprofits:
Upon completion of this form, CCMH appreciates your effort and upcoming association. Please forward to a designated current Board Member. 3
6. What other volunteer commitment do you currently have?
7. Why are you interested in serving as Board member for CCMH?
8. Please share any other information you feel important for consideration of your application to serve as a CCMH Board member.
For Board Use Nominee has had a personal meeting with either Executive Director, Board Chair or other Board Member. Date Nominee reviewed by the committee.
Date
Nominee proposed to the Board.
Date
Board Action
Elected
Rejected
Date
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Questions to Ask a Prospective Board Member So what kind of questions do you need to ask them? Here are 10 questions you can (and should) ask every prospective board member: • • • • • • • • • •
What makes our mission meaningful to you? What are some of your prior board leadership experiences? What skills, connections, resources, and expertise do you have to offer and are willing to use on the behalf of the organization? Do you have any worries or concerns about joining the board? Do you have personal aspirations that could be enhanced by board service? How much time a month can you commit to meetings and serving the mission? What motivates you? What are your expectations from the management of the nonprofits where you’ve served as a board member? Are you willing to make a financial commitment that is a stretch? How important is socially interacting with other members?
5 Things They Should Be Asking You By the same token, you should be prepared for your prospective board member to ask you some critical questions too! They may ask about the board’s weaknesses, what your expectations are, and what makes your organization unique. Below are some questions you want to be able to answer about the organization. • • • •
•
Who is on the board now? How did they get there? How long are the terms? How many people are required for a quorum? What committees exist? Who is on them? Are they active? What do the financial Statements look like? What is the annual operating budget? What are the top revenue streams and the largest expense categories? Is there a deficit? Does the organization have an annual audit, and has it consistently been in good standing? Are there any outstanding legal issues going on with the agency? What are the responsibilities of a board member? Is the board well staged with an existing leadership who are eager and capable of moving into new leadership roles on the board?
As you interview the potential board members, elaborate upon the opportunity and rewards of service. Be genuine when you discuss the support board members receive. Don’t be tempted to downplay your expectations to recruit a noncommittal “Big Name” board member. 5
Board Member Interview Questions Most boards have staggered terms to prevent the entire board from turning over at the same time. Having staggered terms also prevents groups of board members from becoming too powerful and keeps decision-making democratic. Recruiting board members should be a continual process so that there is always a quality pool of board applicants. Board members and committee members recommend or refer individuals to the designated nominating committee, which takes responsibility for interviewing candidates for board vacancies. Board members should not coach candidates to assume that they already have the position. Board members need to be clear that the interview process is not just a formality. Board members who refer candidates should be clear that if they are offered a nomination that they are being hired to take a job. Think beyond preparing a series of questions for the interview. Plan the interview with the goal of actively engaging the candidate in the interview process. Think about the meaning of the word, “interview.” The prefix “inter” means “between” or “reciprocal” and “view” means “perspective.” The best board candidate interviews resemble a back and forth conversation where the candidate is interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them. The interview should focus on four main areas: • • • •
Background Skills, abilities, and talents Connections and networks Passion for the mission
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Background Most interviews begin with a discussion about the person’s resume and background. You’ll want to ask about the previous jobs or board experiences that prepared the candidate for the position. Other questions may center around past relationships with management and how those relationships have affected their expectations of your organization’s management. The discussion around the candidate’s background is also a good place to draw out the candidate’s questions about the organizations, if those questions are not forthcoming on their own. Ask questions that the candidate cannot answer unless he or she has either done thorough research on the company or that require asking the interviewer a question first, before answering them. If the candidate is not actively asking questions about the organization, you might encourage the conversation by asking some of the following interviewer/interviewee questions: • • • • • •
Where do you think your strengths and weaknesses fit in with the current board? (What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current board?) What are your thoughts about our current budget and financial statements? (What is the current financial status?) How does the current term of position fit in with your other responsibilities? (What is the length of the current term?) Have you had to deal with any legal issues in past positions that would benefit our board? (Are there any past or pending legal issues facing the board?) Have you considered which of our committees are is fit for you? (What are the current committees? Di you have any in mind for me when you recruited me?) How do you think the board’s expectations match with your expectations? (Describe the expectations.)
Skills and Expertise It goes without saying that you will ask questions about the candidate’s skills and expertise concerning issues like marketing, finances, communications, public relations, or industry-specific knowledge. This part of the interview is also a good time to talk about other things like the amount of time that they are willing to commit, not only to board activities, but also to committee-level work.
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Remember that no board candidate comes to the interview without a little room to grow. Serving on a board should allow board members the chance to grow in their knowledge and expertise. Delve a little deeper to find out specific areas the candidate wants to develop knowledge and expertise in. This will be important later if the candidate is chosen. Candidates don’t necessarily need to have all the skills that the board is looking for if they have the willingness to grow in that area. For example, having a strong level of comfort in asking for donations can be a more valuable asset for a candidate than one who has had mild success in getting donations in the past.
Connections and Networking Every new board member brings a host of new connections within the community and the business arena. Ask questions about who those connections are and how they might be used as resources to benefit the board and the organization. Seek information about potential donors and how the candidate can work to bring those contacts into the organization.
Passion and Commitment Potential board members are generally drawn to an organization because of their passion for the work the organization does. Strengths, passion, and fit are benchmarks of a strong board candidate. Interview the candidate with questions about passion and commitment such as: • • • • • •
What makes our organization’s mission powerful to you? What interests you most about our organization? Do you have personal aspirations about serving on our board? What does success look like to you? What motivates you? How do you see yourself fitting in socially with other board members?
In making your final assessment of a candidate, keep in mind that less qualified applicants may have strong potential to grow into the position with the help of a board mentor. Board responsibilities come with legal and other liabilities. Don’t 8
downplay the responsibilities, making it sound like the position is less than it is, out of fear of sending the candidate packing. Remember that it should be a reciprocal, two-way conversation. Don’t dominate the conversation or try to “sell” the organization. If it looks like the candidate has potential, but may not be the best fit, you might consider “trying them out” by offering them a position on the advisory board or on a committee first.
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Instructions: CCMH Board Skill Set and Trait Assessment Purpose: The Vetting Committee of the Board of the CCMH is committed to supporting the board in following best practices around board structure and board make up. Best practices in board make up requires that the organization identify the skill sets that it requires on its board, measure and maintain a current state status of these skill sets, plan for the transition of board members based on their skill sets, and recruit new members based on their skills and the needs of the board. This is an activity in balancing needs and functional capabilities. There is no expectation that any one board member will have all of the required skills. Rather members will be recruited based on high knowledge in one area of skills that is required, or a moderate amount of knowledge or capability across a broader range of skills. This is also an activity in balancing perspective, experience, commitment and capability, which is why we also need to collect demographic information.
How to Complete: All current and prospective members are required to fill out the form and submit it to the chair of the Vetting Committee. Each individual is to complete all information. • •
For the first section, please provide information in the blank or mark the appropriate blank with an “X”. In the second section, please indicate your knowledge or experience level based on the definition of the related skill. o The scale is 0 to 5. 0 means no experience. Score of 1,2,3,4, and 5 are acceptable o For each skill, we have included an example that would result in a score of 1 and a score of 5, in some cases we have also included an example for 3. These are designed as reference points, not as definitions.
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Functional Skills
Score (0-5)
Organizational Management Non-Profit Management Experience in operating and administering a Non-profit. 0/Blank= No experience 1= Part time office support 5= Multiple years of executive or managing director experience
Strategic Planning Experience in developing an organizations mission, vision and values and related strategic plan and leading others through the process. 0/Blank= No experience 1= Participated in a process led by others 5= Led multiple multi-year strategic plans for one or more organizations
Event Planning Experience in planning and executing events, including managing volunteers, designing events, and execution. 0/Blank= No experience 1= Designed and executed a party or event for 50 or less people 5= Lead multiple teams of people to design and execute >5 large scale events requiring event space, catering, entertainment for >250
Education Administration Understanding educational programs, developing programs, and the political, parental and student impact of program design and changes including best practices in education. 0/Blank = No Experience 1 = Been a teacher and developed a curriculum 5= Been a school board administrator for multiple years
Organizational Development Understanding of theories and practices related to expanding the knowledge and effectiveness of people to accomplish successful organizational change and performance. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Led or played a senior role in the decision-making process related to a change in the structure of an organization 5= Been formally trained and educated in change management and organizational design, and implemented multiple organizational changes
Governance Understanding of theories and practices related to corporate and non-profit governance and participation in application of these practices. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Formal board governance training or exposure to governance changes led by someone with extensive formal training and experience (apprenticeship like) 5= Formal board governance training, multiple years of board participation, and leadership of implementation of best practices
Human Resources Experience in human resource practice and legislation. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Managed people, including hiring and firing 3= Run a business that complied with HR laws, functional HR role, or are a labor lawyer 5= Extensive senior level HR experience crossing multiple HR functional areas 11
Legal Experience in the law and commercial contracting. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Had contract execution authority in a commercial environment, and legally literate to ask required questions 3= Experience writing and negotiating contracts in a commercial setting 5= Currently practicing lawyer and comfortable providing relevant advice
Financial Management Accounting Experience in accounting and accounting rules. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Experience doing book keeping 5= Practicing and registered professional accountant with designation
Financial Literacy Experience in using financial statements to manage and plan a business or organization. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Understands the difference between the “Balance Sheet,” “Operating Statement,” and the “Cash Flow statement” 5= Extensive experience using financial statements to run a business, manage future risks, and evaluate the organizational value, including familiarity with terms such as EBITDA and EPS
Communications
Marketing and Advertising Knowledge and experience in traditional marketing and advertising. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Have developed a formal marketing plan for a product or service or a degree in marketing 5= Multiple years of marketing and advertising experience in a B2C or consumerfocused organization
Social Media Marketing Knowledge and experience in marketing through social media. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Deployment of one social media campaign 5= A degree and marketing plus multiple 5 years of social media marketing
Fundraising Grant Writing Knowledge and experience in grant writing. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Have either written a successful grant application or been involved as a reviewer and approver on multiple grant applications 5= Experience writing multiple successful new grant applications for multiple granting and multiple receiving organizations
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Corporate Development Knowledge and experience in seeking funding from the corporate environment. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Success in selling 5 or more ads or success in seeking a grant or sponsorship from a public company that did not previously have a relationship with the requesting organization 5= Successful corporate development campaigns for 2 or more causes (could be same or different organization
Fundraising and Donor Development Knowledge and experience in developing individual donors. 0/Blank = No experience 1= Success in developing 5 or more donors who gave $10k or more personally or through their private company 5= Successful full-time donor development experience
Propensity of Giving Your personal capacity to give if you perceive a strong future for the Houston Chamber Choir, and the Choir overcomes any other concerns you may have. 0/Blank = No experience 1= The Board member minimum 5= > 25k per year, or a one-time gift of >$150k
Mission and Vision Support Artistic Skills and Vision Your ability to provide artistic insight to the board and evaluate the artistic vision of the Artistic Director. 0/Blank = No experience 1= You are an appreciator of Choral Music 5= You are a full-time musical professional with a strong understanding of Choral Music
Stakeholder Knowledge Your ability to provide insight to the board into the attitudes, beliefs, and needs of the stakeholder community (the singers, audience, students, teachers, Cathedral members, and other community members that interact with and benefit from interactions with the Choir) 0/Blank = No experience 1= You attended the concerts prior to joining the board, or are a member of one of the other groups listed above 5= You have been involved with the choir over the long term and understand how and why the choir serves all of the stakeholders that it does, and their changing needs
Personal Qualities
Score (1-5)
Leadership Ability to set a strategic agenda and direction and motivate the board to follow.
Visionary Ability to see new potentials for the organization, determine a method to reach these potentials, and communicate the vision to others.
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Implementation Engagement Willingness to undertake the challenges given to you by the board, understanding that you may not be the best person to complete the task, and have the ability to ensure the task is executed successfully.
Ability to Challenge/ Ask Questions Willingness to publicly challenge and question in a positive manner other members of the board, the AD, and the ED on decisions being made. Willingness to be the sole person voting for or against a motion when you are passionate.
Critical Thinking Ability to analyze and understand complex problems and determine and communicate executable solutions.
Empathy Ability to share the feelings of others and recognize and understand their needs and emotions.
Time Availability Ability and willingness to give the organization your time, accounting for other commitments.
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