Who Should Conduct Board Orientation

Now that you know board orientation is happening, let’s discuss who should host this event. In my opinion, either the board chair or the chair of the governance committee and the CEO of your non-profit should host board orientation.  Perhaps the finance person is only involved during the portion of the meeting where you discuss the budget.  You might consider inviting program leaders, a membership director, or other key employees to join the meeting for short spurts to provide specific and expert explanations of their areas of responsibility. 

The key here is to provide great content with time to ask questions. At the same time, you don’t want to overwhelm a new board member with too many people they may not remember later. Keeping the group intimate will foster an atmosphere of inclusion and will help to keep the meeting focused on the task at hand.

In addition to reviewing the processes, procedures, and business of the board, orientation is a great time to provide a detailed tour of your facility.  If time allows, provide new board members with the opportunity to hear from individuals who benefit from your non-profit. Whether in person or via video, these success stories are always impactful. 

If the non-profit is a hospital, maybe you share a video from a patient.  If you are a school, maybe your speaker is a student or a parent of a student who received financial aid.  If your organization is a homeless shelter or food kitchen, perhaps you highlight someone who has recently participated in your programming.  In doing this, you allow the mission of the organization to actively “live” inside the content being discussed.

Executive participation in new board orientation is critical. Whether you’re the CEO of your non-profit or serve as the board chair, expect to plan and attend this important event.