Why Women on Board

High-Functioning Nonprofit Board Members Learn What Works – and Utilize Knowledge & Leadership Skills to Make an Impact

by Terri Theisen, Theisen Consulting

 
Eighteen years ago, the forward-thinking leadership of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation launched the Women on Board initiative as a way to expand women’s leadership and influence in community organizations. The special emphasis on women’s leadership in nonprofit board rooms differentiated the Women on Board initiative from other programs that prepare leaders for board service – and continues in the same vein today.

Assuring that women from all professional backgrounds understand the governance role and the myriad of responsibilities of a nonprofit corporation’s board remains the cornerstone of Women on Board. The richness of the conversation in a Women on Board session is unmatched: women who already serve share their experiences and women who have yet to serve bring fresh eyes to the governance questions facing all Boards of Directors.

The level one session offers a grounding in the nonprofit sector, describes the governance role of a Board, outlines the business models that drive nonprofit organizations, and provides a primer on what Board members do individually and collectively – and what they don’t do. Level two goes deeper to explore the board’s relationship with the organization’s chief executive, provide an overview of finances and what it looks like for a board to provide financial oversight, and discusses the board’s key role in setting organizational direction and strategy.

For those looking for a board to serve on, the level one session offers an opportunity to reflect on what type of nonprofit organization will be a good fit for each person’s background, experience, expertise, resources, and available time. The Atlanta Women’s Foundation’s Women on Board project provides every workshop attendee with access to information about nonprofits who are looking for board members – assistance that makes the process of finding a board seat just a bit easier.

Women on Board demystifies the nonprofit board experience and equips leaders with best and emerging practices that they can use right away. The confidence that comes from knowing what those practices are enables leaders to make an immediate impact when serving as a member of a nonprofit’s Board of Directors.

Sign up today for a Women on Board course. You’ll make great connections and learn how to offer your significant leadership ability to make our community a better place – one board at a time!

 
Terri Theisen is the founder and principal consultant of Theisen Consulting LLC. She has more than 30 years of executive leadership and consulting experience in the nonprofit sector. She is also the facilitator for Women on Board. To read Terri’s full bio, link text.