Not-for-Profit on Purpose

There are many reasons why an NFP would look to merge or be acquired but like everything, a merger or acquisition is more likely to succeed if you have a plan or strategy to achieve it rather than just hoping.   

In assessing the viability of a merger or acquisition it’s important to obtain the ‘why’ and the ‘common motivation’ for all in this process.  In today’s video I’ll discuss the merger process for not-for-profits and touch o...

Are you following Best Practice in governance? This term is utilised in many board discussions and is often taken as the ‘way’ of doing things. However best practice isn’t always “best” for your Board, especially when looking through the eyes of a high performing Board. In this video I’ll explain why, from the perspective of a high performing Board. 

Does best practice make a better Board, or is it something else? Feel free to share...

What does it mean when you are a Treasurer of an Association moving to a Company Limited by Guarantee and then becoming a Director on the Board, and what affect does the role change bring? 

Before we start thinking about the size and sophistication of your organisation, it’s important to see things from an operational perspective when defining roles and responsibilities. Some Treasurers of Associations, who look to understand the im...

In a business or work context, the phrase “better to be lucky than good” is one that I have come to associate with. On face value the phrase seems a little comical, but there is a meaning to this and one that I personally align to.  

In doing this it requires an exploration of what being lucky means versus being good, in the context of business and personal success.  Is it the lucky characteristics that drive your achievements?  Or ...

What is an “in-camera” session at an NFP Board meeting?  In today’s podcast I discuss the; what, who, why, when, and where… of the in-camera session.

When executed well, everyone stands to gain from the in-camera session, from the Board, the executive, through to the way the organisation creates an impact.    

Does your NFP Board meeting include in-camera sessions? Share your thoughts in the comments on LinkedIn or visit our YouTube ...

As a not-for-profit, are you clear on who your customers and beneficiaries are? In my experience, those that are clear on this perform better overall in terms of sustaining their organisation and delivering long-term impact.

In this video we’ll discuss customers and beneficiaries from both a for-profit and non-profit viewpoint. It’s useful to reflect on how they're different and why that might be a consideration for y...

When I think about the NFPs we work with, I would like to see that their impact endures. That the changes they made, the lives they touched is remember and continues to have ripples long after the NFP ceases to exist. Being in a NFP is about playing to win, while sustainability is more about playing not to lose.  So, how do we make your NFP enduring?  In this video we discuss what you might like to think about, the next time your B...

Thinking about becoming a Company Limited by Guarantee? In Australia, when an incorporated association is looking to make the transition, each state is slightly different. With that in mind, I’ll talk through the principles involved the overall process, before touching on a few issues for you to consider.   Changing to a company limited by guarantee, is an involved process and will cost time and/or money.  Information and experienc...

Is Financial Governance something unique to the NFP space? No, but it is needed, and it’s very obvious when an NFP doesn’t have it in place. Financial reports left to organically grow, can turn into lot of reports. This is something that is very painful to deal with at a Board level, so how do we turn these excessive reports into good governance?

 I’m not talking accounting specifically, it is about having knowledge of these aspects...

As the CEO of an NFP, telling your story in meaningful and consistent ways is vital to delivering on your purpose.  In this video I discuss storytelling through the language of accounting, and why the CEO, Board and stakeholders should speak it regularly to tell their story. Creating a meaningful story with the numbers on the page may be challenging at first, however when spoken regularly, this unique approach has many benefits. Us...

Are there too many not-for-profits?  Is this causing the NFP sector to be ineffective?  Would consolidation improve efficiency in the NFP space?  These questions frequently play into conversations. However, let’s not forget, in the NFP space our DNA is all about finding solutions to problems not yet solved. In this video I discuss the consequences of NFP consolidation and offer an alternative. With NFPs being a space of innovation,...

How does an independent Company Secretary contribute to a high-functioning Board?  Why would a Board consider recruiting an independent CoSec when they can source this role in-house?  

In today’s video we consider this specialised role from the truly independent perspective, as there are many benefits to an outsourced solution.  A governance professional who can make calls and give advice with courage, from a place of inde...

As a Board Chair, are there skills you bring to the role other than being able to run a Board meeting? Would not having to run the Board meeting allow you to add more value in the role of Chair?

With NFPs being all about innovation, it’s only natural that they would be drawn to solutions that allow the Chair and leadership team more time to what they do best in the role, utilizing their own unique skill set for the organisation.  

Ru...

What makes a good Chair?  I have worked with many Boards, and I have worked with good and great Chairs. However, never have I come across a Chair able to do the litany of tasks required of a Chair. 

In exploring the role and responsibilities of the Chair, which is always a much bigger role than it appears on paper, what is the common thread amongst Chairs and what makes them great?  How do you go from a good Chair to a great one.

Con...

There are several reasons why a Board collapses, and it is never fun when it does. When the majority of the Board decides the situation is untenable and a lot of knowledge and history walks out the door, how do you recover? How do you rebuild? 

In this podcast I discuss options for consideration, specifically in the NFP space. Bringing back stability and replenishing the Board requires an effective team with certain skills...

Who is accountable when Boards aren’t performing well?  Technically it is the members, but for those working in the NFP space this is not always an effective relationship and can be very nuanced. In this video I discuss situations that affect Board accountability and highlight why it’s important to be proactive. It’s not only when Boards are performing poorly that we should concern ourselves with this topic.

A Board must ultimately ...

We are often asked if we help with NFP Boards that are performing poorly, and this often leads to some interesting conversations. 

The most common being what defines a poor performing Board and how you accurately judge poor performance. In my experience, looking into poor Board performance can be a very subjective exercise. Here I discuss some insights about how to identify poor Board performance, as well as what can help assist the...

The history of director independence and how we have dealt with conflicts in the past, can assist and guide us in the future. How do you determine director independence in your NFP, and should you? 

There are unique considerations for NFPs, because they are set up by people who have a personal interest from the start, for example they been affected by an illness in some way or are heavily invested in a cause. So there is i...

Have you considered the Federated Model structure for your NFP?  This week we continue the topic of Federated Models and discuss the benefits and opportunities.  I also deliver thoughts on when and why, NFPs don't merge.  While federated models can be a joy for some and frustrating for others, it is important to obtain clarity on your structure requirements.  The points raised here will aid the conversation, however if you hav...