board
retreats
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Benefits of a Board Retreat
SHARED VISION
One of the most important goals of a board is to get your team to rally around a common cause. We will work together to get your team on the same page about your organization's priorities.
COHESIVE TEAM
Effective board governance depends on your board's cohesion as a working unit. We will work together to ensure that your team understands what others bring to the table.
CLEAR PATH
Lastly, we will work together to understand your mission at a deeper level and what that means for your path forward.
Let's get your board on the same page.
A board retreat is an invaluable time together to allow your board to grow closer to one another and closer to your organization's goals. If you hire me as your facilitator, all you have to do is sit back and relax. I'll do all the planning for you ... from agenda planning to discussion guiding to catering. I've got you covered! Here's a little sample of what we'll cover!
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A Sample Board Retreat:
8:00 AM - Breakfast & Welcome
8:05 AM - Discuss the "Why" of the Retreat
8:10 AM - Team Building Exercise
8:30 AM - Teaching on the Duties of a Board
9:30 AM - Mission, Vision, & Values Review
11:00 AM - Break
11:15 AM - Review of SWOT Analysis by Sefton Creative Co.
12:00 PM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Strategic Planning & SMART Goal Definition
2:30 PM - Break
2:45 PM - Topical Discussion* & Nonprofit Q&A
4:00 PM - Close
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* Discussion Topics:
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Living a Life on Mission
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Nonprofits and Social Media Marketing
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The Relationship of Board & Executive Director
My Process
I like to keep the process simple and easy for you.
Check out this three-step process to learn how we approach retreats.
01
PRE-RETREAT
I will work with your chief executive to better understand your organization. I will also collect data from your board members, which I will use to prepare a comprehensive SWOT analysis.
02
RETREAT
My job is simply to facilitate conversation. We will talk about your mission, vision, and values. We will review the SWOT analysis. Then, we will discuss key objectives.
03
POST-RETREAT
I will deliver a final report that explains key findings from my research, as well as an action report coming out of the retreat. At your request, I can be retained for regular check-ins with your chief executive and board.
Why do we need a board retreat?
First, it is important to remember that board retreats should be a part of all nonprofits' regular planning rhythms. We recommend holding a board retreat annually. Why? Because you can only cover so much in a one-to-two-hour monthly meeting.
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During your regular monthly board meeting, you should review minutes and financials. You should leverage it as a time for your chief executive to update you on progress as you look to meet key organizational objectives. It is a time to be enlightened on programming.
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A board retreat is an equally valuable time together, in which the board of directors and key leaders work together to review the DNA of the organization and develop strategic plans and mission-centric initiatives. It is a time for the team to share, learn, and grow into a more connected, competent, capable, mission-minded whole.
