Tools and Publications

You’re not alone: Many executive directors feel frustrated and ambivalent about board development. This booklet provides easy-to-read tools on:

• The challenges of managing a “following board” versus a “leading board.”
• Understanding the Core Responsibilities of a Governing Board
• Fostering a Strong Board/Executive Director Partnership
• Board Composition
• The Role of the Board Chair
• Having Board Meetings that Board Members Want to Attend
• Creating Committees that Work

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Did you know that Google lists nearly 34 million entries for the term “strategic planning guide?” This short publication is designed to help social justice groups launch strategic planning that is focused and fruitful. Highlights include:

• Does Your Organization Resist Planning?
• Is Planning What Your Organization Really Needs?
• Is Your Mission Crystal Clear?
• The Two Biggest Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• How to Set Priorities and Stick to Them

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It’s a fundamental irony of non-profit management: no social justice advocate ever dreams of being a manager, yet the most successful policy analysts, organizers, and litigators often find themselves tasked with leading a team.  This book provides brief, easy-to-use tools for new and experienced managers, including:

• How Am I Doing? A Management Self-Assessment Tool
• The Three Questions All Employees Ask and Every Manager Needs to Answer
• Root Causes: Why Employees Don’t Get the Job Done
• Having Successful Staff Meetings

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