Bill Pawlucy and Benjamin Colvin

Bill Pawlucy, CAE provides resources and tools for nonprofits at Association Options.

Benjamin Colvin is a governance and research specialist at Association Options.

Articles by Bill Pawlucy and Benjamin Colvin

• Board evaluations: The argument for a shorter, more targeted evaluation

  Thursday, April 01, 2021

  A high-functioning, strategic board requires the ability for it to be introspective and capable of self-reflecting on its overall performance. It is by no means an easy task to accomplish regardless of the board's size or composition. Let’s consider the difficulty staff often encounter when conducting self-evaluations during annual reviews; this is compounded when trying to evaluate a large group as a whole. An evaluation tool is one of the most effective ways for a board to reflect on its impact on the organization as a whole.

• Why rules of order should guide and not rule

  Thursday, January 21, 2021

  Rules of order are essential to any governing body. They give structure and guidance where other governing documents may fall short. That does not mean we should put them on a pedestal and reference them for every action taken. Nor should they be referenced every time a motion needs to be made or hinder forward progress in this age of technology. In speaking with a new director of a large nonprofit board, he told me about how nervous he was about his new role and making a great first impression at his first board meeting.