The Foundation First Governance Concept

"Foundation First Governance” is a non-profit organization management concept/discipline which will help you and other volunteer leaders further recognize that the chances of success are enhanced through devotion to 40+ Foundation and Modus Operandi “building” blocks essential to achievement. Such commitment forms your governance culture.

Building Blocks

The 20+ Foundation building block (governing) documents and concepts (such as bylaws, strategic plans), which speak to what your group is and intends to achieve, have ranked importance within your group's "must be in place” decision base.

Once the Foundation blocks are in place, the 20+ Modus Operandi building blocks (such as insisting on timely reports on status against plan, or committing to adhere to policies and procedures), which indicate how your group intends to implement and pursue its objectives, are ranked, as well.

High Quality Decision Process

A classic example of the interplay of “foundation” and “modus operandi” elements can be seen in the concept of honoring the "bright line" between governance and management embraced by most experienced volunteer directors. 

However, new volunteer chief electeds often countermand that policy (a violation of MO commitments) by directing the group's CEO not only on what is to be done (which is the province of the board, articulated in the Foundation annual FY plan), but how to achieve it (not the chief elected's role). Such common overreach destroys CEO authority.

Foundation First Governance Publications

AERG’s Boardroom Arsenal of sophisticated non-profit organization processes and guidelines will help you, your volunteer directors and chief staff executive enhance consistency in your plans, policies and procedures. Included are in-depth checklists, models and self-auditing scenarios unique in the non-profit world.

They address the nature of governance, the essentials for organization success, volunteer director roles and responsibilities, as well as illustrate the Foundation First Governance building blocks "Pyramid." They include model board policy texts, guidelines for board self-evaluations, and a pre-project checklist.

A preview of the seven initial Foundation First Governance publications includes:

How Some Successful Non-Profits Accomplish So Much

• Foundation First Governance – An Introduction - The nature of non-profit governance. It includes volunteer officer, director and professional staff issues and considerations.   »more
   
• How Effective Board Cultures Come to Be – In-depth board roles/responsibilities. Profiles of board/director types. The optimal volunteer director sourcing/nomination system is defined.  »more
   
• The Anatomy of Foundation First Governance – The FFG "Pyramid" displays the hierarchy of the 40+ Foundation and Modus Operandi building blocks. It is a comprehensive authorities/policies/systems checklist for non-profit organizations of every size.  »more

Toolkits for Enhanced Governance

• Authority Scenarios to Help Volunteer Leaders Affirm Agreement - Parts I and II  – Part I features 90 generally accepted authority/coordination/implementation scenarios volunteer directors and CEO leaders can address to undertake an in-depth review of their own governance culture. Part II – Model Authorities Matrix – A shorthand communications framework on “who initiates. . . decides, fulfills,” etc. on 200+ potential organization/leadership actions, events. It is a highly defined “how we have decided to do it” policy piece for all non-profit leaders.  »more
   
• Model Board Policies – 100+ comprehensive model policy texts, under 15 discipline categories for volunteer boards.  The texts are ready for edit or to employ as is.  »more
   
• How Board Self-Evaluation Enhances Performance – Six in-depth, model templates, addressing 300+ indicia of performance to help your volunteer directors evaluate their board, their chief elected, their CEO, themselves, their peers and committees. A highly valuable, discreet governance diagnostic tool.  »more
   
• Quality Control Pre-Project Investment Checklist – A detailed checklist of 50 critical project authority/support realities, under 19 Foundation/Modus Operandi categories, to be affirmed before launching a major commitment.  This no nonsense review will help ensure that major projects are not launched without the necessary authorities in place and the required participation is "on board" and ready to go!  »more

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BUILDING BLOCKS
 

• The building blocks provide a governance checklist to help you return to “first principles,” to determine whether your organization has the authorities structure you need and honors the modus operandi you want and expect.

• With your Foundation and Modus Operandi building blocks in place and observed,your organization is positioned to enjoy the High Quality Decision (HQD) process which includes timely consideration of priority issues and constructive challenge/ROI, etc.
   
• Foundation and Modus Operandi building blocks also facilitate conveying your cumulative governance wisdom to those boards to come.