Not Your Grandpa's Association: Turnaround Requires Vision, Change, Help

Can associations vote by email?

by Brian Reuwee

Recently, a question from a client arose regarding whether the association's board of directors is permitted to use email voting or online balloting.  Although this area of association law continues to evolve, the answer remains somewhat complicated.

"Most state non-profit corporation statutes, including Kentucky where AMR Management Services is headquartered, only permit boards of directors to act through a meeting (in-person or via teleconference) or through 'unanimous written consent,'" said Joe Benton, attorney with Slone & Benton in Lexington, Ky. "Mail, fax or electronic balloting is not permitted for such actions unless all board members vote and all vote the same way."

Therefore, if your board has 12 directors, all 12 must vote unanimously for an email vote to be valid.

The rationale behind this requirement is to encourage (and require) full debate and deliberation by board members on issues prior to taking action, unless the decision is unanimous. A "poll" of the board can be taken electronically, but any action by the board must take place at a meeting or on a conference call.

Basically, boards can use email voting between regularly scheduled conference calls or meetings, but only if all members vote and their action is unanimous.

Conversely, these rules generally do not apply to membership votes, where mail balloting - and, in some instances, fax and email balloting - is permitted by most state nonprofit corporation statutes. So fire off your email votes and eballots to members, but make sure board action is only taken in face to face meetings or via conference call unless the all board members vote and the vote is unanimous.

The following article from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) goes into more detail on this topic: http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/whitepaperdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=12197

Eight Elements to Make Meetings Meaningful

Good article for volunteer leaders from Steve Drake of SCD Group.

Over the last 35 years, I've participated – either as a volunteer or as a staff professional – in 257 board meetings of local, regional or national associations or nonprofit organizations.

Board time is a nonrenewable resource ... don’t waste it!

Here are 8 elements to help make meetings meaningful for your association:

• Never hold a meeting without an agenda
• Insist on a starting and ending time
• Make the main thing the main thing
• Use a consent agenda so routine items don’t consume
• Insist on great staff work
• Provide agenda and materials at least 6 days prior to the meeting
• Ensure that everyone participates (the chair’s key job!)
• Create a culture of board members coming prepared for the meeting

Click here to read the full article: What’s on Your Association Board’s Agenda?

Are Local Chapters Still Relevant?

by Brian Reuwee

A member of the American Society of Association Executives LinkedIn group recently posted a question for discussion:

Where have all the local chapters gone and what will fill the void?

As reluctant, yet long-tenured, treasurer turned defacto president for a struggling local chapter of a larger national association, this question is personally relevant, but also professionally engaging.

Local chapters are not disappearing. On the contrary, many of my peers see growth opportunities for local chapters in delivering localized content, networking opportunities and face-to-face social connections.

Donna Dunn, CAE, President of the Association of YMCA Professionals: "We are actually moving in the opposite direction. Our chapters are finding new energy and new members. We have a focus on support from the national level. We encourage our chapters to be unique to their area and provide programming that fits where they are. We spend the time and money to bring our chapter leaders together annually where they exchange ideas and get new focus. So our chapters are not going away. They are getting stronger."

Tammy Dillard-Steels: "Chapters play a very important role of local involvement, I do not think they are going away. They need to be redefined and evolve to become partners."

Sharon Kneebone, CAE: "Our sections who are embracing our younger leaders are seeing the most revitalization - especially when we see a mix of generational leaders. We are seeing them infuse our sections with new ideas and new vitality."

Kevin Jackson: "I have seen one or two cases where the National body starts to deliver services that overlap with the chapter. This jeopardizes the survival of the chapter, or as mentioned above, drives them into a different type of existence.

Allen Liff: "Guiding questions to help sort this out: What is it that ONLY the chapters can/should do? What is it that ONLY National can/should do? What are the critical areas where chapters AND national must COLLABORATE?"

Cindy Simpson, M,Ed, CAE: "We provide our struggling chapters with the option to transition to an Affiliate Group (like a social club) that is less formal than chapter status. This decision allows us to focus our efforts on the larger chapters - with a staff of six full-time equivalents  we can only provide so much support. The decision was well received by our chapters and also provides a mechanism for small groups of individuals who are interested in affiliating with our association without going through a formalized process."

Key to local chapter success in these comments seems to be:

1. Defined roles and value propositions for the national organization and local chapters
2. Focused support from the national association staff
3. Openness to new ideas and new leadership

Ask Questions to Improve Nonprofit Performance

Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Key questions journalists ask to get the full story. Association leaders need to key questions of their organization to help priorities programs and focus their goals.

Open ended questions such as "How can we improve?" and "What do we need to do differently?" can apply to particular activities or to the entire organization. But they require follow up questions to identify specific actions you will take in the next twelve months.

Here four additional questions significant to nonprofits from Hardy Smith, an association leadership consultant.