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3 Important Questions Your Board Should Ask Itself Before the Year Ends |
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The end of the year is one of the best times for a board to pause, reflect, and ask itself some honest questions.
Think of it as a thoughtful check-in, a chance to celebrate what worked and get intentional about what comes next. A genuine opportunity to look back on how the board's leadership, attention, and governance supported the mission this year, and to think about what the organization needs most going into the next one.
This kind of reflection is one of the healthiest things a board can do. It builds trust, sharpens focus, and sets the stage for stronger leadership in the year ahead.
⏩ Feel free to forward this to your board as a discussion guide for your next meeting!
In this week's Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍, I'm sharing three important questions your board should explore together before the year ends, along with discussion prompts you can bring straight to your next meeting.
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PS - Real quick - Are you on Facebook? I'm sharing even more tips, research, and content about social good and nonprofit work on my page - would LOVE to connect with you there, too! Check it out and (if you're so inclined) give it a follow :)
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1. Did We Prioritize the Big Questions That Shape the Organization's Future?
Boards have a unique responsibility that no one else in the organization can fulfill, making space for big-picture conversations that shape the mission's long-term direction. Strategy, sustainability, risk, and mission impact all live in the board's lane.
It's easy for urgent needs to crowd out those bigger conversations. Year-end is a great time to check in on whether that happened and what deserves more attention going forward.
Discussion questions to bring to your board:
- What conversations helped clarify the organization's direction this year?
- What important questions got crowded out by urgent needs?
- What strategic issue deserves more board attention next year?
2. Did Our Governance Help the Mission Move Forward?
Good governance isn't just about following procedures. It's about whether the board's decisions, oversight, and leadership created more clarity, capacity, and momentum for the mission throughout the year.
This question applies whether your organization has a full staff team, a single executive director, a founder wearing many hats, or is entirely volunteer-led. The core question is the same: did board-level leadership make it easier for good work to happen?
Discussion questions to bring to your board:
- Did our decisions help the organization stay focused on its mission?
- Did our board leadership make it easier for good work to happen?
- How did we support staff and organizational capacity this year?
- Where might the organization need more board-level leadership next year?
3. What Leadership Strengths Are Needed for the Next Season of the Organization's Life?
Every organization evolves. The skills, perspectives, relationships, and ways of working that served the board well last year may not be exactly what the mission needs next year.
This question is not about finding deficits in current board members. It's about looking ahead with honesty and intention. The strongest boards ask themselves regularly whether their composition, current skill sets, and culture are keeping pace with where the organization is headed.
Discussion questions to bring to your board:
- What voices, expertise, or perspectives would strengthen our governance in the year ahead?
- Are there relationships or community connections the board could cultivate to serve the mission better?
- How might the board need to grow or evolve to meet the organization's next season well?
The boards that ask these questions consistently are the ones that show up stronger, more aligned, and more ready to lead when it matters most.
Try it this week 🚀
Share these three reflection questions with your board chair or executive committee before your next meeting. Even setting aside 20-30 minutes to work through one of them together can be a powerful way to close out the year with intention and set your board up for a stronger start in the new year.
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- Register by November 15: While The Nora Roberts Foundation does prioritize northeast areas for awards, they do also support national efforts supporting literacy, children, the arts, and more. Awards can be for projects or operations. New users must register by November 15, and apply by 6 p.m on November 30.
- December 4 & Ongoing: Kroger Charitable Giving provides ongoing support to causes ranging from hunger and waste to youth and education through cash, gift card and product donations, and sponsorships to causes in areas where businesses within the Kroger Family of Companies exist. Quarterly grants are also available through the Kroger Co. Foundation, and Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, with the next review coming up December 4. All requests flow through the Benevity page above!
- Rolling: The Pollination Project provides seed funding to "early-stage ideas" - i.e., organizations that do not yet have paid staff and operate with an annual budget of less than $50,000. Individuals starting a new social impact venture may apply, and project budgets cannot exceed $10,000. Tip: The Project is "rooted in vegan values," and awardees project proposals should plan to adhere to similar standards.
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Keep an eye out for future workshops and events open to the public! In the mean time, need an event speaker or workshop trainer? Learn more about my workshops and other services. |
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Enjoy this week's newsletter? You might find this video helpful, too.
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3 more ways I can help you
- I have lots of free content for you! Check out my library of 450+ educational videos on nonprofits, social entrepreneurship, fundraising, and more on my YouTube channel. If you like what I'm trying to do, help me reach more people like you by subscribing to the channel and sharing it with a changemaker friend! 😁
- Need extra support to build or grow a nonprofit or social enterprise? Check out my Changemaker Accelerator membership or my Zero to $100,000 Fundraising Starter Toolkit.
- Need a speaker or training workshop for your social impact event? I'm currently booking 2027 trainings and speaking engagements -- check out my speaking and workshop opportunities to learn how I can help you make your event inspiring and actionable!
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Hey, Changemaker!
I'm Amber, writer of the Changemaker Mondays newsletter! I'm a nonprofit founder, speaker, and social entrepreneur on a mission to equip you with the tools you need to create positive change where ever you live -- whether you're starting a nonprofit or socially-conscious business, looking for a social impact job, or leading a volunteer project in your city. Don't hesitate to connect (socials below), or reply to this email if you ever have any feedback on how we can make Changemaker Mondays the best newsletter for supporting changemakers in the world!
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