About the survey
The survey is a free Board Health Check provided by Tanarra Social Purpose and was completed by the Board of Sample Charity in November 2022. The survey is designed to be simple and quick, with 44 multiple choice questions, 5 commentary questions, and is designed to be largely automated. The online survey content covers 5 key performance areas:
- Board Effectiveness
- Individual Conduct of Board members
- Board Meetings
- Board Structure
- Financial and Regulatory Compliance
About Tanarra Social Purpose
Tanarra Social Purpose is a for purpose enterprise providing pro bono independent advice to strengthen the efficiencies and effectiveness of Australia’s charity sector.
www.tanarraphilanthropic.org
About this report
This report is designed to provide a quick snapshot of your organisation’s strengths and opportunities for improvement, focusing on the top areas with notable scores.
Score Scale
To help your organisation interpret the indicator numbers associated with each question please see below:
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Undecided | Agree | Strongly Agree | N/A Not applicable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Not counted |
Summary of Results
Response rate
3 out of 3 members of the board (100%) responded to the survey.
Respondents' time serving on the Board
- Between 0 and 5.0 years with an average of 2.8 years served
Summary of Key Perfomance Areas
Your Board Strengths
1 - In between Board meetings, Board Members actively contribute to advance the purpose of the organisation (Score: 5.0)
This is a strong indicator of board health and sets your board apart from passive directors lending a name or title and more into a high performing board that is meeting its overall and individual responsibilities and expectations and driving the success of the organisation. To get the most out of these active contributions between board meetings, consider setting and communicating objectives or goals (these can be broad - such as advancing awareness with a particular NFP partner or Gov't) which directors could help with opportunistically (i.e. it's not "homework").
2 - Board Members know our leadership team and actively engage with them outside of formal Board meetings (Score: 5.0)
Having confidence in the leadership team and vice versa goes a long way to building a productive and impactful organisation and culture. At the very least it shows the leadership team that the board really cares about the people involved, breaks down the 'us and them' stereotyping, and helps to safeguard against unexpected surprises.
3 - I am proud of the behaviours displayed by the Board (Score: 5.0)
This is a great indicator that you can host the "tough sessions" with the board and these are likely to be respectful and successful. For example, schedule in some time to address any general areas of weaknesses identified in this report in a more open session. Be sure that "good behaviour" is not just a result of board members being disengaged or just following the group think. Positive behaviours should also be demonstrated in times of conflict or disagreement amongst the board and this is healthy.
4 - I am satisfied with the quality of reports and briefing papers provided to the Board (Score: 5.0)
This is a sign of good administration, organisation and professional presentation. Consider benchmarking the reports sent to the board with those sent to other key stakeholders (e.g. funders) to see if there are lessons that can be shared to improve the rest of your professional communications.
5 - The Board sets clear boundaries within which our organisation is to be managed (Score: 5.0)
Clear boundaries enhance productivity by limiting the decisions that need to made consciously by the Board. This enables you to dedicate more time to current and emerging issues.
6 - The leadership team is given a clear written delegation of authority that empowers them to complete the tasks required for their work (Score: 4.3)
A clear delegation of authority allows the Board to focus less on the day-to-day and more on the big picture. Separating these functions gives your board more flexibility and innovation capacity than your competitors.
7 - The Board regularly asks itself "Is our organisation getting the desired change in the most effective way?" (Score: 4.0)
Congratulations. Thinking and acting this way will help position your organisation for success. This response indicates your Board is continually thinking about effectiveness and efficiency. This approach will serve your organisation well for future sustainability, impact and reach. Consider this question at least on an annual basis and document the evidence for future knowledge share.
8 - The revenue generation efforts of the organisation are successful (Score: 4.0)
Congratulations. This response indicates your income generation strategy is alive and well. Consider reflecting on the key elements to this success and retaining and building on those factors each year. Staff and board members change so ensure this result doesn't become a complacency.
9 - The Board regularly monitors the progress of its strategic plan (Score: 4.0)
Now that your board is monitoring progress, consider the factors that have resulted in the greatest successes and failures or challenges. What can be learnt from these? Likewise, ask yourselves if the system and process used to monitor and track the plan is the most effective and user friendly? Having a clear, articulated Strategy and Plan that's regularly monitored and adapted ensures it's a living road map to achieving your mission. Operating environments change. A healthy board and organisation keeps the strategic plan top of mind and ensures it is clear, ambitious, accountable and reportable.
10 - Board Members have been appointed in accordance with the Constitution (Score: 4.0)
Following established processes is key to the Board's stability. Continue this behaviour and ensure that members (especially new members) are acquainted with the Constitution.
Areas for Improvement
1 - The Board is clear about its role in revenue generation for the organisation (Score: 1.0)
Results indicate greater clarity and board effort on fundraising and income generation for the organisation is required. For smaller NFPs in particular, we expect to see greater participation in revenue generation activities by board members. In our view, income generation, whether financial or in-kind, should not rely on the CEO or fundraising team. It is an integral part of the sustainability of the organisation and absolving a board from responsibility for contributing is not a healthy board.
2 - Board Members are consistently well-prepared for the meetings they attend (Score: 1.0)
The root cause of this could be a multitude of problems: director disengagement or lack of time, process deficiency, information overload (or irrelevancy) etc. As part of any one on ones or feedback from board members, check in with them to see if the materials and agenda for the board meetings are hitting their expectations and requirements. If this is a systemic issue for all board members, then consider an open session with the board to discuss how this can be improved (for example, less materials, summaries, different communication tools, provided with more/less time in advance). FOCUS ON ROOT CAUSE SENTENCE HERE?? (e.g. If this is an issue within your boardroom, we suggest a more specific drilldown into the root cause(s), perhaps through a few anonymous follow up questions to try and understand how this may best be addressed. )
3 - The Board manages its time effectively in meetings (Score: 1.0)
Set aside time to unpack the root causes of this ineffectiveness. It could be that you have poor materials, people don't do their "homework", meetings rarely stick to the agenda and may not have enough direction from the meeting chair. Whilst often a negative indicator, be sure not to immediately link "long and inefficient" board meetings with underperformance. For example, sometimes agenda items will be more lengthy and challenging or another example could be that directors are comfortable speaking up or voicing their opinion on a critical issue which needs to be debated amongst diverse views. It can also be driven by materials not being sent sufficiently in advance, requiring directors to read the materials in session.
4 - The Board annually receives and discusses a comprehensive compliance report, covering all relevant legislation, standards, and funding requirements. (Score: 1.0)
Board beware. A low score in this area indicates that your Board is exposed to legal and financial risk. Members should urgently consider upskilling on their obligations. There is a plethora of information available and courses online. Some NGOs also have a Company Secretary (usually volunteer based) who helps to keep the compliance top of mind with the board and ensures registration, policies, audit etc. is up to date.
5 - Our organisation has a vision and mission statement that clearly and succinctly describes why it exists and what it seeks to achieve. (Score: 1.5)
Having a simple, clear overarching sense of purpose as to why you exist and how you help address a particular problem, keeps the organisation razor focused. If the Board is not clear then it is also important to check what the view is in the ogranisation. Consider revisiting your stated vision and mission as part of your strategic planning process. This can also assist in clarifying your differentiation in a crowded market place. Check that your vision and mission is aspirational, succinct and easy to remember. If the Board is not clear then it is also important to go back to the organisation and check what their view is.
6 - I am confident in the ability of our organisation to manage its income and expenditures within agreed budgets (Score: 1.5)
If budget blowouts are common, what types of expenditure are most often the causes? You should discuss this as a group. Regular internal financial reporting from management and staff can help members understand the major expenditures and income streams of the organisation.
7 - The Board has a proven record of achieving what it sets out to achieve in its strategic plan (Score: 2.0)
Take the time to consider and record the factors that resulted in a lower score against Strategic achievements. Was it reviewed and adapted on an annual basis? Did the operating environment change? Were the enablers in place to deliver on the expected outcomes? Was the plan too ambitious? Were the responsibilities and KPIs in place and monitored? A low score related to the Strategic Plan could indicate a need to build into every Board meeting a simple tracking device (e.g. traffic light system) to monitor and report on progress, or that the strategic plan warrants a review. Having a Strategic Plan in existence is one thing, however regular monitoring and reflection on the achievements or shortfalls means it is a living, breathing road map that enables everyone concerned to understand the overall direction and their roles in getting there.
8 - Board Members make a concerted effort to inform themselves about our activities, so that in the event that someone asks, "What does your organisation do?", they can comfortably give tangible real time examples of our impact (Score: 2.0)
If board members cannot provide tangible examples of your work then this is highly concerning and requires immediate rectification. Holding director education sessions, site tours or having them witness/participate in your programs should be a priority (and ideally should be done as part of any induction). If board members are not making the effort to educate themselves, then this demonstrates lack of time, buy-in or accountability and should be addressed in a one to one session.
9 - We have a good Board orientation and induction process for new members (Score: 2.0)
As part of onboarding, take time to tell stories; there is immense value in explaining what the organisation has tried and the lessons it has learned as a result. For more tips on onboarding, take a look at the resources listed at https://www.boardhealthcheck.org/next_steps
10 - The Board is of an appropriate size (Score: 2.0)
Make a concerted effort to address this. If you have too few members, you will be missing perspectives and skillsets. Identify the skills, perspectives and backgrounds that may be lacking on your board before targeting potential applicants. If you have too many members, this may lead to confusion and ineffective decision-making. A frictionless way of downsizing is to refuse to replace existing members when they retire. Consider the size of the organisation in terms of staff or management because a board that is twice the size of the operating team is often unwieldly.
Director Responses to Strategic Questions
If the organisation had a 20% increase in unconstrained income tomorrow, where would you spend it and why?
- Income Increase
- we would spend a lot of it on staff. If we had more operational staff, we could create huge improvements in our procedures and increase efficiency massively. I would spend it on our staffing, our volunteering management and on a small scale IT system to handle the administration of both volunteers and our system.
- We would increase our budget allocation towards shared administrative resources, such as data analytics & dedicated support staff for recruiting, hiring, training and running volunteers.
What do you regard as the 2 most significant strategic achievements of your organisation in the past 3 years?
- Achievements
- Our inability to guarantee volunteers to our events. When we organised the fun run and had only 3 people show up, we were absolutely screwed!! We had to delay the beginning of it and I had to call some friends to show up to help us set up the course!! This was not only embarrassing, but we also had some potential (and previous) donators in the crowd, and having them see this failure most likely reduced our fundraising efforts.
- Increased Volunteers and bigger turnout at IRL events
If you could change one thing about the organisation what would it be?
- Change
- I would change our current staffing and volunteer management procedures. This is because they are currently very slow / ineffective. If we had a faster method of getting volunteers, and guaranteeing that the minimum amount show up for our events, it would increase our effectiveness massively.
- I would increase communication between our Field Managers out at the events / workspaces and the Budget Approval Team.
What do you regard as the most significant strategic failure of your organisation in the past 3 years?
- Failure
- refining how we run our events, and our board restructuring. (ofcourse, also our charity fundraising efforts which have successfully increased our budget for the coming years).
- Our incapability of capitalising on growth in the new geographic areas that have high potential.
Do you have any other feedback that could help improve the effectiveness of your board?
- Feedback to own board
- We really need to ensure we get the MINIMUM staff needed for our events, whether we pay some volunteers or not. Even if we paid them half wages, we just need to get them in!
- Consult more with those who have boots on the ground, to ensure a unified strategy.
Full Responses
You can see the complete list of questions and the aggregated responses below. Responses with the highest variance (marked with ) may indicate poor communication, polarised views or inconsistent awareness of issues between directors. It may also indicate areas of over exuberance or frustration on the part of some individuals.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Question has a large range of answers | |
| Question rated in your Top 10 Strengths | |
| Question rated in your 10 Areas for Improvement |
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Low | The lowest value submitted |
| Avg. | The average of the submissions |
| High | The highest value submitted |
| Range | The difference between the lowest and highest |
| Responses | How many respondents provided a value for this question |
| N/A | How many respondents answered N/A for this question |
Board Effectiveness
| Question | Low | Avg. | High | Range | Responses | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our organisation has a vision and mission statement that clearly and succinctly describes why it exists and what it seeks to achieve. | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| The Board regularly asks itself "Is our organisation getting the desired change in the most effective way?" | 2 | 4.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Our organisation actively seeks feedback from those it seeks to benefit | 3 | 3.3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| We review and act on the feedback from those we seek to benefit, even if uncomfortable | 3 | 3.7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| We have a high functioning Board that rolls its sleeves up and gets involved as required | 2 | 3.5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| The Board is clear about its role in fundraising for the organisation | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Our fundraising effort is adequately balanced between board members and management (staff) | 2 | 3.3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| The fundraising efforts of the organisation are successful | 3 | 4.0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board has a strategic plan outlining what it expects our organisation to achieve over the next few years | 1 | 2.7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board regularly monitors the progress of its strategic plan | 2 | 4.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board has a proven record of achieving what it sets out to achieve in its strategic plan | 1 | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| We know who our main competitors are and discuss what we most admire about them | 2 | 3.5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Board members know and act when they are not being effective and step down accordingly | 3 | 3.3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Our chair is competent, respectful, can influence without dominating, delegates appropriately, runs effective meetings, and has a strong rapport with the CEO or leadership | 3 | 3.7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Our organisation embraces and invests in new or emerging technology to improve effectiveness | 2 | 3.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| At least once a year our board connects with our sponsors and supporters and seeks constructive feedback from them about our work and approach | 1 | 3.0 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Board Meetings
| Question | Low | Avg. | High | Range | Responses | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am proud of the behaviours displayed by the Board | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| The Board manages its time effectively in meetings | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| I am satisfied with the quality of reports and briefing papers provided to the Board | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Agendas, minutes and board papers are prepared and circulated sufficiently in advance of and after meetings of the Board | 2 | 3.3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Board members are held accountable for agreed actions as a result of meetings | 3 | 3.7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| There is good communication between the Board and Management | 2 | 2.3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Board Structure
| Question | Low | Avg. | High | Range | Responses | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We have a good Board orientation and induction process for new members | 1 | 2.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board is of an appropriate size | 1 | 2.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Board members possess an appropriate range and balance of skills to perform their duties and advance the organisation | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board reviews the effectiveness of its operations at least once a year | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| The leadership team is given a clear written delegation of authority that empowers them to complete the tasks required for their work | 4 | 4.3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board sets clear boundaries within which our organisation is to be managed | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Individual Conduct of Board members
| Question | Low | Avg. | High | Range | Responses | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The expectations of Board Members are regularly reviewed | 1 | 2.3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Board Members make a concerted effort to inform themselves about our activities, so that in the event that someone asks, "What does your organisation do?", they can comfortably give tangible real time examples of our impact | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Board Members have a strong understanding of the issues affecting the organisation. | 3 | 3.3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Board Members ideas are listened to in a way that is constructive and respectful | 1 | 3.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| In between Board meetings, Board Members actively contribute to advance the purpose of the organisation | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Board Members are consistently well-prepared for the meetings they attend | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Board Members know our leadership team and actively engage with them outside of formal Board meetings | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Financial and Regulatory Compliance
| Question | Low | Avg. | High | Range | Responses | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Board annually receives and discusses a comprehensive compliance report, covering all relevant legislation, standards, and funding requirements. | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| I am confident in the ability of our organisation to manage its income and expenditures within agreed budgets | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Conflicts of interest do not affect the integrity of the Board | 2 | 3.7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Board Members have been appointed in accordance with the Constitution | 3 | 4.0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| The serving time limits for Members of the Board, prescribed in our Constitution, are appropriate | 3 | 3.3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| The responsibilities of Members of the Board are regularly reviewed | 2 | 3.7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| The Board has taken swift and considered action against any negative surprises in relation to the organisation | 1 | 2.5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |