Board Evaluation

Why Evaluate?

All too often, organizations perceive evaluation as a luxury to be undertaken when there is time and money, if a problem arises or as an imposition forced on them by funders. It is important for the organization to embark on evaluation regularly and to do it for positive and constructive reasons. Even if the initial impetus for an evaluation comes from a funder, the board should take charge by establishing the objectives it wants to achieve through the evaluation.

Regular evaluation should be done for a number of reasons:

to continuously improve the organization's work
to ensure programs and services meet the expectations and objectives set for them, and to make changes if needed
to be accountable to the community and the people served by the organization
to meet the requirements of funders
to provide feedback to the staff and volunteers doing the work of the organizations

(Provided by United Way of Canada - Centraide Canada)

Resources - Websites and Documents

Board assessment and ethical governance - by CharityVillage.com

Six Steps in the Evaluation Process - by boarddevelopment.org

Self Assessment for the Board - by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services

Sample self-evaluation forms:

http://www.managementhelp.org/boards/brd_eval.htm - by Free Management Library

http://www.dal.ca/Continuing Education/Files/NP_Board_SelfEval_Tool.pdf by Dalhousie University

http://navref.org/bestpractices/word/main_gov_bod_develop_selfevalform.doc - by National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations