Events
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Topics include:
- Structures of arts organizations and their boards—staffing, income, and programming models
- Life cycle of arts organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Relationship between the board and staff, and challenges posed by staffing and board transitions
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
Meet the Boards is a networking session for On BOARD candidates and arts organization boards to meet and learn about each other. Attendees discuss the mission and history of the organization, current and upcoming initiatives, and how new board members can contribute to the organization.
Interested organizations must fill out an arts client On BOARD application – the deadline for which is April 13, 2018.
Meet the Boards is by invitation only.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speakers:
- Michael Clark, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
Learning objectives include:
- Non-governing boards and committees
- Laws governing nonprofit boards of directors
- Bylaws
- The role of the director: responsibilities & restrictions
- Role of the lawyer on the board
- Fiduciary duties
- Conflict of interest
- Directors & Officers insurance
- Contracts
- Strategic Planning
Price: $150
For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Charles Katzenmeyer, VP Institutional Advancement, The Field Museum
Learning objectives include:
- Funding landscape for nonprofit arts organizations and sector-wide trends in giving
- Defining sources of philanthropic support
- The role board members play in securing funds
- How to structure the “ask”
- Creating a donor cultivation calendar
- Identifying ways to get the “get”
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Megan Angle, CPA, Porte Brown LLC; A&BC Core Instructor
Learning objectives include:
- Financial oversight and safeguarding of assets and nonprofit status
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Understanding nonprofit financial statements
- Taxes including payroll and UBIT
- Filing with the IRS and other government entities
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Presenter: Kristin Larsen, Executive Director, Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Panelists:
- Seth Boustead, Executive Director, Access Contemporary Music
- Erica Hawkinson, Marketing & Operations Director, Green Star Movement
- Marilyn He, Board Member, Access Contemporary Music; On BOARD Alum
- Ben van Loon, Board Member, High Concept Labs; On BOARD Alum
Topics include:
- Structures of arts organizations and their boards—staffing, income, and programming models
- Life cycle of arts organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Relationship between the board and staff, and challenges posed by staffing and board transitions
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
Meet the Boards is a networking session for On BOARD candidates and arts organization boards to meet and learn about each other. Attendees discuss the mission and history of the organization, current and upcoming initiatives, and how new board members can contribute to the organization.
Interested organizations must fill out an arts client On BOARD application – the deadline for which is August 17, 2018.
Meet the Boards is by invitation only.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Learning objectives include:
- Non-governing boards and committees
- Laws governing nonprofit boards of directors
- Bylaws
- The role of the director: responsibilities & restrictions
- Role of the lawyer on the board
- Fiduciary duties
- Conflict of interest
- Directors & Officers insurance
- Contracts
- Strategic Planning
Price: $150
For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Megan Angle, CPA, Porte Brown LLC; A&BC Core Instructor
Learning objectives include:
- Financial oversight and safeguarding of assets and nonprofit status
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Understanding nonprofit financial statements
- Taxes including payroll and UBIT
- Filing with the IRS and other government entities
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Charles Katzenmeyer, VP Institutional Advancement, The Field Museum
Learning objectives include:
- Funding landscape for nonprofit arts organizations and sector-wide trends in giving
- Defining sources of philanthropic support
- The role board members play in securing funds
- How to structure the “ask”
- Creating a donor cultivation calendar
- Identifying ways to get the “get”
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Presenter: Kristin Larsen, Executive Director, Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Topics include:
- Structures of arts organizations and their boards—staffing, income, and programming models
- Life cycle of arts organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Relationship between the board and staff, and challenges posed by staffing and board transitions
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For details on registering for this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Learning objectives include:
- Non-governing boards and committees
- Laws governing nonprofit boards of directors
- Bylaws
- The role of the director: responsibilities & restrictions
- Role of the lawyer on the board
- Fiduciary duties
- Conflict of interest
- Directors & Officers insurance
- Contracts
- Strategic Planning
Price: $150
For questions about this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Charles Katzenmeyer, VP Institutional Advancement, The Field Museum
Learning objectives include:
- Funding landscape for nonprofit arts organizations and sector-wide trends in giving
- The role board members play in securing funds
- How to structure the “ask”
- Creating a donor cultivation calendar
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For questions about this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speaker: Megan Angle, CPA & Manager, Porte Brown LLC
Learning objectives include:
- Financial oversight and safeguarding of assets and nonprofit status
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Understanding nonprofit financial statements
- Taxes including payroll and UBIT
- Filing with the IRS and other government entities
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For more information, or accessibility accommodations, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Presenter: Kristin Larsen, Executive Director, Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Topics include:
- Structures of arts and cultural organizations and their boards
- Life cycle of nonprofit organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board—board governance, staffing and structure, income generation, and programming models
- Expectations of board contributions of time, talent, and treasure
- Relationship between the board and staff, and challenges posed by staffing and board transitions
This training also features a panel of an arts administrator leaders and On BOARD alumni.
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations. For questions about this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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Presenter: Megan Angle, CPA & Manager, Porte Brown LLC
Learning objectives include:
- Financial oversight; policy creation and compliance; and safeguarding of assets
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Achieving financial accountability
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow
- Taxes including payroll, UBIT, and changes to GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)
- Maintaining nonprofit status through tax compliance – filing with the IRS and other government entities
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For questions, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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Presenters:
Patricia Marx, Attorney, Quarles & Brady LLP
Cris Beilstein, Consultant
Learning objectives include:
- Laws governing nonprofit boards of directors
- The role of the director: responsibilities & restrictions
- Bylaws
- Understanding the importance of Directors & Officers insurance
- Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, and Duty of Obedience
- Conflict of interest
- Executive leadership responsibilities
- Committees and non-governing boards – associate, auxiliary, advisory
- The importance and process of strategic planning
Price: $150
For questions about this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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BOARD MEMBER TRAINING
Speakers:
Charles Katzenmeyer, VP Institutional Advancement, The Field Museum
Jonathan VanderBrug, Policy & Research Director, Arts Alliance Illinois
Learning objectives include:
- Funding landscape for nonprofit organizations and sector-wide trends in giving
- The role board members play in securing funds
- Identifying prospects and creating an “ask”
- Creating a donor cultivation strategy
- Understanding current cultural policies and advocacy tips and resources
Price: $150
Advance registration is required as space is limited. We will not accept walk-up registrations.
For questions about this training, please contact Noemi Garcia at ngarcia@artsbiz-chicago.org.
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Topics include:
- Laws governing nonprofit boards of directors
- The role of the director: responsibilities & restrictions
- Bylaws
- Understanding the importance of Directors & Officers insurance
- Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, and Duty of Obedience
- Conflict of interest
- Executive leadership responsibilities
- Committees and non-governing boards: associate, auxiliary, advisory
- The importance and process of strategic planning
Presenters: Braden Cleary / Director, Arts Services / Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Patricia Spiccia Marx / Attorney / Quarels & Brady
Cris Beilstein / Consultant / Elevation Collaborative
Price: $150
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Topics include:
- Financial oversight; policy creation and compliance; and safeguarding of assets
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Achieving financial accountability
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow
- Taxes including payroll, UBIT, and changes to GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)
- Maintaining nonprofit status through tax compliance – filing with the IRS and other government entities
Presenter: Megan Angle, CPA / Manager / Porte Brown LLC
Price: $150
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Topics include:
- Funding landscape for nonprofit organizations and sector-wide trends in giving
- The role board members play in securing funds
- Creating a donor cultivation strategy
- The role of board members in arts advocacy
- Emerging issues in arts & cultural policy including The CARES Act and the government’s role in COVID-19 response
Presenters: Suzanne Griffith / Navigate Nonprofits
Jonathan VanderBrug / Deputy Director, Civic Engagement / Arts Alliance Illinois
Price: Pay-What-You-Can
All dollars earned from this On BOARD® Lab will go directly toward our efforts to creatively and accessibly provide support and lend expertise to nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 crisis.
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Arts Organization Structures & Board Responsibilities is part 1 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- Structures of arts and cultural organizations and their boards
- Phases of development of nonprofit organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Analysis of the board’s role in planning, governance, staffing & structure, income generation, audience development & marketing, financial management, and facilities management
- Expectations of board contributions of time, talent, and treasure
- Relationship between the board and staff, and challenges posed by staffing and board transitions
Presenter: Braden Cleary / Director of Arts Services / Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Legal & Fiduciary Responsibilities of Board Members is part 2 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- General roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members
- Key fiduciary duties of nonprofit board members
- Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, Duty of Obedience
- Liability and protections for board members, the importance of Directors & Officers insurance
- Additional considerations for public charities and private foundations with 501(c)(3) status
- Important reporting obligations at the state and federal level
Presenter: Patricia S. Marx / Associate / Quarles & Brady, LLP
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Nonprofit Board Committee Structures & Strategic Planning is part 3 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- An exploration of typical standing and ad hoc committees on a board of directors
- Appropriate times to form a committee and signs that a committee isn’t a good choice
- Non-governing boards and their relationships to the board of directors and the organization
- Auxiliary boards, associate boards, junior boards, advisory boards
- Defining key vocabulary terms for strategic planning
- Advantages of creating and using a strategic plan
- How to approach the strategic planning process and the board’s critical role in planning
Presenter: Braden Cleary / Director of Arts Services / Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Cris Beilstein / Consultant / Elevation Collaborative
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Nonprofit Finances, Budgeting, & Tax Issues is part 4 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- Financial oversight; policy creation and compliance; and safeguarding of assets
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Achieving financial accountability
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow at a nonprofit organization
- Taxes including payroll, UBIT, and recent changes to GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)
- Maintaining nonprofit status through tax compliance
- Filing with the IRS and other government entities
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Demystifying Fundraising and the Role of Board Members is part 5 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- Sources of funding: foundations, corporations, individuals, government
- Uses of funding: restricted, unrestricted, sponsorship
- Designing your organization’s strategic fundraising engagement process
- The three important roles that the board plays in fundraising
- Developing a culture of philanthropy that is intentional and inclusive
Presenter: Suzanne Griffith / Vega Partners
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Arts Advocacy for the Nonprofit Board Member is part 6 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- The definition of advocacy
- How to create your story to advocate for arts, culture, and creativity
- Tactics for delivering your advocacy message to key decision makers or stakeholders
- Current events and cultural policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels
- Differences between advocacy and lobbying and the do’s and do not’s for board members
Presenter: Jonathan VanderBrug / Deputy Director – Civic Engagement / Arts Alliance Illinois
Price: $35 – Nonprofit and public sector employees use code NPO20 for $10 discount
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who participate in the On BOARD® Labs demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Topics in Arts Organization Structures & Board Responsibilities include:
- Structures of arts and cultural organizations and their boards
- Phases of development of nonprofit organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Analysis of the board’s role in planning, governance, staffing & structure, income generation, audience development & marketing, financial management, and facilities management
- Expectations of board contributions of time, talent, and treasure
- Using committees and non-governing boards to amplify the work of your organization
Presenter: Braden Cleary / Director of Arts Services / Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Price: $35
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Legal & Fiduciary Responsibilities of Board Members is part 2 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To learn more about the full program curriculum, click here.
Topics include:
- General roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members
- Key fiduciary duties of nonprofit board members
- Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, Duty of Obedience
- Liability and protections for board members, the importance of Directors & Officers insurance
- Additional considerations for public charities and private foundations with 501(c)(3) status
- Important reporting obligations at the state and federal level
Presenter: Patricia S. Marx / Associate / Quarles & Brady, LLP
Price: $35
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Nonprofit Finances, Budgeting, & Tax Issues is part 3 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. To register for the full program session, click here.
Topics include:
- Financial oversight; policy creation and compliance; and safeguarding of assets
- Policies: conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention & destruction, executive compensation, etc.
- Achieving financial accountability
- What occurs during an audit and when you need one
- Managing cash flow at a nonprofit organization
- Taxes including payroll, UBIT, and recent changes to GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)
- Maintaining nonprofit status through tax compliance
- Filing with the IRS and other government entities
Presenter: Megan Angle / Partner / Porte Brown Accountants and Advisors
Price: $35
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
The Importance of Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations is part 4 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum.
Topics include:
- Defining key vocabulary terms for strategic planning
- Advantages of creating and using a strategic plan
- How to approach the strategic planning process and the board’s critical role in planning
Presenter: Cris Beilstein / Consultant / Elevation Collaborative
Price: $35
There is always going to be chaos, a crisis, or disruption – an economic downturn, funders’ shifting priorities, and some years- it’s a pandemic.
How are you managing the moment?
Join us for this participatory workshop focusing on the tried-and-true principals of fundraising that will help you weather any storm.
In this moment, your greatest asset is your staff and board’s ability to communicate and steward stakeholders. In fact, the smaller you are the better positioned you may be to grow your contributed revenue.
Topics to be discussed:
- Designing your organization’s strategic fundraising engagement process
- The three important roles that the board plays in fundraising
- Developing a culture of philanthropy that is intentional and inclusive
- And with all the Relief funding being made available: Uses of funding: restricted, unrestricted, sponsorship
Presenter: Suzanne Griffith, Founder and Managing Principal of VEGA Partners a firm that focuses on leveraging companies and philanthropies social impact solutions.
Arts Advocacy for the Nonprofit Board Member, the final session (6/6) of the full On BOARD® curriculum is available on demand.
In this session you will walk away with 1-3 actions that you can bring back to your organization to help sustain its mission through advocacy.
Topics include:
- Current events and cultural policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels that affect your organization
- How to use this moment to tell your story and advocate for arts, culture, and creativity
- Tactics for delivering your advocacy message to key decision makers or stakeholders
- Differences between advocacy and lobbying and the ““do’s and don’ts” for board members
Presenter: Jonathan VanderBrug, Director of Civic Engagement, Arts Alliance Illinois. Jonathan coordinated the process of updating Illinois’ arts learning standards, as well as played a lead role in advocacy to include the arts as an indicator in Illinois’ ESSA State Plan. Jonathan has also served as Health Care Justice Director, Campaign for Better Health Care; Calumet Community Educator, The Field Museum; Executive Director, St. Louis Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition; and Policy Adviser, Michigan House of Representatives. He earned his Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from North Park University and B.A. in English Literature from Calvin College. All of Jonathan’s work has carried the spirit of the civil rights efforts of his parents, who fought for school desegregation as residents of North Lawndale in the 1960’s.
At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy.
One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through On BOARD®, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership learning program. Throughout six sessions, we prepare individuals ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations to understand and own their role as board members successfully.
On BOARD®: Demystifying Fundraising for Nonprofit Board Members
One of the many responsibilities of Board Members is to leverage their strengths to engage donors and supporters. But asking for money and advocating for the support of an organization is scary – for new and existing Board Members. In this interactive Learning Lab, you’ll get to know where the money comes from and gain practical know-how on how you will be expected to fundraise and activate your networks.
Participants will learn:
- The board’s role in fundraising
- The primary uses of funding board members can solicit from their networks
- Principles of designing your organization’s strategic fundraising engagement process
- Tactics for creating a compelling case for support that board members can use to solicit support and advocate for your organization
- How to develop a culture of philanthropy that is intentional and inclusive
Content Expert: Braden Cleary, Client Engagement Lead at VEGA Partners
Price: $50 (2-for-1). Register and invite a friend to participate in this event!
Braden Cleary (he / him) is the Client Engagement Lead at VEGA Partners, a social impact consulting firm that works with businesses, government, philanthropies, and nonprofits to develop powerful strategies that deliver sustainable results. Braden works with clients in a variety of different issue areas and sectors, but has background and interest in arts & cultural management, board governance, and philanthropy. Dedicated to making meaningful contributions to the social impact sector, Braden currently serves on the Excellent Emerging Organizations Committee at North Park University’s Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management and is a former member of the Philanthropic Advisory Group at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Questions about this event?
Email Constanza Mendoza, A&BC’s Director of Programs, at cmendoza@artsbiz-chicago.org
At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy.
One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through On BOARD®, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program. Throughout six sessions we prepare individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations to successfully understand and own their role as board members.
On BOARD®: Board Cultivation. Actionable Insights on Board Recruitment, Engagement, and Assessment
A superb board member brings a combination of time, treasure, and talent to an organization. So why do we continue to evaluate and prospect board members strictly on their treasure ‘capacity’? If a board of directors is to reflect the community it serves, the sector must consider more equitable qualifications.
Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC) Executive Director Kristin Larsen will present her innovative, point-based, planning and assessment model to engage boards of directors. Larsen will guide you through using game theory and a points-based evaluation system to reduce anxiety around giving capacities and create an equitable board of directors that is welcoming to groups that have been historically marginalized.
In practice, Larsen has seen this fresh accountability system increase committee participation, mobilize current board members to prospect new members and donors, and ignite a sense of self-governance that reduces stress and time for the Executive Director. You’ll leave this lab with an action plan to define the entire scope of what your board of directors can bring to the organization and design your own point-based assessment model that’s not all about the give/get.
We encouraged Executive Directors, Artistic Directors (directly interfacing with board of directors), Board Presidents, and Chairs of Board Governance committees to participate in this session.
Learning objectives
- Attendees will understand how to translate their board’s Roles & Responsibilities into supporting the organization’s annual operating and work plans
- Attendees will understand how to use this tool to ease board recruitment practices
- Attendees will gain skills in motivating current board members to contribute to prospecting and communicating within their own networks
- Attendees will understand how to utilize this tool to increase committee participation and motivate self-governance, reducing their stress and time in board management
- Attendees will understand how to use this tool to increase board attendance at special events and fundraisers; also motivate board members to bring new guests to special events and fundraisers
- Attendees will gain knowledge of how this tool can create board equity (socioeconomic, gender, race, access, etc.)
- Attendees will expand the tenure of their board members using this tool as it presents a visible and tangible representation of a board member’s contributions
Content Experts: Kristin Larsen, Executive Director at the Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC), and Simi Gambhir, Board Member at A&BC.
Price: $50 (2-for-1).
Session format: 90 minutes of content
On BOARD®: Nonprofit Organizational Structures – Looking at Transformative Governance Models
This session is part 1 of 6 in the full On BOARD® curriculum. You can attend this single session or register for the full program here.
Who owns a nonprofit? This question is a bit more complicated than it seems! In this session, we will answer this question and learn about conventional board governance models while critically asking ourselves what it takes to imagine alternative models.
This introductory session will cover it all: from structures of arts and cultural organizations and expectations of board contributions of time, talent, and treasure to imagining new nonprofit governance models rooted in care, social justice, and systemic change.
Topics:
- Structures of arts and cultural organizations and their boards
- Phases of development of nonprofit organizations, from the founding board to the working board and the governing board
- Analysis of the board’s role in planning, governance, staffing & structure, income generation, audience development & marketing, financial management, and facilities management
- Expectations of board contributions of time, talent, and treasure
- Using committees and non-governing boards to amplify the work of your organization
Content Expert:
Bryan Perry is Vice President and General Counsel for Northern Illinois University (NIU). He focuses his practice in the areas of governance, labor and employment, NCAA athletics, and complex litigation.
He serves as a member of the President’s senior leadership team and as chief legal advisor and counsel to NIU’s executive officers and Board of Trustees. In the role of General Counsel, he coordinates all legal services for the university and manages the team of lawyers and administrative professionals who serve in the Office of General Counsel, Employee and Labor Relations, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office.
Bryan chairs the 6,000-member Employment & Labor Law Network of the Association of Corporate Counsel and in 2021 was selected by the National Black Lawyers Top 100, an elite network of legal experts, for inclusion into its list of Top 100 Lawyers.
Bryan currently chairs the monthly conference of Illinois public university general counsels and has served on many NACUA committees through his years of membership.
In his spare time, Bryan is chair of the Board of Directors for the Southside Community Art Center and also serves on the boards of Just The Beginning and Ready @ 5.
Bryan received his BS from Morgan State University and JD from the University of Maryland, where he was a member of the national Jessup international law moot court team.
Price: $50
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations.
On BOARD: Legal and Fiduciary Responsibilities + Ethical Considerations for Board Members
What are the spoken and unspoken responsibilities of board members? How can board members enact agency to respond to today’s major issues in the nonprofit sector?
Serving as a board member can be one of the most challenging and rewarding volunteer assignments. While appointment or election to a board is an honor, board members have significant legal and fiduciary responsibilities that require time, skill, and resources.
In this session, we will cover board members’ general roles and responsibilities and key fiduciary duties, liability and protection for board members, and corruption and cybercrimes.
Topics include:
- General roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members
- The Business Judgment Rule
- Key fiduciary duties of nonprofit board members
- Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, Duty of Obedience
- Liability and protection for board members, the importance of Directors & Officers insurance
- Corruption and Cybercrimes – Bribery, Fraud, Extortion Considerations
Presenter: Shermin Kruse, Law Professor at Northwestern Pritzker and Negotiation Consultant
Price: $50
On BOARD: Understanding Nonprofit Finances and Financial Transparency
Financial management is not only about bookkeeping. Board members should be aware of ethical considerations regarding money management and financial decision-making. We will talk about financial oversights and transparency in nonprofits, from policy creation and compliance, and safeguarding of assets, to audits, managing cash flow, tax compliance, and filing with the IRS and other government entities.
Most importantly, when pay equity and transparency are a must in the sector, we will discuss significant issues around nonprofit finances and transparency.
Content Expert: Kate Lorenz
Price: $50
On BOARD® Lab: Envisioning the Future Through Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.
Strategic planning can be scary. How to plan in a sector where burnout and putting out fires are the norm? However, learning how to scale strategy and planning to your goals, resources, and priorities can be exciting and an excellent opportunity to build team alignment toward a shared purpose.
We will cover general governance and the role of the board of directors in strategic planning, the advantages of creating and using a strategic plan, how to approach the strategic planning process, and methodologies used for pre-planning and organizational assessments.
Topics include:
- General governance and the role of Board of Directors in strategic planning
- Advantages of creating and using a strategic plan
- How to approach the strategic planning process
- Methodologies used for pre-planning and organizational assessments
Price: $ 50
Content Expert: Brandi Head, CEO Head-On Strategies, LLC
About the context expert
Brandi Head (she/her) possesses more than 20 years of business experience and finance acumen, which she employs while coaching small business and nonprofit clients. She has a passion for helping promising entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders achieve their strategic goals and build solid, thriving organizations. That passion prompted her to start Head-On Strategies, LLC which provides consulting, advisory, and implementation services to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, meeting them wherever they are in their business life cycles. Whether her clients are start-ups or at key inflection points, Brandi is positioned to help businesses develop data-driven strategies and solutions that work.
Additionally, she believes that her technical expertise is only one piece of the advisory puzzle; experience, perspective, and meaningful connection withpeople, organizations, and community complete that puzzle. While working in Commercial Banking (inclusive of Commercial Real Estate), Credit Risk, and Operations Management at blue-chip financial services firms, she has helped business clients and local governments secure financing for their various needs.
As a member of several corporate leadership and project teams, she has spearheaded several key initiatives and has been asked to lead outside of her primary roles, including in Financial Policy, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), and Employee Engagement. Her contributions have benefited her previous clients and employers in terms of growth, cost reduction, and branding.
Brandi has also been a member of various project teams that helped nonprofits with finance strategy, marketing plans, and feasibility studies/strategic alignment. Brandi has an MBA from Purdue University, as well as company-sponsored executive education from Kellogg School of Management. She has served on several boards and committees and currently sits on the board of directors for Red Clay Dance Company where she has been responsible for operationalizing its Finance Committee, including charter creation and policy development, and helping to set long-range financial strategy.
At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy.
One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through On BOARD®, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership learning program. Throughout six sessions, we prepare individuals ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations to understand and own their role as board members successfully.
On BOARD®: Demystifying Fundraising & Designing Inclusive Fundraising Practices
One of the many responsibilities of Board Members is to leverage their strengths to engage donors and supporters. But asking for money and advocating for the support of an organization is scary – for new and existing Board Members. In this interactive Learning Lab, you’ll get to know where the money comes from and gain practical know-how on how you will be expected to fundraise and activate your networks.
Participants will learn:
- The board’s role in fundraising
- The primary uses of funding board members can solicit from their networks
- Principles of designing your organization’s strategic fundraising engagement process
- Tactics for creating a compelling case for support that board members can use to solicit support and advocate for your organization
- How to develop a culture of philanthropy that is intentional and inclusive
Content Expert: TBD
Price: $50
Questions about this event?
Email Constanza Mendoza, A&BC’s Director of Programs, at cmendoza@artsbiz-chicago.org