BETTER BOARDS!LIVE
Level Up Your Non-Profit Board's Impact
Upcoming Events
Time is TBDLocation is TBD- Time is TBDOnline training courseTime is TBDOnline training courseDo you want to attend a virtual Better Boards! director training program? We will use a mix of live virtual meetings (e.g. Zoom calls) over 8 weeks. Join our waitlist and we'll let you know when an online course is available! Until then, please consider joining one of our live, in-person events.
- Time is TBDLocation is TBD
- Time is TBDLocation is TBD
Introducing
BETTER BOARDS!
AN EXCITING NEW TRAINING EXPERIENCE
FOR NON-PROFIT DIRECTORS
BETTER BOARDS! LIVE is an intensive training program for non-profit board directors in Atlantic Canada.
We get calls every day from non-profit boards that are working hard to make a difference, but feel they are missing foundational concepts and need support to get board work more streamlined.
That's why we designed the BETTER BOARDS! program, and its accompanying toolkit of board planners, tools and templates -- everything you need for your dirctor education, to simplify board duties, and run meetings like clockwork!
Join us in-person on Sept 21 and 22nd in Halifax, or another event in your community!
Meet Your Coaches
Bringing you Atlantic Canada's Leading Non-Profit Experts
Jonathan Pendrith
Co-Presenter - Legal
McInnes Cooper
Jon provides guidance to corporate and nonprofit clients on topics including corporate governance, director role and responsibility, charity law, and liability.
Jon joined McInnes Cooper as an associate in 2012 after articling with the firm in 2011. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society.
He has been listed in Best Lawyers® 2022.
Kathryn Cosgrove
Founder, Better Boards! Live & Governance Expert
Kathryn is a well-known governance expert and consultant in the field of corporate governance.
She has spent her entire career helping boards and senior teams align on priorities, make faster better decisions, and level up their collective impact.
She spent seven years as the Chief of Staff and Partner for Firm Governance at Canada's largest professional services firm, Deloitte, and has been a management consultant for over 20 years.
Good governance makes
boardwork a more streamlined and enjoyable activity for volunteer directors -- and helps to keep organizations out of hot water!
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Meagan Halverson CPA
Co-Presenter, Finance
Deloitte
Meagan is Deloitte's Atlantic public sector lead within the Accounting Operations & Advisory practice. She has over 13 years of experience primarily working in the public sector and not-for-profit sector.
Meagan has spent many years in industry working to develop and strengthen the financial reporting and financial operations of the organizations she has worked with and has direct experience working with not-for-profit boards.
Directors are effective when they are curious about how the nonprofit makes money today - and how it will make money tomorrow.
What is the funding used for, and are there risks involved?
Who should attend?
BETTER BOARDS! LIVE is designed for new and experienced board members and Executive Directors. It's great for folks joining a board for the first time, as well as for experienced board members who feel they could use a refresher in the basics.
All nonprofit organizations have a board of directors, whether they are in the community-based healthcare or social services sectors, after-school programs, food banks, sector councils and any other not-for-profit entity you can think of. All the people who sit on boards like this are volunteers, who dedicate their time and energy to carrying out their board work. We believe these folks need to be supported, and provided with high quality information to assist them in their board work.
The Better Boards! Live program is designed to provide foundational governance concepts, take the guesswork out of board activities, and can be applied by boards at any level of sophistication. We provide you with a structured method that will help you get even more organized, simplify and focus on what matters -- and level up your board's effectiveness.
Day 1 Overview
BETTER BOARDS! BASICS, FINANCE & LEGAL
Day 1
8:30 am
Coffee & Networking
9:00 am
Better Board Basics
10:45 am
Non-Profit Finance
12:15 pm
Light Lunch & Networking
1:15 pm
Legal Issues for Non-Profit Boards
3:00 pm
Dealing with Conflict
4:15 pm
Wrap-Up Day 1
Join us a few minutes early for a cup of coffee, and meet to your Better Boards! teammates.
Everything you always wanted to know about non-profit governance (and were afraid to ask)!
Attendees will learn more about the purpose of a non-profit board, how great boards carry out their duties, the relationship with the Executive Director, and the role / responsibilities that individual directors play on a non-profit board.
Attendees will learn basics concepts for non-accountants, how great non-profits manage their finances, and will learn ways to enhance the board's oversight of the organization's financial matters.
A light lunch will be available for participants.
Please make sure you let us now of any dietary needs or preferences.
Participants will learn about their obligations as non-profit directors, and the issue of conflicts of interest. They will also learn about the range of legal risks that often face non-profit organizations, and best practices for protecting the organization and its stakeholders.
Serious conflicts on the board can be a sign of things going very wrong - but disagreement can actually be a mark of good governance.
Attendees will learn why diversity of thought should be encouraged, and how to apply tools and techniques to manage conflict and achieve healthy debate.
We will wrap up with a quick Question & Answer session, and invite feedback from participants on Better Boards! Day 1 content.
Day 2 Overview
BETTER BOARDS! ROUTINES & PERFORMANCE
Day 2
8:30 am
Coffee & Networking
Join us a few minutes early for a cup of coffee, and network with your Better Boards! teammates.
9:00 am
Good Governance As a 'System'
Attendees will learn how all the governance structures, roles, and reporting should fit together, how to design an efficient and effective board system, and how to use meeting agendas to get things done. We will also spend time on important reports that the board relies on for its information.
10:45 am
The Joy of Repeatable Routines
Attendees will learn how to systematize the board and committee work to streamline, simplify and improve board oversight -- without adding administrative headaches.
A key feature of this topic will be the Better Boards! Toolkit that contains a range of planners, tools and templates that boards can use to make meetings more efficient and effective.
12:15 pm
Light Lunch & Networking
A light lunch will be available for participants. Please make sure to advise of any dietary needs or preferences.
1:15 pm
Getting Culture Right
Participants will learn about about healthy board discussions, the role of the Board Chair is fostering positive interactions, and how to strengthen the relationship with the Executive Director.
3:00 pm
The Delicate Matter of Performance Reviews
Measuring performance can be a tricky subject for many people. Attendees will learn about the importance of measuring board effectiveness, Executive Director performance reviews - and how to make it a positive and productive experience for everyone.
4:15 pm
Wrap-Up & Close
We will close out our Better Boards! program with final thoughts and a summary of what participants learned.
Get in
Touch
Say hello!
If you have questions about the Better Boards! LIVE training program, agenda, or general information, don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear from you!
BETTER BOARDS! LIVE is a social enterprise (pending registration as a NS community interest company).
Better Boards! LIVE
c/o/ Cosgrove & Co.
2526 Agricola Street, Suite 6
Halifax, NS B3K 6R3