Organizational capacity
Internal FUnctions
Organizational capacity primarily concerns the inner workings of a group. Researchers and other writers have long explored the question of what makes a good group tick. For our purposes, we have identified five practices that build off of membership capacity and help groups accomplish more through getting volunteers (and occasionally staff) to work together. These include:
Policies: Efforts are made to record, follow, discuss and improve how the organization conducts all of its business (financial, volunteer / staff management, public relations, etc.).
Defined Roles: Volunteer and / or staff roles are clearly defined within the organization, including clear expectations for leadership and a timeline setting the commitment for different tasks.
Conflict Management: There is a known set of actions that addresses what steps will be taken to resolve disputes if there is a conflict of interest or disagreement between members of the organization.
Media Management / Outreach: A communication plan is in place that designates spokespersons for the organization and a plan for regularly updating local media about efforts of the organization.
Access to Advisors: A group of technical experts, community leaders, and others who can speak to water management issues are identified and have agreed to be available to support the organization.
One way organizations often look to assess and build their organizational capacity is through strategic planning. A good strategic plan will summarize (among other things) the group’s intentions to follow through on the five aspects of organizational capacity listed above.
Capacity Toolbox
Position Descriptions
Having position descriptions helps formalize roles and clarify expectations.
Here is an example board member position description from BoardSource.com.
Click the links below for position description (PD) examples.
Board Service Agreement
Example Board Service Agreement (provided by BoardSource.com)
Evaluation
To have an effective board, each member must know what they are expected to contribute. Too many times, board members attend meetings but may not contribute much beyond that. One issue many board members face is not having enough time to contribute in ways that they would like. Another reason they may not contribute is because they are not sure of the organization’s expectations.
As a board member, it is useful to get feedback about how you’re doing, as well as have the opportunity to share impact and ask questions. Because most board positions are for two years, it may be helpful for the Chair or a designated committee member to have a quick (15-minute), informal check-in within the first six months to ensure understanding and provide specific feedback. Before the meeting, provide the board member with a short list of questions for them to think about, such as:
- How are you feeling about the operations of the board? This question allows the board member to voice any concerns.
- Are you comfortable with the expectations of your board position?
- Do you have all the information and tools necessary to fulfill your role on the board?
- What can I/we do to help make sure you succeed in your role?
Having answers to these questions can help guide your conversation and make this check-in productive.
As the person meeting with the board member, here are some questions you may want to think about ahead of time:
- Was this board member recruited/invited to join the board due to specific skills or experience?
- Were they provided a position description at the start of their service?
- Have they had any successes worth celebrating?
- Do they need more guidance or support?
To learn more about how to enhance board member participation, read the Lake Tides article from spring 2021.
Skills Gap Analysis
If you know what skills are needed for your board to be effective, you will invite the right people to join your board. A simple gap analysis, or board matrix, helps pinpoint the best candidate for each position. It can also help identify what skills are already present on the board and what is lacking.
Funding
Apply for funding for planning and organizational development with the Wisconsin DNR’s Surface Water Grants.
Internal organizational capacity articles (from your Lake Tides newsletter)
Please be patient as we work to update links to these past newsletter articles.
For more information about organizational capacity for lake groups in Wisconsin contact:
Sara Windjue, Leadership and Capacity Development Specialist
(715) 346-3212 or sara.windjue@uwsp.edu
Extension Lakes
College of Natural Resouces, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
800 Reserve St. Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
Phone: 715-346-2116
Direct comments to lakes@uwsp.edu