Building Sustainable Organizations
Preparing volunteer leaders for effective board service
SECTOR
Association
SERVICE
Leadership Development
FORMAT
In person
The situation
The American Academy of Forensic Sciences wanted to strengthen how new Board members were prepared for their leadership and governance responsibilities. Volunteer leaders came to the Board with different backgrounds and levels of governance experience, creating a need for a more consistent approach to onboarding.
AAFS wanted something more meaningful than generic Board training. The experience needed to reflect the Academy's governance structure, culture, policies, and expectations for its volunteer leaders.
What we did
Springboard worked with AAFS leadership to create a customized Board onboarding program built specifically around the organization. We conducted stakeholder interviews and reviewed AAFS's bylaws, policies, Board responsibilities, and volunteer leadership model to determine what incoming Board members needed to understand to serve effectively.
From that work, Springboard developed the curriculum and practical resources for onboarding new Board members.
Rather than considering the initial program finished once it was developed, AAFS and Springboard piloted the materials with new Board members and gathered participant feedback. What we learned was then used to refine the curriculum before it was finalized for future cohorts.
What changed
AAFS gained a repeatable Board onboarding program grounded in its own governance structure and leadership expectations rather than a generic model of Board service.
New volunteer leaders could enter their roles with greater consistency in their understanding of Board responsibilities and expectations. The pilot and evaluation process also gave AAFS a way to continue strengthening the onboarding experience as the organization and its leadership needs evolve.
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THE SERVICE BEHIND THIS WORK
Strategic Planning
Part of Building Sustainable Organizations.
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