Keeping your busy volunteer board of directors organized and on track can be difficult. You need everyone to have easy access to real-time board documents while avoiding information “silos.”
Board management software provides a collaborative way for your team members to share information with each other, gain ready access to high-level information about your nonprofit, manage meetings, and have the ability to store board-related documents.
If you’re looking to streamline communication and create an efficient, collaborative environment for your nonprofit board, choosing effective board management software should be a priority.
What is Nonprofit Board Management Software and Why Do You Need It?
The software review company, Capterra, provides a useful definition of board management software:
“Board management software is a tool that helps an organization’s board of directors manage their responsibilities of strategic planning and performance reviews. It provides a virtual platform for the board to hold meetings, record minutes, share and review documents, and vote on business affairs. It also acts as a database for important documents and information the board might need to have handy.”
One of the primary reasons that board management software is invaluable for nonprofits is that it can bring organization to an otherwise somewhat disorganized group of volunteers. Unlike managing your work team, who are all familiar with your systems and engage daily, volunteer boards are often made up of people with different technological capabilities and only focus on their board work from time-to-time. When you start asking them to use Google Drive, Dropbox, Zoom, and a selection of other organizational platforms, it’s almost inevitable that at least some will fall out of the technology loop.
A streamlined and focused software package designed specifically for the needs of a board is a simple and “single source of truth.” You can keep your board members better engaged when they don’t have to keep hopping around between systems. In a sense, you’re helping your board to help your nonprofit.
Some Broad Selection Criteria for Board Management Software
If you were to do a Google search for “board management software,” you would quickly become inundated with potential options. Some true board management software are built specifically for the needs of nonprofit boards, whereas others are generic packages that claim to cope with board management.
The remedy to avoid being overwhelmed with options is to set some clear criteria for your board management software. It’s something to invest in for the long haul, so it’s worth taking the time to make the right choice in the first place.
What are some broad criteria should you have? Here are some examples:
The software should be cloud-based. With your board spread in different locations, the software must be available anytime. Additionally, people should know they’re always looking at the most recent document version, and the software should be regularly updated. Cloud-based software is the solution because everything lives online and is immediately available to all who have access. This makes it much easier to disseminate important information because people will know to check the software as the main repository of knowledge.
It should be user-friendly. Not all of your board members have the same experience with technology, so ease of use is necessary. The board management software must adapt to each user's skill level.
One of Mission Met's principles for strategic planning is "simplicity," and that’s evident in the design of Causey, our strategic planning software that also has features that can support board management. This doesn't mean there won't be a learning curve, but the software should be easy to learn.
Want your board to adopt new software? This is often difficult when the board feels like it’s just one more thing they have to do. One key criterion in selecting your software is finding something simple to use with clear onboarding tools that facilitate adoption.
There should be a solid support system. The “help” function provided by software makers should never be overlooked. Nothing is more frustrating to a user than when they can’t easily get the help they need. Your choice of board management software should always have a system in place to answer any questions or fix any bugs.
The software should be collaborative. Your volunteer board will usually be working on their various responsibilities in their own time. You can’t allow information silos, or someone won’t have the full picture needed to make key decisions.
Collaborative board management software allows multiple people access to work collectively. It provides everyone with access to the most up-to-date information to add their thoughts or use that information to make their own decisions.
The software should be budget-friendly. Budget is often a primary concern for nonprofits. Consider the cost and ROI based on the software’s features and how it can optimize the efficiency of your organization. Additionally, finding software that offers a trial period can make it easier to determine if the software is the right fit for your nonprofit.
The software should meet high security standards. Your board management software stores sensitive data, and you need to know it will protect your information. Top software options should always prioritize data security and have robust protocols.
Specific Features Useful to Boards
Once you’ve narrowed your choices based on broad criteria, such as those outlined above, it’s time to get more feature-specific. You’re looking for those must-have features designed to help your board manage their work more effectively.
Board management software can help with leadership development, good governance, and, ultimately, help your nonprofit advance its mission. Here are some features that are particularly useful:
Document storage. You'll appreciate this if you’ve ever hunted high and low for a certain document. Document storage keeps all the documents the board needs in a central location. No more combing through emails or clicking around through different storage applications. The right board management software can store everything from policy documents to meeting agendas.
Different levels of access. In most organizations, you want team members to only have access to areas that directly pertain to their work. Board management software with permission controls allows administrators to limit access to various parts of the software.
Access to the strategic plan. All processes and goals should be captured in the software so that boards always have access to the high-level information they need.
Board development and recruitment. If you opt for board management software that can manage the recruitment process and keep track of training, you’ll have a true one-stop shop for board members.
Have an Implementation Champion
How do nonprofits and other organizations successfully onboard new software? One invaluable lesson is to have an “implementation champion” or champions. This is a person on your team committed to ensuring that new software is implemented well. They assess what is needed to set up the software and get all users up-to-speed. The champion also acts as a point of contact for any questions or concerns.
Just like strategic planning, the success of adopting board management software is dependent upon having a champion. You need someone who will be relentless about executing the implementation and encourage team members to use it regularly; otherwise, learning and using new software can result in the members’ “something I’ll get around to later” pile.
Causey Features for Boards
Causey has features that support basic board management such as:
Document Storage and Links. For some of your board members, Causey can be easier to access and utilize than other document-sharing tools like Google Drive and Dropbox. Causey allows you to store documents or links within a set of customized folders, such as:
Board meeting minutes -- organized by date
Committee folders -- keep your committees’ documents organized
Board recruitment -- onboarding processes and documents
Official documents – including bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other documents
Board development – resources and training
Financial information – budgets and spending
Fundraising -- plans and records
Board Accountability. Causey offers accountability by assigning goals and tasks as part of a strategic plan and sends automated reminders about various aspects of a strategic plan to appropriate team members.
Key Metrics. Boards typically love to track key metrics to see how a nonprofit is progressing. The Metrics application allows board members to compile important data, progress charts, and measure progress on their overall strategy and goals.
Document Sharing. You can easily share documents via PDF, spreadsheet, or a view-only link (commonly shared with external funders or potential donors).
Final Thoughts
Board management software can make a massive difference in the overall efficiency of your nonprofit board’s operations. It's a way to gather your critical information in one spot, so no one is left digging around, frantically trying to find the document that could be stored in several systems.
More than that, it’s about visibility across essential strategic endeavors. Board management software provides your board with both the high-level view and more granular detail they need to make decisions. This helps you to advance your mission as effectively as possible.