Board Training

KCARD provides Board Training to mutually owned agricultural and rural based businesses, including cooperatives, LLCs, and nonprofit organizations.

The Board of Directors of any organization/business is an important body that plays the key position between member/owners and hired management. A well-functioning Board of Directors is essential for an organization to not only to meet legal requirements, but also to successfully achieve their goals. In general, boards are instrumental in developing organizational policy, providing oversight to ensure the organization’s mission is fulfilled, and keeping the organization financially healthy. Yet, many boards struggle with how to fulfill these duties in a business manner.

Clients can request KCARD’s assistance in board training and development to help the board meet their full potential. KCARD does not have a cookie cutter presentation for board training. KCARD staff will meet with board members and hired management to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the board. From this consultation staff will develop a training plan to address issues facing the board and to meet the needs of the organization. KCARD staff believes the key to successful board training is working hands on with the organizational board preparing a program that will work to meet their needs. Board training conveys the knowledge and understanding needed in order to be effective as a member of any governing Board of Directors.

Topics KCARD has addressed in previous board trainings include: Conflict Management, Board Members—Roles and Responsibilities, Officers—Roles and Responsibilities, Conducting Board Meetings & Understanding Parliamentary Procedure, and Corporate Records that Must be Kept and Maintained—General and Financial. Example board training presentations can be found in the Presentations page of the Resources section of the website.

Effective Board meeting are important for the success of any organization, and the following are basic elements in having a productive meetings:

• Written agenda
• Copies of minutes from previous meeting
• Financial/Treasurer’s report
• Copies of new information to be presented
• Understanding role and responsibilities of the board and the officers
• Notebook for each board member with copies of policies, articles of incorporation, bylaws, old minutes, and other relevant information

Board members have a variety of responsibilities that must be carried out to be an effective director. The training that KCARD provides is designed to make directors aware of these responsibilities and provide them with education they need to be active participants in board meetings. Below are some of the qualities that a successful board member posseses:

• Use or support the business or organization fully
• Are interested in its performance
• Participate in decision-making and has time for meetings
• Represent the business or organization
• Make good business decisions
• Think independently
• Enhance the organization’s public image
• Promote the business or organization
• Show leadership
• Ensure the business or organization follows its mission set forth in the bylaws Place members’ interests first