FYA Board Performance Review for Executive Director

This form is meant to raise questions as well as obtain your feedback. If you think you need to know more about the ED’s work in a given area before making an assessment, use the comment section to raise the issue. The following Duties and Responsibilities will be assessed. See the ED Job Description which is available for review on the Board Website.

  1. Operations, Planning and Program Development
  2. Public Relations, Communication, Agency Representation
  3. Human Resources, Staff and Volunteer Development
  4. Fundraising, Donor Development and Fiscal Sustainability
  5. Board Development, Relations, and Governance

Please rate each question according to the following options. In the comments area, please type your response so it may be copied and pasted into a final summary document.

  1. Outstanding: Performance over a sustained period of time clearly and consistently exceeds expectations and is outstanding. Both results and how they are achieved are outstanding.
  2. Very good: Performance clearly meets and sometimes exceeds job requirements and significant contributions are made well beyond job demands.
  3. Fine: Solid and occasionally impressive performance.
  4. Improvement needed: Performance is frequently unsatisfactory
  5. I don’t know.

1) Operations, Planning, and Program Development

  1. Works with the board and staff to develop strategies for achieving mission, goals and financial viability.
  2. Networks and seeks guidance from similar, like minded organizations skilled and experienced in endeavors similar to the current programs and goals of the organization.
  3. Builds respect and profile for the organization in its various constituencies. Supports the overall field in which the organization works.
  4. Works responsibly to develop, implement and achieve program goals, and adapt programs as necessary.
  5. Effectively delegates responsibilities to staff, volunteers, and board members (as appropriate).
  6. Comments:

2) Public Relations, Communication, Agency Representation

  1. Serves as an effective spokesperson. Represents the organization well to its constituencies, including clients/members/patrons, other nonprofits, government agencies, elected officials, funders, and the general public.
  2. Establishes and makes use of working relationships with organizations and individuals in the field.
  3. Sees that communication vehicles (social and public media) are developed and utilized well.
  4. Jointly with designated board officers, conducts official correspondence for the organization and executes legal documents appropriately.
  5. Comments:

3) Human Resources, Staff and Volunteer Development

  1. Recruits, hires and retains an effective staff.
  2. Ensures that procedures and organizational culture maximize volunteer involvement.
  3. Ensures compliance with relevant workplace and employment laws.
    Sees that employees are licensed and credentialed as required and that appropriate background checks are conducted.
  4. Ensures that job descriptions are developed and that regular performance reviews are completed and documented.
  5. Leads staff in maintaining a climate of excellence, accountability, and respect.
  6. Comments:

4) Fundraising, Donor Development and Fiscal Sustainability

  1. Assures adequate control and accounting of all funds, including maintaining sound financial practices.
  2. Works with the staff and the board to prepare budgets, monitor progress, and initiate changes as appropriate.
  3. Sees that official records and documents are retained; sees to compliance with federal state and local regulations.
  4. Develops realistic, ambitious plans for acquiring funds.
  5. Successfully involves others in fundraising efforts.
  6. Establishes positive relationships with institutional funders such as foundations, government agencies, churches, corporations, and so forth.
  7. Establishes positive relationships with individual donors.
  8. Comments:

5) Board Development, Relations, and Governance

  1. Appropriately involves board members in decisions.
  2. Carries out the policies, procedures, strategic plan, and objectives adopted by the Board.
  3. Sees that board members are kept fully informed in a timely way on the condition of the organization and important factors influencing it.
  4. Works with the board officers to ensure that the board is effective as a body and that recruitment, involvement and departures of individual board members are effective.
  5. Comments: