Ready to Lead
2 cohorts annually | in-person | free
Ready to Lead seeks to support and engage historically under-represented people who wish to serve on nonprofit/government boards, committees, task forces, commissions, and other work groups. We seek to increase both the diversity of skilled people ready to serve and the inclusiveness of organizations who deliver services in the community.
Next Session: Spring 2025
Dates: To Be Announced
Time: 4:30 – 7:30 am on each date
Where: In-Person at Rochester Area Foundation
Ready to Start Your Leadership Journey?
You’ve wanted to represent your neighborhood on the association board, serve on a school committee, be part of a nonprofit board or city/county commission but just didn’t feel like you knew how things worked—and didn’t want to embarrass yourself.
Ready to Lead brings together a small group of people to teach the basics of how to participate in and lead meetings, what to expect and how to contribute in a meaningful way, and the roles and responsibilities of board/committee volunteers. You’ll graduate feeling confident with your new skills; have a community mentor, and an expanded network of friends.
If you are ready to take the next step towards community leadership through board participation, we urge you to apply for this free program today. Ready to Lead provides a unique opportunity to build a foundation for engaged board membership as well as direct connections to leadership opportunities.
The cohort will be limited to 12 people.
Session 1 - Board Member Roles and Responsibilities
Objective: Participants will learn the various roles and responsibilities of serving on a board.
Topics include legal and fiduciary responsibilities of serving on a board; relationship of board members to organization staff; policy formation; and the importance of strategic planning.
Session 2 - Board Governance Structures
Objective: Participants will understand what is “board governance” and how it relates to both board member roles and operational staff.
Topics covered include legal and ethical responsibilities of a board, an overview of board governance (principles, practices, and models), roles of committees, and considerations for accepting board assignments.
Session 3 - Robert's Rules of Order
Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Topics covered include the Basic Rules and Principles of Parliamentary Procedure, basic types of motions, and debating and discussing motions.
Session 4 - Understanding Financial Statements
Objective: Participants will understand the basics of financial statements and how to review them as a board member.
This session provides an overview of basic financial reports, insights on how to read them, and key points of consideration from a board member perspective.