What small investment (in time or resources) could make your board more effective?
JCamp 180’s Leadership Engagement and Advancement Program (LEAP) offers skill and capacity-building training specifically designed for Board Chairs and Vice Chairs, who are uniquely positioned and empowered by their camps to lead, inspire change, and engage their Boards and camp communities. Yet, many board chairs seek additional skills when it comes to nonprofit governance and board leadership. The LEAP program helps fill this gap with a 10-month cohort-based program where participants develop skills and connect to a network of other Jewish camp lay leaders. To date, 86 board leaders from 56 camps have participated in the LEAP program.
In addition to facilitated learning and networking, since 2022, LEAP participants have been invited to apply for a $3,000 grant to enhance good governance at their camps. The grant supports board leaders as they learn to lead and govern their camps more effectively. Camps have invested in a wide variety of projects with this grant funding.
Here are three types of initiatives that made an impact for LEAP participants and that other camps might find most relevant and replicable.
1. Board Gatherings
“The 30+ members that attended the event interacted with each other in a more in-depth manner than we do at our Board meetings. And, it gave them an opportunity to provide their opinions and input into our strategic planning process. I think that they felt more ownership as Board members after this Retreat, which is reflected in the feedback that we requested. This event signaled to my Board that I was serious about improving their Board experience and Board engagement - and there was universal affirmation by the event attendees that our Board should have an annual Board retreat.”
Many camps used the grant funding for board retreats: in-person or hybrid, off-site or at camp. One camp even held several concurrent in-person meetings in different cities to limit travel but benefit from in-person connection. Sessions at these retreats focused on board roles and responsibilities, organizational vision and values, governance reform, and strategic priorities and growth. Camps also used board retreats to engage new members, re-energize the board for fundraising and ambassadorship, and rebuild cohesion and morale after COVID. Many camp boards had been meeting remotely for years, and there has been a widespread need to reconnect personally and strategically. Many board retreats served as an opportunity to distribute swag (hoodies, tumblers, hats, etc.) – not just for appreciation, but to spark board identity and visibility and to encourage community conversations about camp.
2. Board Member Manual
“We have a tradition of greeting people as they arrive at camp with a resounding ‘Welcome Home!’ My hope is that with the committee member manual, all of our camp committee members feel more at home as Camp Committee members and more at home when they are at camp.”
One camp created a 32-page custom manual for board and committee members, which was particularly helpful for non-alums. The manual included camp vocabulary (such as chugim, which at this particular camp means outdoor electives), maps, staff and committee org charts, camp’s mission statement, fast facts, program offerings, governance documents, and committee member brit (agreement). It helped provide a level playing field for all board members by giving them the resources to feel at home when at camp, talking about camp, and reading about camp. They printed and distributed the manual to all board members once it was finalized.
3. External Expertise
“We also used the time before the event for a board-only leadership development exercise using our values. We posted our values on large post-its across the room and asked board members to take individual post-its and write a real-life occasion when we see this value used in camp and on our board. It was a great way to have board members be hands on with the values that we had created a year ago and also as a litmus test that they truly are the values that we lead with as an organization daily.”
Many camps used funding to bring in outside expertise to help further develop their boards. Some grants were used to hire DEI consultants, who led workshops, small-group discussions, and helped formulate long-term visions and processes. Other camps invited facilitators, keynote speakers, or trainers focused on governance, strategy or philanthropy. One camp held a workshop with a comedian/educator to teach inclusivity through humor, which resulted in a new intergenerational community-building plan linking alumni and new families. Another camp brought in a consultant to guide a strategic discussion on launching a retreat center as part of a capital campaign, which led to the creation of a retreat task force to explore business models and regional impact. Finally, one camp brought in an Israeli journalist to facilitate a high-level board and donor conversation on Israeli society, which strengthened shared values and identity around Israel at a critical time.
LEAP grants empower camps to connect with each other, develop skills, and plan for the future. In the words of one participant, “I feel like we are functioning better as a team and have a renewed shared vision for the future of Camp thanks to our recent board gathering.” The larger impact of the grants can be felt through cultural shifts and strengthened leadership across the Jewish camping field.
Which of these ideas could your board implement to improve board engagement and effectiveness?
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You can learn more about LEAP on our website. If you are interested in joining a future cohort of LEAP, please reach out to us to let us know.