Wednesday, April 26th, 1.10pm-2pm
In this webinar our panel of experts will discuss a real governance issue which an Irish nonprofit has faced and suggest actions to take. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to ask governance-related questions. Book your place here.
This webinar is a live discussion based on Carmichael’s Governance Dilemma newsletter, formerly the Trustees’ Quandary. In each edition, we look at a real-life challenge that a nonprofit Board has faced and considers a range of responses. The scenarios are anonymised so as not to identify any particular nonprofit.
If you would like to sign up to this mailing list, see here.
The panel consists of:
Gerry Egan, consultant and trainer. Gerry works with a variety of commercial and non-profit clients specialising in corporate governance, data protection and strategy and change.
Andrew Madden, Head of Training, Consultancy & Communications at Carmichael. Andrew enjoys working in the non-profit sector where he sees people motivated by a desire to make a real and positive difference. He is particularly passionate about governance in non-profit organisations as he believes that well-governed organisations are best placed to achieve and realise their own objectives to the fullest.
Jillian van Turnhout, consultant, Chartered Director and certified by INSEAD in corporate governance. Jillian has been a CEO, Chair and is an experienced Director (State, Charity and Commercial).
The panel will be chaired by Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí, CEO of Carmichael. Diarmaid has extensive experience as a board chair and a board member in a number of charities and with working with boards and providing governance support and advice. He is actively involved in the Good Governance Awards, Mentoring and the Board Chairs Network initiatives led by Carmichael.
Thank you to all who attended the recent Lunch and Learn webinar.
Please find link to access the recording.
If you have any questions please contact roisin@carmichaelireland.ie
The Position: Board Member (Trustee & Director) with Governance Experience
The board of Carmichael, in line with its succession plan, is seeking to recruit a new board member with strong governance experience to join the Board in June 2023. The candidate should be operating at a senior level in a governance-related role such as Company Secretary or a role related to risk management, compliance or regulation. The candidate should also have a very good understanding of and interest in the nonprofit sector.
There are currently 12 members on the Board of Carmichael with two due to retire and be replaced at the upcoming June AGM. The maximum size of the board is 12. The board meets around 7 times a year. Board meetings are normally held online with at least two meetings per year held in-person in Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 from 5pm-7pm on a Tuesday.
The new board member would also be required to be a member of the board’s risk and governance sub-committee which meets online 7 times per year on a Tuesday from 8.00am to 9.00am in advance of the Board meetings. The estimated time commitment of the board member is 8-10 hours per month.
The initial term of office for Carmichael Board members is 3 years, with an opportunity to serve a second 3-year term subject to Board approval.
Carmichael is the leading provider of governance training and supports to nonprofits in Ireland and has an excellent reputation for the quality of the supports it provides. Carmichael’s Board members have an essential role to play in contributing to good governance in Carmichael itself and the wider nonprofit the sector. As a governance expert, the successful candidate will perform an important role in ensuring that Carmichael operates to the highest governance standards.
About the organisation
The Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups (Carmichael) is a registered charity, established in 1990 and is Ireland’s first and largest shared facility for community and voluntary groups. The Centre consists of around 19,000 square feet of office space located in two buildings in Dublin’s North Inner City. It provides office accommodation, meeting rooms, shared facilities, payroll, IT, training and consultancy support services.
The Centre is home to 44 nonprofit organisations who are based in the Centre. We are committed to building stronger charitable, community and voluntary groups nationwide. Carmichael was founded on the core belief that by co-locating in a shared space and by pooling resources, resident members in our Centre can save time, reduce cost, up-skill and thereby, focus on delivering quality services to their beneficiaries.
We work not only with the 44 resident members who are based in the Centre, but also with 100s of groups around the country. We work with boards and management committees on governance issues and in helping them to implement best practice and quality standards.
We provide a mentoring service for CEOs of voluntary organisations, a support network for board chairpersons, information seminars and disseminate articles and practical guides on good governance practice. The Good Governance Awards, the Carmichael Mentoring Programme and the Board Chairs Network are some of the examples of our work to provide support and guidance to nonprofit organisations.
Using Carmichael’s quality and cost effective back-office services, its accommodation services and its training/ capacity building services enable nonprofit organisations to:
- Focus more attention on their core mission activities;
- Reduce their reporting and compliance costs;
- Improve the quality of their financial information and meet the reporting requirements of funders and regulators;
- Improve capacity, competencies and operational efficiencies;
- Divert the resulting monetary and time savings into furthering and enhancing their frontline service delivery.
Over the last 5 years, we have substantially expanded the scope and scale of the training and consulting support we deliver nationwide to include scheduled training workshops, customised training and eLearning modules. In 2022, we delivered customised training to 2,765 participants and scheduled training to 563 participants.
We are working to implement our current strategy (2022-25), and we aim to utilise and leverage our experience gained over the last 30 years, to implement the necessary actions to ensure that Carmichael has a sustainable business model and that it continues to deliver high quality and value-for-money services that meets real needs of both its resident members and those of nonprofit organisations nationwide.
Carmichael adheres to principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in all appointments including Board appointments.
To apply
Please send a CV of no more than 2 pages and a cover letter of no more than one page through Board Match or directly to roisin@carmichaelireland.ie before March 27th. Your application should detail any relevant governance, nonprofit and Board experience.
Interviews are expected to take place online between 5.00pm and 8.00pm on April 19th and 20th.
For more information on the board vacancy or Carmichael, please contact the Executive Assistant to the CEO Róisín McGuigan at roisin@carmichaelireland.ie.
Carmichael is inviting interested parties to submit proposals to review the overall effectiveness of how our Board does its work and how its structures and processes align with the implementation of our Strategy.
It is expected that through desk research, questionnaire, a series of engagements with the board, its sub-committees and other relevant people from the executive, the consultant appointed will complete their work with a report which contains a series of recommendations to improve Carmichael’s Board Effectiveness.
The closing date for receipt of tenders is February 19th 2023.
Tenders should be emailed to Róisín McGuigan (roisin@carmichaelireland.ie)
Please see Request For Tender document attached for detail.
Board Evaluation Request for Tender 2023
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Read the latest dilemma here.
For an example of a previous Governance Dilemma, see below:
Governance Dilemma
Maria is the newly appointed chair of the governance and nominations committee of a mid-sized charity whose board had been stagnant for many years. When she joined last year, she was the first new director since 2014. The directors were thrilled to have her and created the committee with a view to revitalising the board. Maria’s committee undertook a major piece of work to reach out to the members of the organisation and seek nominations for the board. The Board has 12 seats, and 4 of the current Directors wish to retire from the Board which creates 4 vacancies Maria hopes to fill with new people.
Six great members have put their names forward. Maria is now worried because she hears that all six are thinking they will be elected and they can’t, it would exceed the maximum board size in the constitution.
What can Maria do to avoid alienating any enthusiastic volunteers and to get access to the inspiration and energy that all the candidates offer?
Fiona Coyle’s Response:
The composition of a board influences an organisation’s ability to thrive. Within the charity’s governance code, there is a clear emphasis on cultivating a diverse and skilled board, encompassing individuals with a broad range of backgrounds, skills, and expertise relevant to the charity’s mission and activities. This current dilemma provides an opportune moment not only to manage the influx of enthusiastic candidates but also to strategically align the organisation’s needs with the skillsets and priorities of potential board members.
If not yet undertaken, this is an opportunity for the board to consider the mix of skills, knowledge, and experience required to meet its strategic goals and address current challenges. Identifying the specific skillsets and expertise required to address these priorities.
As the person responsible, Maria should set up a formal process with the candidates, exploring their individual strengths, experiences, and areas of expertise. Through open conversations about the organisation’s needs and priorities, Maria could encourage candidates to reflect on how their skills align with the board’s objectives. Best practice dictates recruitment should not rest solely on one individual; active participation from other members of the governance and nomination committee would be recommended.
In parallel, Maria could also ask the board to explore the possibility of creating specialised roles or subcommittees that address specific organisational needs. This way, even if the board size remains constrained by the constitution, individuals with relevant skills can contribute to focused initiatives without overwhelming the existing structure. This not only retains their enthusiasm but also builds a pipeline of qualified individuals for future board positions.
This dual strategy approach would not only ensure effective governance but also makes the best use of new skillsets to move the organisation forward.
Fiona Coyle has been CEO of Mental Health Reform since 2020. She brings diverse board experience from Ireland and globally, offering valuable insights into various cultures and governance models.
Peter O’Brien’s Response:
I think in many way this is a situation which a Board Trustees would like to find themselves in. In a world of increased governance and understanding of Trustee responsibilities, it can be difficult to get people to apply to join charity boards.
The best thing Maria can do in this situation is to have put in place a clear and rigorous process for Trustee selection. I would suggest that:
- Maria carry out a Skills Audit of the existing Board and clearly identify gaps where Trustee expertise would be very helpful to her organisation. The Audit is a simple template completed by each Trustee to put together a clear picture of where the Board is strong and what new skills it needs from newly appointed Trustees;
- The advertisement seeking applications to become Trustees would have highlighted the specific skillsets which this organisation was looking for. Even in a strong member organisation, I would advise advertising to attract new Trustees from outside the immediate member group;
- Each potential applicant be offered an informed chat with Maria in advance of completing the application process where the skills which were required on the Board would be clearly outlined;
- The interview Board agree in advance the questions which would best allow the prospective Trustees to outline how they meet the skills requirements of the Board;
- Maria ask a Trustee from another unrelated organisation to join the Interview Board and provide an external perspective on the various candidates.
The major advantage of such a rigorous process is that most of the candidates themselves will understand where they might not meet the specific requirements of the Board at this time. Maria might consider asking the unsuccessful members if they would like to join a sub- committee of the Board to use their expertise and understand more about running the organisation. They will also have a roadmap for the type of skills which the organisation will be looking for at the next trustee selection cycle.
Peter is the Chair of the Cancer Fund for Children and a Mentor on the Carmichael Programme.
Amanda O’Sullivan’s Response:
What a fantastic position to be in regarding nominations for the positions, and it is great to have a selection of candidates with an expectation of new and varied skills and strengths that they are bringing. Maria and her committee have obviously engaged well in getting these nominations.
To progress this further and manage the expectations of the candidates a detailed job spec clearly identifying the skill set for that board whether this is business management, finance, HR, governance, risk and compliance or the industry insight.
Maria should link directly with each of the candidates so that they feel valued, and the relationship building process commences. This is an important strategy to support working with the successful and the non-successful candidates, so that their enthusiasm and skills can be harnessed. During this time the nominees should then be asked to submit a CV to assist with the selection process, encouraging them to identify the particular skills that they will bring to the Board. During this direct link Maria should clearly remind the nominees of the fact that there are a maximum of four positions available and that no other positions will be filled at this time and clarify the voting process for the candidates. This process being clearly outlined is essential to manage the candidate expectations. Maria with the Board should review and highlight the other fantastic opportunities that are available to support the work of the Board in order that the non-successful nominees could be encouraged to take up a vital position on a sub committee using their specific skill set. Following the completion of the voting process Maria should link in with the non-successful candidates to maintain that sense of value and worth and to keep open communication channels for future vacancies and opportunities.
Amanda O’Sullivan is the Chief Commissioner of Irish Girl Guides which is a non-formal education youth organisation. She is chair of the Irish Girl Guides Board and has been in this position for three years.
We will be taking a break over Christmas and the New Year.
We will close on Friday 23rd December and be back open on Tuesday January 3rd 2023.
If you need anything from us before then please get in touch.
Carmichael Good Governance Awards for Non-Profit Organisations
The Good Governance Awards recognises and encourages adherence to good governance by nonprofit organisations in Ireland. The awards were developed by Carmichael with the support of our partners and leading national bodies in the nonprofit sector.
The winners of the Good Governance Awards 2022 will be announced at our Awards Ceremony on Thursday November 17th 18.00-20.00 at Chartered Accountants Ireland, Pearse St, Dublin 2. Book your free ticket here!
Shortlist for Category 1; for volunteer only and organisations with an annual turnover of less than €50,000
Shortlist for Category 2; for volunteer only and organisations with an annual turnover of between €50,000 and €250,000
Shortlist for Category 3; for organisations with an annual turnover of between €250,000 and €1 million
Shortlist for Category 4: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €1 million and €5 million
Shortlist for Category 5: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €5 million and €15 million
Shortlist for Category 6; for organisations with an annual turnover of between €15 million and €50 million.
Shortlist for Category 7; for organisations with an annual turnover of over €50 million.
The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday November 17th. Book your tickets here!
Charity Trustees’ Week 2022 will run from November 14th to November 18th with over 20 exciting events for Trustees.
- How Organisational Behaviour Affects the Performance & Effectiveness of a Charity – Monday 14th at 8.30am with TU Dublin (Free, in person)
- Governing with Purpose: A conversation with Brian Cavanagh – Tuesday 15th at 8.30am (Free, in person)
- Cutting Edge Board Meetings – Tuesday 15th at 2.30pm with The Wheel (Free, online)
- Boards, Chairs and CEOs: Roles, Relationships & Boundaries – Tuesday 15th at 6.30pm (Paid, online)
- Diversity & Inclusion in your Non-profit Organisation – Wednesday 16th at 10.00am (Paid, online)
- The Good Governance Awards Ceremony – Thursday 17th at 6pm (Free, in person)
For the full schedule and booking links see: https://bit.ly/3TmviAQ
Charity Trustees’ Week is hosted in partnership by the Charities Regulator, Boardmatch Ireland, Carmichael, Charities Institute Ireland, Dóchas, Pobal, The Wheel, and Volunteer Ireland.
The Good Governance Clinics have been designed to provide volunteer trustees with a relaxed and supportive space where they can freely and easily, over tea and coffee, unburden themselves of the governance related concerns and queries that have been addling and at times bewildering them.
Whilst on the other hand it is about empowering trustees to showcase and identify the good governance practices that they themselves have in place and are committed to exercising. As such, the September clinics will highlight to groups how to showcase the impact of their activities and existing good governance practices through the Good Governance Award, now in its seventh year. The Good Governance Awards (GGA) is a national initiative led by Carmichael that promotes, recognises and encourages adherence to good governance practice by nonprofits in Ireland.
The clinics will be delivered by Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí, CEO of Carmichael and be an hour and a half in duration.
There are four clinics across Munster, sign up below:
Kerry: Good Governance Clinic Tickets, Wed 7 Sep 2022 at 11:30 | Eventbrite
Cork: Good Governance Clinic Tickets, Wed 7 Sep 2022 at 15:30 | Eventbrite
Clare: Good Governance Clinic Tickets, Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 11:00 | Eventbrite
Carmichael is delighted to announce a partnership with Ecclesiastical Insurance to provide a series of free training webinars on the theme of enterprise-wide risk management for nonprofits. Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/r/sNvTmKQAnX
Risk Identification & Horizon Scanning, Sept 7 12pm-1pm
Identifying and managing the possible risks that a charity may face is a key part of effective governance. This webinar will examine multiple risk identification tools and techniques including; Bowtie, SWOT, PESTLE and Horizon Scanning.
Risk Analysis, Prioritisation and Mitigation, Sept 30 12pm-1pm
This webinar will apply a tried and tested Enterprise Risk Management process to; analysis the potential root causes and consequences, assess and prioritise and understand appropriate risk mitigation strategies in relation to the ever, evolving charity riskscape.
Risk Culture Oct 19, 12pm-1pm
Having a strong risk culture will support charities in managing risks effectively. This webinar will explore what can influence and determine a strong risk culture and the benefits and challenges a charity may face during implementation and embedding and how to overcome these.
Reputational Risk, Nov 2 12pm-1pm
Protecting and improving a charities reputation is of great importance, this webinar will set out to provide an understanding of Reputational Risk versus Reputational Risk Management and focus on building resilience through risk management, business continuity planning and crisis response plans.
Introduction to Business Continuity Management, Nov 30 12pm-1pm
This webinar will explore the importance and benefits of Business Continuity Management, roles and responsibilities and introduce the various stages of an effective Business Continuity Management Programme.
Business Continuity Management – Undertaking A Business Impact Analysis, Jan 18 12pm-1pm
The webinar will primarily set out to demonstrate how to successfully undertake a Business Impact Analysis in order to understand a charities Critical Services to respond effectively in the event of a material disruption.
Building A Resilient Business Continuity Management Plan, Feb 1 12pm-1pm
This webinar will help charities to prepare for a rapid response and coordinated recovery in the face of a material disruption, examining a template and contents of a tried and tested effective Business Continuity Management Plan.
Partnerships, Mergers & Due Diligence, Feb 22 12pm-1pm
Collaborating with other charities and organisations can bring material benefits to both parties and importantly to beneficiaries. This webinar will include exploration of tool, techniques and top tips to undertake due diligence activity effectively.
This programme is being delivered in partnership with Ecclesiastical.