What Does the Skookum Board of Directors Do?
Skookum Kids is a non-profit organization, which means that it exists to accomplish a specific public good, does not pay federal income tax, and is governed by a Board of Directors who represent the interests of the community.
Some boards are very involved in day-to-day operations. Others raise a lot of money. Others simply hire a competent director and root for her (a job that’s much easier to describe than to accomplish.) Skookum’s Board uses an approach called the Policy Governance Model as described by John Carver meaning that while individual board members may participate in various ways (volunteering at The Landing or serving on a committee), the board itself only has three jobs.
Safeguard the Values, Vision & Mission
The mission gets all the attention—that’s the job we believe Skookum Kids is best equipped to accomplish—but the organization’s vision and values are equally important. A value is something the organization believes to be true and commits to living by. A vision is our best hope for the future, what we’re working to make true.
Skookum has 5 values:
People First—We believe in walking alongside people as they heal and grow, addressing the root of systemic problems.
Healthy Excellence—We believe healthy people make the biggest impact.
Hope & Honor—We dwell on hope in the future and joy in the present while acknowledging pain and darkness; we choose to tell stories that honor the people we work with.
Radical Transparency—We are committed to relational transparency with each other and with kids, parents, families, and supporters.
Equity—We recognize the value of every person and extend the benefits of family to strangers, especially those who lack power and who have been marginalized.
It’s the board’s job to ensure that, in all of our decisions—big and small—we use these guiding principles to ensure we are choosing in ways that will make our future selves proud.
Skookum’s vision is every child thriving at home. We are still a long way from that. In every corner of our community there are children who are not thriving, for whom home is not a safe and stable place. Each of those children needs something different right now, much of it we can offer. Ultimately Skookum is interested in getting upstream to address the root causes of family hardship, and the board of directors ensure that the whole organization stays focused on doing so.
Steward the Organization’s Assets
Skookum’s very first Treasurer used to open every board meeting with the reminder that, “It’s not our money. We just get to hold it for a while.” It takes some serious resources to serve children and families affected by foster care. The board ensures that the organization is being a good steward of what is entrusted to us, and that the organization’s resources are being put to use in a way that harmonizes with the values, vision, and mission.
Consistent with our value of Radical Transparency, Skookum’s financials are always posted on our website where any member of the public can find and review them. We’re proud that for almost 10 consecutive years we have earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency—the highest rating available—from Candid.
The finances are important, but assets means more than just money. The board also keeps an eye on our vehicles, facilities, good reputation, and most importantly: the health of our staff & volunteer teams. They ensure that we’re living out our value of Healthy Excellence, never trading personal well-being for achievement.
Provide Strategic Direction
All the monitoring is important, but what is Skookum actually going to go accomplish? The board plays an important role in answering that too by providing strategic direction through a document called a Strategic Plan. Most recently revised in 2022, the Strategic Plan describes the critical social issues that Skookum Kids is positioned to address, the strategic advantages that we hope to use, and names the biggest questions facing the organization. The Board regularly convenes staff, volunteers, supporters, partners, and more to evaluate our performance against this plan and to adjust its direction based on changes across the community.
In Summary
The best board members take these three responsibilities seriously, bringing equal measures of ambition and humility to each opportunity. Composed of 7 members, balanced evenly between veterans and newcomers, the Board is always growing, learning, and looking for new and better ways to support the organization as it mobilizes communities in support of kids and families impacted by foster care. If this role sounds interesting to you, email Ray and he can help you explore it.