The management structure or system you will use to run your program is an important first step for all afterschool and expanded learning programs (Weiss & Little, 2008). If you are starting a new program, now is the time to start thinking about its organizational structure. If your program is already established, revisit your management structure to determine whether it is effective. The two levels of program management are central management, which oversees all programs and facilities, and local management, which oversees on-site, day-to-day operations. A successful program needs both hands-on, site-based management and regular oversight and accountability of all partners.
No one “right” management structure exists. In fact, you can select from a range of successful management designs, from a centralized decision-making structure (with one individual as the primary decision maker, usually overseen by a board of directors) to a group decision-making structure (with an advisory group or board representing different stakeholder groups sharing decision-making power).
If you are managing multiple sites, it is important to ensure that you have a system for managing the activities that occur at each site. Strategies to ensure that all partners and participants across your afterschool and expanded learning sites are operating consistently and effectively include developing shared forms; issuing common program guidelines and procedures; meeting and planning events and activities together; providing shared professional development experiences; hosting joint or exchange events; and, if possible, having a common advisory or governing board with representatives from each site.
As you think about your management structure, you’ll need to think about the two kinds of boards that are involved in the governance of your program—the board of directors and the advisory board—and how they might interact. Your program may have one or both types of boards depending on whether you are an independent 501(c)3 organization, an affiliate of a larger organization, part of a district, or part of a larger organization.
What is a board of directors? If you are an independent nonprofit organization, you have likely already established a board of directors. This group will play a key role in decision making and typically will oversee the executive director in a program that uses a centralized management structure. The board of directors is responsible for program oversight and is ultimately responsible for its success or failure. Some boards are hands-on and get very involved in program decisions, whereas others focus more on fundraising and budget management and leave program decisions primarily up to the staff. They can be composed of individuals with different expertise or resources depending on the needs of your program. For more information on board development, see the National Council of Nonprofits , the Foundation Center , or Board Source . You also can access resources for board development in your community.
What is an advisory board? In contrast to a board of directors, an advisory board’s primary role is not governance; it is guidance, advice, support, and partnership. Advisory boards bring together multiple perspectives with a shared mission for the afterschool and expanded learning program. The advisory board provides valuable guidance about program direction and operation and can be a vehicle to support collaborative relationships. Offering collaborators a seat on your program’s advisory board signals your eagerness to involve them fully in the program’s work, and it gives your collaborators a chance to stay up-to-date about the full scope of the program’s operations—not just the specific area in which you are working together. Finally, involvement on the advisory board encourages buy-in from your partners, which helps foster a sense of shared purpose. In some programs, the advisory board may act simply as a sounding board—a place to seek advice. In others, the board may play a role in decision making. Its exact role may depend on the stipulations established by your partnership or funding source, but you also may determine the role of the advisory board based on the input and commitment it shows in the early stages. Potential advisory board roles and duties include making programming suggestions, creating job descriptions and hiring procedures, drawing up program operational policies, addressing community needs and requests, offering advice in funding allocations, fundraising, monitoring the effectiveness of the program, marketing the program, developing business plans, and establishing partnerships.
Advisory boards can be approached in a variety of ways so that they are useful and not a burden on staff time, particularly for senior management. Some programs have a mixed advisory board composed of representatives from all their key stakeholders: families, program providers, teachers and school staff members, community partners, city government representatives, and funders. Both advantages and disadvantages to this approach exist. The benefit is that you can get lots of input from many different people all at once. The drawback is that they may have conflicting interests and may provide contradictory guidance.
Another approach is to develop several small advisory groups—one for families, one for partners and program providers, and one for funders and other key investors (including schools if you are a school-based program). This can be a good approach if you have conflicting viewpoints to manage, desire feedback that is more intimate, or need to ensure that your entire group of stakeholders is heard (often the case in newer programs). Use Tool 1: Defining Advisory Board Purpose and Tool 2: Partnership Planning Worksheet to guide the development of your board.
Whether you have one large board or multiple small ones, advisory boards usually include a variety of representatives, such as school administrators, teachers, family members, community members, business leaders, local politicians, and youth. Regardless of the membership of your group, many strategies can be employed to create a productive, supportive advisory board. Recruit members for your advisory board while you are still planning your program and get their input on how to start the program. They likely will have good suggestions; having them on board from the beginning helps give them a feeling of program ownership. Use Tool 3: Invitation for Advisory Board Member to reach out to potential members. You also should make sure to include individuals who helped conceptualize the program or were active in advocating for the program. These early adopters are likely to be great advocates for the program. Attempt to include a diverse array of opinions and types of people so that you get a representative sample of members’ views. Likewise, think about your members and plan meetings according to their needs. For example, have meetings at a consistent time so that individuals can work around their other commitments and plan ahead. For groups that involve families, consider holding your meetings in the evenings and providing food and child care. If your advisory group is primarily made up of partners and does not include families, consider having your meetings during business hours when the partners might be more likely to attend. Consider providing translation services, if necessary, for non-English-proficient speakers. If you have youth on your board, be sure to treat them as full members of the board. For example, hold meetings at times they are able to attend (i.e., not during the school day), give them specific and meaningful roles and jobs, and allow them a full vote. Decide on the size of the group; more than 15 to 18 members may become unwieldy. Before each meeting, create an agenda and a list of meeting goals to focus the group and increase efficiency. Use Tool 4: Template for Advisory Board Agenda to help create an agenda for meetings. During meetings, discuss current or upcoming activities, program needs, policies, evaluation results and changes to the program, concerns, and suggestions. Invite program staff members to attend and share positive stories about what is happening as well as answer specific questions and share needs. Create subcommittees for specific needs, such as planning special events, fundraising, and hiring staff members and volunteers. Always have enough materials for all participants. After each meeting, send all members a copy of the minutes and a summary of any next steps or action items that were determined. Remember to keep detailed records of the advisory board’s activities and membership.