ELEVATE
ELEVATE is a user-friendly online leadership and professional development program specifically for boards of directors and executive directors in the nonprofit sector. This flexible modular-based program can be accessed whenever, wherever, and in whatever order you choose – the choice is yours! ELEVATE is an excellent way to strengthen your knowledge of governance best practices, better understand the roles and responsibilities of the board, and build a high-performing board.
This program is intended for nonprofit boards of directors and executive directors.
ELEVATE is available at no cost to COMPASS eligible organizations.
ELEVATE
An effective board is integral to having an effective, thriving nonprofit organization. However, some directors may have questions about trends, roles, and responsibilities, as not everyone comes to the table with this knowledge.
ELEVATE is a leadership and professional development opportunity for nonprofit board directors that will support you in your role of leading and governing an organization. The knowledge learned will help your organization to maintain a standard of excellence by:
- Increasing organizational capacity and sustainability with knowledgeable leaders governing the organization.
- Ensuring the board is aware of their responsibilities and best practices in order to meet expectations of accountability and responsibility standards.
- Demonstrating the organization’s commitment to continuous learning, capacity building, and innovative thinking.
ELEVATE consists of modules that cover a wide array of governance topics, are interactive and encourage discussion, provide multiple resources, and the best part – you choose the topics that you would like to learn more about. Have questions about recruiting board directors, take the Recruitment and Succession Planning of Board Directors Module. Have questions in other areas? Find the module that best fits your needs. Remember, you have a one-year subscription and can go in and out of the program as often as you want.
By signing up for ELEVATE, you receive a one-year (1) subscription to the program, so you can go back and reference the modules at any time.
There are 14 modules that you can choose from in ELEVATE covering a wide variety of topics including:
Whether you are a director for the first time or a seasoned veteran, this module will help you better understand what it means to be an active director of a nonprofit board. Reflect on the skills and strengths you can contribute to the board, examine any biases you may have, and how they may impact you in your role.
Explore the workings of a nonprofit corporation including governing document requirements, various board governance models, the difference between governing and managing, and bylaw, policy, and procedure development and review.
Enhance your knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of individual board directors, the shared roles of the executive director and board, and take away tools to help you fulfill your role as an effective board director.
Learn more about the different types of board committees and how they are structured; various board committee roles and responsibilities, and how a committee can support the board.
Learn about the key steps in recruiting and onboarding your next executive director, how to develop a succession plan, and how to determine fair and reasonable executive director compensation.
Increase your knowledge about performance management, how to support the executive director, and use the provided tools for implementing a performance evaluation.
Developed in consultation with MLT Aikins, this module outlines the legal responsibilities of a director, ways that directors can protect themselves from liability, and provides tools to help you fulfill your role as a director serving on a nonprofit board.
Developed in consultation with MNP, this module outlines the financial responsibilities required of a board director, best practices in financial governance, ways to diversify your organization’s funding, and provides tools to help you fulfill your role as a financial steward of the organization.
Increase your confidence with reading and understanding financial statements, know what questions to ask when reviewing financial reports, and strengthen your financial literacy skills as it pertains to a board director’s role.
Learn more about the essential components of strategic leadership, what is involved in creating a strategic plan and moving it into action, and best practices for strategically leading and planning for the future.
This module identifies best practices in preparing for the transition of board directors, creating an inclusive and diverse board, building and maintaining an inclusive board culture, and developing a board succession plan.
Ensure your board and committee meetings are effective as they can be. This module covers developing agendas and consent agendas, ways to ensure an effective meeting process, and provides tools for hosting virtual and hybrid meetings.
Further explore the annual general meeting process, how to develop the agenda, and review tools for hosting a virtual AGM that demonstrates transparency, accountability, and ensures good governance.
This module is designed to guide good boards to become great boards by providing tools to measure board effectiveness, suggestions to increase board engagement, opportunities for board development, and highlights the characteristics of high-performing boards.
- No, the number of modules that you finish, is completely up to you – take the modules you want, when you want. However, each module does provide best practices and the opportunity to pause for reflection, discussion, to download valuable resources, and to complete learning exercises. If you do decide to complete all modules, you will be provided a certificate of completion.
- Yes, the modules within ELEVATE are designed for new and seasoned board directors, with the latest information on trends, practices, and considerations. Revisit the modules at any time. Enroll new board directors into the program as they join the board.
- Absolutely! Each module contains customizable templates that your organization can adjust to fit its specific needs. They can also be found in the Resource Section at the end of the ELEVATE program for easier access.
Yes! ELEVATE is flexible – you choose the topics that you would like to learn more about.
COMPASS funding is available to SARC Regular and Associate Members, as well as Affiliate Members with CLSD funding.
COMPASS funding will cover the registration fees for your organization’s board of directors to have a subscription to ELEVATE.
In order to receive this funding, organizations must:
- Register a subscription administrator at your organization for the course.
- Use your COMPASS code at check-out to access this training at no cost.
- Have all registered board directors complete the annual evaluation which will be emailed to them.
- Have the executive director complete the annual evaluation which will be emailed to them.
As a requirement of CLSD COMPASS funding, SARC must report on training satisfaction rates. As a result, we ask that all learners complete individual program evaluations. The ELEVATE evaluation will be sent annually to all learners. Your feedback will also be used to ensure that SARC continues to provide the best training possible.
How to Register
From the ELEVATE page, follow these steps:
How to Renew
If you wish to renew your ELEVATE subscription for an additional year, please email us.
