Pursuit of Excellence: Board Self-Assessment Tool
The Pursuit of Excellence Board Self-Assessment Tool (POE) is designed to help family foundations understand their current performance as they strive for greater effectiveness. POE walks boards through a powerful self-assessment process to quickly pinpoint areas of shared interest for the group. POE was developed for boards and CEOs seeking to understand their strengths and discover opportunities for improvement. Unlike other board self-assessment tools, POE focuses on the family-specific aspects of governing and managing a foundation. Interested in taking the assessment? Pursuit of Excellence is available at no cost to current NCFP members and for $2,500 for non-members.
Contact Jason Born at jason.born@ncfp.org for additional details.
1. Quickly assess your strengths and weaknesses
Your board members will complete a research-based, industry-tested, 15-minute questionnaire to review your current practices in grantmaking strategy, governance, and other family-specific aspects of managing a foundation. Designed especially for family foundation board members, this customized assessment tool will allow you to compare and measure your practices with the broader field of family philanthropy.
2. Identify areas of shared interest and concern
Based on responses to the assessment tool from your board members (and staff), you’ll receive a comprehensive report providing instant insight into your foundation’s current strengths and weaknesses, and areas where perceptions of effectiveness may differ.
3. Create an action plan for moving forward
Working with your chosen consultant*, you’ll meet with fellow board members to review the results of your POE Assessment Report and identify any areas needing improvement or a new approach. You’ll create a customized action plan for moving forward, with special access to the examples and practices of other family foundations that have faced similar challenges.
*If the foundation does not have a consultant who has been trained in the use of the tool, NCFP will provide referrals. Arrangements concerning consultant fees, scope of work, etc. are to be negotiated solely between the consultant and the foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
View the full list of FAQs here.
Overview of the Assessment Categories
View an overview of the assessment categories here.