League of American Orchestras New Orchestra Governance Center

The League of American Orchestras has launched a new Orchestra Governance Center, offering a comprehensive range of support, strategies, and programs designed to strengthen governance practice in orchestras. Newly developed regional seminars for board chairs, orchestra CEOs, and development staff are a cornerstone of the Center's activities.

As part of the Governance Center, seven orchestra boards of directors - Albany Symphony (NY); Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale (MT); Jackson Symphony Association (TN); Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society (HI); Music in the Mountains (CA); Symphony of Northwest Arkansas; and Wichita Symphony Orchestra (KS) - will receive 2014-15 Orchestra Governance Center Grants, the League announced today.

"High-performing boards are essential to institutional health," commented League President and CEO Jesse Rosen, "and we are delighted with the enthusiastic response we've had both from funders interested in supporting this vital programmatic area, as well as orchestra board chairs and executive directors eager for new ideas and expert guidance. The demand for our regional seminars has far exceeded our expectations, and we will expand their reach in the coming year to meet our members' needs. I extend my congratulations to the seven orchestras receiving Orchestra Governance Center Grants."

Orchestra governance is of particular interest to Lowell J. Noteboom, who recently stepped down as the League's Board Chair after serving eight years in that capacity. The League's newly-created Noteboom Fund will support three years of Orchestra Governance Center activity. $550,000 of the $750,000 fund has already been raised, with the remaining $200,000 expected by the end of Fiscal Year 2015.

League Board Chair Patricia A. Richards said, "We are thrilled to honor Lowell's invaluable contributions to governance work in this way. A strong board of directors is vital to the success of an orchestra."

The Governance Center comprises a full range of programmatic areas and activities geared toward strengthening orchestra governance, including:

Orchestra Governance Center Grants
The seven orchestra boards announced today will receive grants ranging from $3,000 to $5,500. Each applicant's board members were required to complete the League's Board of Directors Self-Assessment Tool, created in partnership with the national organization for nonprofit governance, BoardSource, to help boards analyze and define strengths and weaknesses, roles and responsibilities, and priorities for board development. The orchestras were selected through a competitive applications process that assessed their plan for board development, its long and short term impact, and the measurement of results.

Regional Seminars
The League's regional seminars for orchestra board members and CEOs in Cleveland and New York were quickly filled with orchestras of all budget sizes. A seminar in Los Angeles is forthcoming, and the seminars will be further expanded to additional locations next year. The seminars are presented by leading governance experts and cover such topics as promoting effective relationships between board, CEO, and development staff, improving fundraising, and building purposeful boards.

Board Chair Peer Groups
Orchestra board chair groups feature facilitated discussion focusing on top-level governance and strategic challenges. Topics are self-selected, and include increasing board engagement, CEO performance evaluations, meeting new civic expectations, and facilities planning.

Peer Exchange and Learning Sessions at the League's National Conference
The League's annual Conference features a track of sessions designed specifically for orchestra trustees.

Web-based Assessment Tools
Board Self-Assessment: Helps orchestra boards identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth.

Diversity in Action: Helps board members assess their perceptions around the value of diversity, policies and practices, board culture, and dynamics.

Your Orchestra, Your Community: Roadmap to Success: An assessment tool designed to help orchestras think deeply about their role in community and assess their own readiness for growth and improvement.

eBooks
Available now through Board Source, free of charge to League members:

The Board Building Cycle: Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting, and Engaging Nonprofit Board Members, Second Edition
Building the Governance Partnership: The Chief Executive's Guide to Getting the Best from the Board, Second Edition
Fundraising Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition.
Coming soon: Ethics and Accountability e-Policy Sampler

Webinars
The League provides free webinars on a variety of governance-related and other topics of interest to board members and orchestra staff, including such topics as:

Engaging Your Board in Fundraising
Hitting The Right Notes: Capital Campaign Trends and Fundamentals For Success
Moves Management® and Developing Your Major Donor Pipeline
SMART: Strategy and Money Alignment Readiness Tool

Symphony Magazine, Board Room Column
Symphony, the League's award-winning magazine, features Board Room, a column about governance. Board Room columns have included:

Governance expert Susan Howlett's book Boards on Fire!
League board chair Patricia A. Richards, former chair of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, on the three things board members must do to be effective leaders
A probing interview with Chuck V. Loring, an expert in fundraising and nonprofit governance.

Diversity & Inclusion Resource Center: Free resources on diversity and inclusion for those working in orchestras.

Public Value Communications Toolkit: A collection of data points and storytelling guidelines to help orchestras communicate community impact.

Orchestra Story Bank: Musicians, families, care-takers, and other stakeholders share first-person perspectives on how orchestras interact with communities.

Online Discussion Group: Connects orchestra board members nationwide for discussions and information sharing.

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