Board Development Services
Services
  • Write board development plans including Board Diversity Plans
  • Facilitate strategic planning and development of agreements, policies and procedures that achieve results
  • Facilitate Board Training, Retreats and Orientations
  • Conduct Policy Review and Recommendations for current compliance
  • Advise on Board and Committee Restructuring
  • Coach Executive Management and Board Officers in leadership skills
  • Facilitate Team Building processes, specializing in Communication Skills and Cultural Competency

We accomplished more (in one training) than we have in a year.
- former board member, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

I have been with this agency fifteen years and I never have to leave to get more challenge, more opportunity. Now I feel like I will be heading a whole new agency - new name, new mission and new directions.
- Sam Storey, CEO, Community Bridges / Puentes de la Comunidad

Board Development Helps Boards
  • Understand and act with clear purpose and vision.
  • Develop appropriate channels of communication. Adopt agreements and procedures for effective board staff roles and relations.
  • Welcome diversity and retain diverse board members.
  • Increase board member willingness and capacity to raise funds and to represent the agency in the community.
  • Develop easy to understand election procedures including viable recruitment, nomination, orientation, training and retention strategies.
  • Institutionalize new and improved processes and procedures that result in sound decisions based on community standards and legal requirements.
  • Plan for board composition, size and diversity that best fulfills the Mission and serves the community.
  • Develop and document clear agreements and understanding of Board structure including roles of committees, officers and members.
  • Provide annual and special training requested by board and required by current standards and regulations.
  • Conduct Board Self-Assessment to maintain excellence and face challenges.
  • Revise Board Policies and Procedures, Manual and other Board documents, including committee and officer position descriptions.
Background in Board Development
Maria Gitin & Associates (d.b.a) is an independent consulting network based in Northern California serving that region as well as Texas, and New Mexico. We provide training and presentations nationally. Trainings are based on extensive experience and recent research.

The Associates have consulted continuously on foundation-funded Organizational Effectiveness / Management Assistance projects for the past twenty years. The majority of these projects involved board development.

Affiliations
  • Leader to Leader/Drucker Foundation, National Training Team
  • Senior Trainer, Board Source/National Center for Nonprofit Boards Governance Project
  • Faculty and curriculum developer for Executive Director 101, The Management Center
  • The Fundraising School, University of Indiana Center on Philanthropy certificate and selected for Executive Leadership Institute
  • Philanthropy Consultants Network member
  • Strategic Restructuring (Mergers, Alliances and Joint Ventures) - La Piana Associates. Trained to work on pre-merger planning and post-merger integration with emphasis on organizational culture conflict resolution.
Associates Samuel Torres Jr., Esquire and Jeanne S. Hanks, MSW have extensive volunteer and professional experience counseling, consulting with and serving on boards in the public and private sector. All associates have extensive experience with bilingual, bicultural and multicultural organizations.

Representative Clients
Central Coast Center for Independent Living, California Central Coast
Consulted on board and fund development for expanding tri-county, tri-lingual center for independent living. Led strategic planning, trained staff and board in fundraising, diversity and team building, facilitated annual retreats and advised on foundation grants. Resulted in program expansion and increased funding.

Community Bridges / Puentes de la Comunidad, Santa Cruz County, CA
Facilitated Organizational Assessment & Strategic Plan for 20 year old $15 million annual budget human services agency that resulted in name change, new mission statement, internal restructuring, advocacy and cultural diversity and fund development plans. Included extensive training, development of board policy and new manuals, revision of committees, diversity plan, revised by-laws and new election procedures.

Family Service Agency of the Central Coast, CA
Facilitated board and advisory board retreats and planning meetings to develop post-merger integration, revised nominating and election procedures resulting in new materials and policies.

Full Spectrum: GLBT Chorus of Santa Cruz, CA
Trained board in fundraising skills and led plan to develop financial stability.

Gardner (Gardner Family Health Network), Santa Clara County, CA
Conducted numerous board training over three years including Capital Campaigns 101, Recognition and Naming Policy and Board Roles in Fund Development. Torres and Gitin conducted an in-depth policy review and recommendations.

Pajaro Valley Health Trust, Watsonville, CA
Consulted on newly formed hospital conversion foundation board project that resulted in new policies, roles and relations, cultural competency plan. Provided training and policy development guidance.

Santa Cruz Women's Health Center, CA
Led in-depth year long board development project focused on diversity and leadership skill building, followed by eight years of annual campaign consultation and board training.