Professional Development

General Responsibilities

• Establish and amend the Foundation's By-laws
  
• Elect its Directors, officers and committees.
  
• Select, oversee, counsel and assess its President.
  
• Establish and safeguard the Foundation's vision and mission.
  
• Establish and safeguard its values.
  
• Ensure its long-term strength and vibrancy as a family endeavor.
  
• Ensure financial integrity and effective resource management.
  • Establish and oversee investment policies; select asset managers.
  • Establish and oversee administrative policies and budget.
    
• Set high grantmaking goals; ensure their creative and effective achievement.
  • Determine program grantmaking focus.
  • Co-create and monitor program strategies.
  • Determine discretionary grant policy.
    
• Allocate distribution of administrative, program and discretionary funds.
  
• Periodically assess the Board's strategies, decisions, strengths, needs and performance.

Each Director's Responsibilities

• Commit to the Foundation's vision and mission.
  
• Exemplify and uphold its values.
  
• Serve the interests of the Foundation as a whole.
  
• Maintain a working knowledge of the Foundation's finances, operations, program and legal framework.
  
• Faithfully attend and prepare for Board and Committee meetings.
  
• Fully and openly participate in Board and committee deliberations.
  • Questions with an open and curious mind.
  • Respect, listen and learn from others.
  • Maintain independence and objectivity; advocate according to conviction.
  • Strive toward consensus; respect and represent majority decisions.
    
• Actively collaborate in the creation of program strategies.
  
• Positively represent the Foundation to the public.
  
• Engage and inform family members about stewardship, philanthropy and service.
  
• Honor family dignity and integrity.

Responsibilities of the Chair

• Serve as the Foundation's chief officer and spokesperson.
  
• Chair and lead the Board of Directors in vigorous pursuit of the Foundation's vision and mission; exemplify and safeguard the Foundation's vision.
  
• Foster and protect a safe environment for open communication and inquiry; ensure due process.
  
• Facilitate consensus; foster collaborative, creative problem-solving and priority-setting; encourage ambitious long term planning.
  
• Separate role as Chair from individual opinion as a Director; guide separation of Board policy and oversight from staff management duties.
  
• Chair the Executive and Governance Committees; serve ex-officio on other Board Committees.
  
• Work in partnership with the President to achieve the Foundation's mission.
  
• Guide the President in translating Board decisions into management action; support, counsel and serve as the President's sounding board.
  
• Monitor and formally evaluate the President's performance.
  
• Strengthen family unity, foster respect for family history and ensure effective succession planning