My Services
Meaningful Engagement with the Board of Directors
BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer
My 2016 certification as a governance trainer with BoardSource qualifies GRAYMatter Solutions to offer BoardSource proprietary training content and methodology in several critical areas. These include basic responsibilities, effective structure, and engaged fundraising.
We know that mission success, strategic focus, and healthy finances are directly influenced by strong governance. Good governance never just happens; it must be achieved. The good news is that we know how its done! BoardSource focuses exclusively on governance and has done so for over 25 years. Its resources and materials are highly regarded for being outcome-focused, client-centered, and strength-based as well as board-centric. It is not surprising that BoardSource became the “go-to” organization for governance.
GRAYMatter Solutions offer the following BoardSource curriculum:
1. Board and board member roles and responsibilities: Practical guidance on how governance differs from management and how a successful organization needs both.
2. The Board-ED partnership: keys to success in managing the most critical – and one of the strangest -- relationship in the working world.
3. The Board’s Role in Fundraising: How to end the tension and frustration and increase positive financial results through board giving and getting.
4. Board Structure, Organization, & Development: How to align the board internally and externally for greater mission success, less boring meetings, and happier board members.
5. Board Performance Assessment: Learn how your board compares to national and sector standards and best practices. Learn about the Jeremy Bentham Society and why you don’t want to become a member.
In addition to the BoardSource governance curriculum, we offer executive director coaching, strategic plan design and review, ethics education, and income development planning. Edward Gray’s experience as an executive director, board member, foundation program officer, and faculty member at the School of Organizational Leadership at the University of the Rockies provides him with a depth and breadth of practice, research, and wisdom to be your thought partner as you work to have greater impact everyday.
Thoughtful Action with staff and clients
Leading Change
Program Excellence: Change, not charity.
What is your impact? Is this the impact you want to have or need to have? What greater impact do you wish to have? Organizations that focus on making a high impact through a few mission critical programs are those that thrive. Too often programs and services do not have a clear strategic tie to the mission. And while most do, evaluation of programs is frequently testimonial only and not empirical. GrayMatter Solutions works with organizations to help develop sound program logic models and evidenced-based outcomes measurements grounded in data and best practices. Clients learn how to document, deliver, and demonstrate effectiveness in creating positive mission-focused impact worthy of greater investment. Clients receive a (1) program logic model; (2) outcomes metrics; (3) programs/services/field audit; (4) results-based, high-impact messaging guidance.
Strategic Planning: Learn how to toss your strategic plan and start seeing the future.
The future of the organization is the special concern of the board of directors. Too often boards look back and not forward because they lack the time, knowledge, and skills to forecast the future and plan on how to shape it in ways that boost impact. GrayMatter Solutions for Nonprofits does not write strategic plans that fill large notebooks and sit on a shelf for five years. Instead the process begins with an audit of your current strategic planning and evaluation activities. This audit becomes the basis for developing your existing practices into formal strategic thinking and acting, and learning opportunities at the board, CEO, and key staff levels. Clients receive (1) a future focus audit; (2) written Strategic Action Plan; (3) coaching and guidance on acting with forethought of strategy in all governance functions.
Lasting Impact made possible by committed donors
Income Development. High Impact = High Income
Income Development. High Impact = High Income. You need compelling messaging (of 8 words or less) to guide every communication with your individual donors. GrayMatter Solutions for Nonprofits will help you create this message and show you how to move from conducting fundraising as a “not-for-profit” organization into operating as a “for high impact” organization. Such organizations think big, build simply, and act immediately. They abandon the culture of scarcity and sacrifice and adapt a culture of abundance and meaning. This work plan starts with a no-cost 2 hour session with board and staff that will create an impact statement and a compelling donor messaging strategy that each participant can immediately use. Following this workshop, GrayMatter Solutions can provide: (1) a clear, concise, and concrete annual income development plan for cultivating sustainable and diversified sources of income from individuals, workplace federations, corporations, community-based groups, grants and contracts, etc.; (2) a gift chart to focus each fundraising campaign; (3) a board member fundraising expectations agreement; (4) a major donor program; (5) coaching on how to think big, stay simple, and act immediately as a high-impact organization.