Board Orientation Success

Get board members engaged and off to a great start!

One of the biggest opportunities you have to ensure your board realizes its full potential and advances your organization’s mission is in orienting new members effectively.

But orienting board members isn't always easy.

Common challenges with nonprofit board member orientations include:

  • They focus on the organization and not governance, so board members don't learn enough about their roles and responsibilities.
  • Time needed to repeat the orientation whenever a new member joins is a burden.
  • It’s hard to ensure every board member receives consistent information. And more.

You're busy and don't have the time to ensure board members get everything they need to fully understand the responsibilities and opportunities of their role. Board Orientation Success is the solution.

Results board members will get from Board Orientation Success:

  • An understanding of why they, and the board as a whole, matter to the performance of your nonprofit.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of the full scope of what nonprofit governing entails, including legal duties.
  • Clarity about their roles and responsibilities as distinct from those of the executive director and/or staff.
  • Insights and inspiration about opportunities for impact and contribution, not just oversight and the rules.
  • Strategies for how to unleash their full potential and apply their unique talents and resources to benefit your nonprofit.
  • An understanding about building the board/executive partnership—information executive directors want every board member to have.
  • Ways to personally apply what is learned and identify their unique talents and resources for the benefit your nonprofit.

Board Orientation Success includes: 5 training modules plus a bonus graduation section. Each module contains a at least one concise (no more than 20 minutes) very comprehensive video session plus a downloadable Action Guide. There are other resources and tools too.

Module One: Get Off to a Great Start!

Module Two: Five Ways You Make an Impact as a Board Member

Module Three: The Four Components of Governance

Module Four: The Three Legal Duties

Module Five: Get Inspired About Your Role as a Board Member

Graduation! Includes some bonus resources for you, the course evaluation, and a certificate of completion.

Here's what executive directors and board members who use the course for their boards say:

"Board Orientation Success has been an incredibly valuable and affordable way for our Board of Directors to grow in its governance role. The fact that directors can move through it individually at their own pace, and when and how it’s convenient for them is particularly helpful and also less expensive than in-person training.

I’ve already seen new board members really benefit from the core guidance and understanding this program offers. Board Orientation Success is now an integral part of our board development tool kit.” Don Burgett, Executive Director, LifeLab

“Board Orientation Success provides an excellent overview for new board members . . .and it is also a great review for experienced board members on how to stay focused on what is important. The program is well-presented and in bite-sized pieces, so it is easy to use and complete. The Action Guides were a big help in digesting and reinforcing the information. I strongly recommend Board Orientation Success as a great resource for any nonprofit board.” Kathy Sullivan, Board President, Morgan Hill Historical Society

"This training is succinct as well as thorough, providing the most critical information to a new Board member as well as a great refresher for existing Board members.

As an Executive Director, I found it to be very valuable to remind me of the range of roles that a Board member can contribute to my organization and how I can better relate to my Board members." Maria Nicolacoudis, Executive Director, Respite & Research for Alzheimer's Disease

“I found Board Orientation Success to be clear and concise. It was easy to use, personal, and thorough. As a result of completing this program, I became much more aware of my role as a board member. I strongly recommend this program for other nonprofit boards.” Jamie Arreola, YWCA, Board Member



Your Instructor


Mary Hiland, Ph.D.
Mary Hiland, Ph.D.

I have been involved with nonprofit organizations for over forty years. I began as a volunteer, helping people with mental illness with practical daily living. I went from volunteer to staff to executive director.

At the same time, I served on boards and went to graduate school. I was a single mom as well, so let’s just say my plate was full.

As an executive director, I led two mergers of my nonprofit with others and ultimately led a mental health agency with 530 staff. I truly “grew up” in nonprofits: from a $100,000 budget to leading a nonprofit with a budget of $26 million.

I understand first-hand the challenges nonprofit executives face day after day. I deeply care about nonprofits and the well-being and effectiveness of people who lead them or serve within them.

After 26 years as an executive, I have been consulting and coaching nonprofits for 17 years. I see nonprofit leaders, perhaps like you, stretching and driving themselves every day.

Effectiveness requires taking action as a result of knowledge. I have several degrees with a focus in nonprofit leadership and governance. My goal is to apply research and knowledge in very practical ways to the challenges I faced and know nonprofit leaders face as well. My courses are one way I fulfill that goal.

My gift is drawing on an understanding of people, leadership, boards and nonprofit dynamics to tackle challenges and provide solutions.

With 17 years of experience serving on boards, I know the incredible value effective boards bring when they work in strong partnerships with their executive directors. But I know the other side too—the challenges faced when a board is not as engaged, resourceful, strategic, or supportive as executives need and want it to be.

A bit more:

Mary is a speaker, published author, and researcher. She has presented at numerous conferences, conducts workshops, and has taught at San Jose State University. She is a contributing author to four books on nonprofit leadership including: You and Your Nonprofit Board (2013) and Leading and Managing in the Social Sector: Introduction and Overview (2016).

Learn more about Mary by visiting her website: http://www.hilandconsulting.org/meet-mary/more-about-mary/.




Course Curriculum


  Module One: Get Off to a Great Start!
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Module Two: Five Ways You Make an Impact as a Board Member
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Module Three: The Four Components of Governance
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


Who is this course for?
This course is for nonprofit organizations whose leaders are committed to providing a consistent and comprehensive board orientation program. This program provides all new and existing board members what they need to know about their roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for impact! This course serves as the governance component of your nonprofit's board orientation.
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and won't end until you complete it. You can take as long as you like and you can revisit any Module anytime.
How long do I have access to the course?
All the staff and board members of your nonprofit will have unlimited access ongoing (forever!) across any and all devices they own, until they are no longer with your nonprofit. The course is copyrighted and can only be accessed by your staff and board members.
How long is the course?
The course is structured in bite-sized lessons so it is very accessible and easy to use. The total combined duration of the training videos is 65 minutes; most average 10 minutes and the longest is 20 minutes. Though short, these lessons are packed with information you can use right away. People using the course report that completing the videos, the Action Guides and homework takes an average of 3 hours.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you have are not satisfied with the course within 30 days of your purchase, contact us and we will give you a full refund.

Get started now!