What Is Ripple Effect?
Overview of Citygate Network's Program for the Boards of Member Ministries
We have a saying at Citygate Network: As goes the board, so goes the ministry. It means that if the full board is embracing and promoting the mission’s purpose, is in sync with the CEO, and each member understands his or her role in governance, fund development, and volunteer assistance, the ministry will be splendidly successful on every level.
Too often, however, we find that this is not the case. Even when rescue missions that have long histories and powerful legacies of blessing poor and powerless individuals, we generally find problems—some small, some large—having to do with:
Quality of information- Mission-vision confusion
- Fundraising expectations
- Disengaged board members
- Overemphasis on operations
- Legal requirements
- Frequency of meetings
- Polarization of members
- Age/gender/ethnic balance
- Inept CEO evaluations
- Lack of succession planning
And the list goes on.
Not a week goes by that a member ministry doesn’t contact our staff and ask for help with board issues. In fact, in the past the need has been greater than our ability to meet it.
However, in 2015 Citygate Network introduced a program called Ripple Effect. Our desire, as implied by the name, is that this program will grow in concentric circles and wash over all current board members of each participating organization.
Moreover, we want the program to provide a permanent framework for board excellence that will strongly influence each organization’s future board members. But the ripples won’t stop there: We believe that each organization completing the program will then become a model for board completeness and competency, influencing other ministries.
This will not be a program where participants contemplate theory, but one where they produce relevant documents and take numerous action steps, all bringing significant advancements on multiple levels. Participating ministries will even sign a commitment to governance excellence upon completion of the program. The ultimate achievement of Ripple Effect will be a network with members whose boards are unified, focused, and doing the right things the right way—and influencing those around them and those coming behind to do the same.