Your organization was founded with a mission, and a specific purpose to fill a gap in your community. Given the fact that we’ve all officially spent an entire year—quarantining, masking up, and social distancing—it’s about time we come together in-person and regroup to plan for a bright future ahead.
Board retreats play an important role in maintaining the “health” of an organization. Board Members are an integral part of the makeup of an organization. They assist in establishing the organizational mission and prioritizing goals for the organization to reach each year as well as help with fundraising and organizational development. With vaccines becoming readily available and Zoom exhaustion setting in full force, it’s important to convene as a group and reconnect with the mission, vision, and purpose behind your organization.
Given the socially distant methods of communicating many of us had to endure during the pandemic, it is understandable that hosting an in-person board retreat may bring up a slew of emotions such as excitement and apprehension. However, there are ways you can host in person events safely and mitigate risks. Still unsure if a board retreat is necessary? Here are just a few reasons you should consider hosting an in-person board retreat for your members:
Boost team morale
Hosting a retreat is a fantastic way to welcome your board members back together after a year full of glitchy zoom meetings and wordy emails. There is power in being able to sit together in a space and make actual eye contact with one another after such a trying year. Remember that 2020 wasn’t easy for anyone, and it would be an opportunity missed to simply skim over the events of the past year. Take this time together to regroup and support one another as you ease into “business as usual.”
Reiterate the organization mission
After a year like 2020, many companies and brands have shifted their focus dramatically—whether voluntarily or otherwise—in order to meet the needs of their employees and/or consumers. Your organization is no different and might also be in need of a shift in focus. COVID-19 revealed major gaps and deficiencies in the way our society runs, and therefore, it may benefit your organization to come together with a fresh pair of eyes and give your mission statement and its goals a slight refresh.
Reprioritize goals for the agency
Speaking of goals, a board retreat is the perfect time to look at the goals of the organization, assess its priorities pre-COVID, and figure out what areas, once overlooked, may need more tending to. Having a board retreat allows members time to brainstorm new ideas for the growth of the organization and the expansion of its mission.
Encourage networking and socializing among team members
After a painstakingly long year of Zoom, it’s high time for the members of your board to come together for an in-person retreat. With COVID vaccines now available to adults across the country, there has never been a better time to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Better yet, with the weather warming up, the options for where to host your retreat can be expanded to include outdoor venues—helpful for those who are still (and understandably so) wary of being in enclosed spaces with others. Be sure to put your retreat goers’ minds at ease through closely following CDC protocols and having sanitizing stations and agents readily available (i.e. hand sanitizer, hand wipes, hand-washing stations, etc.).
Set the tone for the new fiscal year
With July 1st marking the start of a new fiscal year for many nonprofits, summer is the perfect time to think of hosting a board retreat. A retreat is a great way to start off the new fiscal year with a fresh perspective and renewed energy for the year ahead. Encourage members to reflect on what worked well in the past year, and ways to improve and move those goals forward, while also bringing new ones to light.
Does the task of planning a retreat sound daunting, but you feel its necessary to help your organization move forward? No problem! We are happy to help here at Pink Social Strategies. Feel free to reach out to me directly at april@pinksocialstratgies.com regarding your next board retreat.