Board Assessment Draft Nov 2025

Oversight and Strategic Direction

1. We are committed to strategically planning for the long-term future of the organization, consider this a regular activity of the board, and weigh all decisions in terms of what is best for those served by the organization.
2. We participate in meetings where the majority of the agenda and time is focused on issues of direction setting, policy, and strategy.
3. We take into consideration the immediate and long-term issues and ramifications associated with the decisions and actions that are taken.
4. We maintain sound fiscal policy and practices; we realistically face the financial ability of the organization to support its work.
5. We work to foster growth in the organization based on the ability to understand how the decision(s) interrelated with other Boards, committees, and external organizations.

Decision Making Behaviors

1. We consider our community's needs, wants and preferences in decision-making.
2. We consider the organization's capacity and strategic position in decision-making.
What do we wish we knew but do not know?
3. We consider ethics in our decision making.
What are the impacts of our decision(s)? Are there any intended and/or unintended consequences we should consider and discuss?
4. We tend to want to do more than is possible.
5. We have a tendency to want to leave things as they are.
6. We have a tendency to keep investing in bad strategies/activities.
Programs or services that are not as successful as others, operate at a loss, etc.
7. We have a desire to agree with others and a tendency to overestimate group consensus.
8. We have a tendency to conform to the behavior and opinion of others.
9. We have a tendency to choose what is familiar.

Decision Making Process

1. We make critical decisions with sufficient pace.
This question is about the speed of decision-making. Have opportunities been lost as a result of a slow process?
2. We execute critical decisions as intended.
This question is about the yield associated with decision(s). Are metrics determined in advance of implementation?
3. In making and executing critical decisions, we put in the right amount of effort.
This question is about the effort associated with decision-making. Do we take account the resources required for success and the impact on other initiatives, projects, program and/or services?
4. When looking back on critical decision, we find that we chose the right course of action.
This question is about the quality of decisions made. What are some examples of when the APA chose wisely?