independence today

For Your Benefit
For Directors Only
Feed back/polls

The Nine Functions of CIL Success Illustrated

By Ron House

In the first article "For Directors Only" the importance of research was discussed. The nine functional areas identified from the research were defined as to their importance in understanding the functions of the CIL organization and your role as the executive director to achieve success as a manager of the CIL.

What is important to organizational success is the ability to set, manage, and achieve organizational goals. Research data from the RR & T Center for Independent Living Management study of CILs suggests that the nine functional areas identified from the research are of paramount importance in understanding the functions of a CIL service delivery model. Knowledge of the nine functional areas is important in the management development, the content of orientation programs for managers, staff, board members and government officials on the functioning of CILs, and for designing evaluation and accountability standards.

The nine functions of CIL organizations identified in the initial article: I.L. philosophy, financial management, program and services, community relations, human resource management, resources, administration management, consumer involvement, physical plant management, governance and board affairs. Each of the areas defined is further refined, but not all inclusive, for your review and application as follows:

I.L. Philosophy

a. Ensuring a vision of the future,
b. Establishing the organization's guiding values,
c. Adopting a mission statement that identifies the organization's beneficiaries, defines the general business the organization is in and defines the end result sought from the organization's efforts,
d. Adopting short term and long term goals,
e. Monitoring the progress of the plan.

Financial Management

a. Understanding and approving fiscal reports,
b. Approving the annual budget,
c. Monitoring the budget against actual fiscal performance,
d. Overseeing the annual audit,
e. Overseeing the management of investments,
f. Complying with not-for-profit laws and regulations.

Program and Services

a. Ensuring programs are consistent with the mission,
b. Approving all program plans annually,
c. Evaluating programs, d. Monitoring program accomplishments.

Community Relations

a. Contributing to the organization,
b. Creating a development plan,
c. Monitoring the plan.

Human Resource Management

a. Setting personnel policies,
b. Determining the need for an executive,
c. Developing the executive job description,
d. Hiring and supervising the executive,
e. Complying with all employment laws,
f. Establishing an affirmative action plan,
g. Monitoring the organization's compliance with laws and policies,
h. Acting as a court of last resort,
i. Acknowledging the executive as the head of the staff for the organization and the person who is responsible for hiring and supervising all employees.

Administration Management (Information Management)

a.Determining what kind of information is needed,
b. Determining who needs the information,
c. Ensuring the organization can generate that kind of information,
d. Using the information for planning, decision making, and oversight.

Consumer Involvement (Marketing and Public Relations)

a. Knowing the organizations markets,
b. Knowing how well these markets are being reached and served,
c. Linking your organization to external markets,
d. Publishing an annual report.

Physical Plant Management

a. Provides a healthy and safe environment,
b. The organization demonstrates that self-inspections are done in a timely manner twice a year and in writing,
c. The organization complies with government regulations and has an emergency management plan.

Governance and Board Affairs

a. Assuring continuity through the nomination process,
b. Defining itself through the bylaws,
c. Develop job descriptions for board members of duties and responsibilities,
d. Maintain clear lines of authority, responsibility and communication between the volunteer board and management/ staff,
e. Evaluating board performance,
f. Take action for board improvement.

The next column, will be explore Governance and Board Affairs in-depth as a management function of an Independent Living Center.

*****

Ronald B. House, Ph.D. is a researcher, educator and consultant on not-for-profit organizations and was on the faculty of Cornell University, NYSILR and NYS Human Ecology. He is the author of several management simulations on Independent Living.

PLEASE NOTE: PORTIONS OF THIS WEB SITE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

ILUSA.Com