Our Team of independent consultants specialize in helping your board and general manager work together to govern and lead your organization. We each offer individual services upon request, but most of our clients access our services through the award-winning, innovative Cooperative Board Leadership Development Program (known as CBLD and pronounced C-build). Early-bird enrollment for 2021 is now open. Click the button below to learn more and contact us to enroll today!
2021 Program Information
CBLD is an annual program of ongoing board support. We are excited this year to offer all-new, redesigned program and pricing options to access our award-winning program of ongoing board support. See the table below to find the right CBLD program for your organization in 2021, and enroll today!
| Program | Who’s eligible? | What’s included? | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBLD Basic | Organizations with less than $3.5 million in annual revenue |
|
$5,150 |
| CBLD | Anyone |
|
$7,750 Early Bird Special: $7,275 if enrolled by 10/15/20 |
| CBLD Complete | Anyone |
|
$9,250 |
2021 Workshop Details
| Workshop | Who Can Access | Cost outside program |
|---|---|---|
|
Virtual CBL 101: Half-day, online version of our premier training for new directors. Offered quarterly in 2021. Cost for non-CBLD enrollees: $75/person |
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete |
$75 per person |
| CBL 101: Full day, in-person training and co-op networking for new directors, focused on foundations of governance.
(Any in-person sessions will occur in fall 2021 at the earliest and are contingent upon the status of the pandemic and public health regulations.) |
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete |
$275 per person |
|
Explorations in Governance Series (NEW!): This multi-session series will examine various aspects of governance, including both practical skill-building as well as exploration of broader governance concepts and issues. Whether your board uses Policy Governance or another approach to governance, this series will offer thought-provoking ideas and powerful techniques to deepen your board’s effectiveness. A complete description will be available in November. Offered quarterly in 2021. |
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete | $150 per person |
Topical Webinars: Our 2021 program will include new and returning topical webinars on a variety of topics of interest to directors, such as:
|
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete |
$50 per person |
| Financial Training for Directors (four-part series, offered quarterly): Consisting of four weekly sessions, this series helps new and experienced directors build knowledge and confidence in monitoring financial health as part of their oversight role. Topics include financial statements and key indicators, budgeting and planning process, evaluating monitoring reports, and developing the ability to spot issues and raise critical questions. Offered quarterly in 2021. |
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete |
$150 per person |
| Director Round Tables (NEW!): Throughout 2021, we will be hosting a series of director round table discussions for our CBLD clients. Rather than a formal training, these sessions will offer a chance for directors from around the country to connect, share ideas, and support one another in the good work of governance. Topics and schedule coming soon! |
CBLD Basic, CBLD & CBLD Complete |
TBD |
2020 In-person Events & Virtual Workshops (2021 Workshops Coming Soon!)
See our events calendar for dates for each of our events.
CBL 101: Participate in meaningful exchanges at one of our in-person events or virtual workshops. The in-person CBL 101 is a feature of the CBLD & CBLD Complete programs and there is no charge for attendance for organization enrolled in the program (check our events calendar for in-person events). The virtual CBL 101 is a half-day, online version of our premier training for new directors and can be accessed by organizations enrolled in any of our CBLD programs. (If your organization is not in CBLD, you can still plan to attend!)
Webinars: NEW to CBLD is a series of webinars. These programs are adaptable and provide an opportunity for you to tune in from wherever is most convenient for you. Each session will help you better understand your role in various strategic processes — financial oversight, policy governance, and more — and build your confidence in doing that work well, regardless of your experience. Don’t miss our Finance Training series, developed in response to popular request!
Financial Training for Directors (four-part series, offered quarterly)
with Brittany Baird & Leslie Watson
This session will help directors better understand their role in financial oversight and evaluating risk and build their confidence in doing that work well, regardless of their experience in business finance. We will explore the different dimensions of financial health, including how to look for both strengths and weaknesses. Topics include:
-
- Seeing the story in your co-op’s financial statements
- Evaluating financial performance in context
- Setting expectations for financial performance that hit the “sweet spot” with the right mix of information, analysis, and addressing non-compliance or underperformance
- Understanding the importance of budgeting and planning
- Knowing how to ask great questions
Sessions will include a mix of instruction and interactive learning. Attendees who complete all four sessions will receive a certificate of completion.
Policy Governance Deep Drive (offered quarterly)
with Rose Marie Klee
Policy Governance is a commonly-used system for structuring board work and can seem deceptively simple. We establish agreed-up expectations, we write them down, we assign responsibility, and we check – WOW, four easy steps! In reality, this system is fairly complicated and requires a high level of sophistication for effective use. Many boards come to believe that they need to tweak or add work-arounds, but we can introduce weaknesses into the system when we focus on modifying it rather than ensuring that we cultivate our knowledge of how to use the system wisely and well. This session will focus on common challenges and how to work within Policy Governance to address them, so that we can have greater confidence as responsible leaders and fiduciaries.
Strategic Process for Top Leadership Teams (offered quarterly)
with Art Sherwood
Strategy is an essential role and responsibility for leaders in our cooperatives. The board of directors plays a key role in the overall cooperative strategic process. To do this role effectively, directors need role clarity and the skills for doing their part in the cooperative as well as building a strategy and strategic plan specifically for the board and its specialized work. Join us for this highly informative online workshop where we will share our key knowledge and frameworks related to cooperative strategic process and the specific steps boards can take to contribute to the whole while focusing on their specialized roles. We will start with building the vision of the future and roll into how strategy and strategic plans are created, and ultimately how these are implemented, communicated, and reported for accountability and celebration.
Being a Great Employer (offered quarterly)
with Michael Healy & Hether Freyer
This webinar will delve into the complex relationship between the Board of Directors and the General Manager. We will explore different facets of the relationship, with a focus on accountability, empowerment, advisory roles, support, and interpersonal skills.