Dear Chapter members,

The Board of Directors of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) – Ontario Chapter hereby gives notice that the 22^nd Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held:

Date: Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM, with a Learning Event to follow until 12:00 PM
Location: Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (LKSKI), Room 136, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto ON M5B 1T8
Registration URL: TBA

Why Attend the AGM?

The AGM is a great opportunity to:

• Network with Chapter members;
• Elect new board members and approve any bylaw changes;
• Learn more about the closing year FY 2017 activities;
• Receive and review the Audited Financial Statements including the Auditor’s Report;
• Hear about plans for the upcoming year; and
• Participate in the annual Learning Event.

Recent year’s Learning Events have included workshops on Performance Measurement, Storytelling, LEGO® Serious Play Facilitation, and Appreciative Inquiry.

This year, the Learning Event at the AGM will be related to strategic planning for the CES Ontario Chapter’s upcoming Integrated Strategic-Operational Plan 2018-2023. Our consultants, SN Management, will be designing a consultation exercise for members and the public in attendance. This is your chance to get engaged with CES Ontario at a deeper level, so we hope you’ll join us! They will also have an opportunity for members not participating at the AGM to contribute, so watch out for announcements.

Electing your Board of Directors

A key component of the AGM is electing new board members. Joining the Board of Directors is a wonderful opportunity for interested evaluation practitioners to help develop and deliver services to members, as well as promote and strengthen closer ties with peers. Subsequent to the Annual General Meeting, as per the Chapter bylaws, the Board of Directors elects and/or appoints Board Officers (President, Treasurer, Secretary, National Representative and Past President) and committee chairs to serve the association. CES Ontario’s Officers serve for a 2-year term running January – December, allowing for transition time of new directors over the summer after the AGM.

Nominations for 2018-21 Term

This year the CES-Ontario Chapter has five (5) vacancies for directors. Chapter members who meet the following requirements are strongly encouraged to apply:                 

1. Be a CES Ontario member in good standing; and
2. Leadership experience serving on a non-profit board and/or previous experience serving with a CES Ontario committee/ board; and
3. Ability to commit for a 3-year term in a working board. This means scheduling 8-10 hours of time per month for Board and Committee activities; and
4. Passion and experience in one of the following areas which will help guide the association’s activities over the next 3 years:

• Academia or professional development and training
• Finance & budgeting
• Non-profit development & leadership;
• Public health management & evaluation;
• Fundraising for non-profits;
• Organizational development;
• Marketing and promotion;
• Accessibility & legal compliance.

Specifically, we are recruiting directors for the following Board positions:

1. Co-chair, Professional Development Committee (see Appendix 1 for a role description). CES Ontario members, in the universities and colleges sector and/or in the private training and development sector, who have experience in curriculum review, delivery, quality improvement, are encouraged to apply.
2. Treasurer-in-training to support the current Treasurer role (see Appendix 2 for a role description) and transition to the Treasurer role in the next 2 years. Members experienced in understanding financial statements, preparing or reviewing budgets, and interested in expanding their knowledge in this area are encouraged to apply.

What you need to know

Our Structure: As a working board, our directors act as departmental heads for their areas. The Executive Committee, led by the President oversees day-to-day operations performed by our staff/ contractors. Committee Chairs are responsible for overseeing their work plans and specific targets are set annually by the Board as a whole. The Board meets virtually ten (10) times per year except July and December via GoToMeeting. However, the Board may hold occasional in person meetings in the Greater Toronto Area.

Our Culture: We respect diversity and different perspectives. As an association, we pride ourselves on balancing due diligence and evidence-informed decision making with pragmatism and risk taking.

Your Engagement: Board members serve a three-year term and typically spend 8-10 hours per month on Board initiatives. Officers and committee chairs, in leadership positions, may spend up to 25 hours per month on Board initiatives. This is a purely voluntary role for which there is no financial remuneration.

Directors are expected to be engaged, attend monthly meetings, participate in cross-functional teams or on committees, or lead special projects. As CES Ontario grows in influence, there will be opportunities to serve on working groups externally with stakeholders as well, along with opportunities to build partnerships.

In order to bring new directors to speed, we provide trainings in all key areas of the association’s business, board policies and procedures manual and a mentor/ buddy from among the veteran directors. We’re there to guide and help, but we expect directors to take ownership and be proactive about learning about the association and its work.

An important note: Director turnover is a key issue for all non-profits. On average, we recruit 5 new directors (38%) per year. At least 2 directors retire every year as their terms come up (we have staggered terms). Another 2-3 leave their terms early due to a variety of reasons e.g. new job responsibilities, personal reasons, etc. To minimize turnover, we want to ensure that we educate potential directors as to the reality of volunteering for CES Ontario. You will contribute to decisions that impact the association but you will be expected to miss no more than 3 meetings per year, barring extenuating circumstances. A substantial amount of work will occur in-between meetings and via email and Dropbox.

Board Member Benefits

The Chapter recognizes directors’ volunteer service to the association. We understand that members volunteer for different reasons, ranging from the chance to give something back to the community to providing an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, what unites us all is that we find our work both challenging and rewarding.

Directors participate in group-based training on financial oversight, governance, strategic planning, project management or any other topic the Board determines. Individual directors are eligible for either $250 per person for training and development of their choice reimbursed by the Chapter, or for an early-bird ticket to the CES National Conference (a $575 value) upon completion of one year of service.

I’m interested. How do I proceed with my nomination?

Submit the following to nominations@evaluationontario.ca by Tuesday, May 29, 2017 at 11:59pm.

1. Completed nomination form (available as a PDF);
2. Brief Cover Letter (750 words or less) outlining:

• Why you’re interested in volunteering on the Board of Directors;
• Leadership experience and passion; and
• If you’re applying for a specific role or with sector expertise.

1. Current resume including volunteer and board experience; and
2. Two references.

How are Board positions filled?

Once nominations for vacant positions are received, the Nominations Committee will review all applications for eligibility. Applicants may be invited for an interview with the Nominations committee. As per Chapter bylaws, a full complement of the Board has thirteen (13) members. Please refer to the Chapter bylaws for more information.

A complete Slate of Nominees will be presented to the CES Ontario members prior to the Annual General Meeting. For any vacancies not filled through the Nominations process, the Board may accept Nominations from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.

Election of the Board of Directors will take place at the Annual General Meeting. As per Chapter bylaws, a minimum of ten (10) CES Ontario members in good standing must be present for there to be quorum at the AGM.

Chapter bylaws require that two CES Ontario members support a nomination (nominator and seconder). Please note that members of the Nomination Committee cannot support your nomination. This year’s Nomination Committee members are: Nikhat Rasheed (President), Roxana Vernescu (Vice-President) and Kelsey Chawla, Director.

Questions?
For further information regarding nominations and board requirements, please contact the Nominations Committee nominations@evaluationontario.ca.