As something that many adults take for granted, the ability to read this sentence is a precious gift that has been given to many Chatham County adults by the Chatham County Literacy Council (CCLC). Based in Pittsboro, CCLC is a community-focused nonprofit dedicated to helping adults live more enriched and successful lives through the acquisition of literacy skills. Whether residents need literacy skills to get a job, understand a prescription or just want to live more enriched lives, CCLC volunteers are there to provide free, confidential tutoring in reading, writing, ESL, GED preparation, citizenship and basic math.
“I think literacy is such a critical element in our society,” said CCLC Board President Bruce Birch. “And it is certainly important if we are going to improve economic development in Chatham County.”
A Natural Evolution
Since CCLC’s inception as an official nonprofit organization in 2007, CCLC’s Board of Directors was a working board, mostly comprised of members who were also administering the programs. Six years later, CCLC had become so successful that its board structure could not keep up with its services, and there was a need to evolve into a governing board in order for the organization to continue growing. That is when CCLC called ESC for assistance.
“We asked ESC to help because we needed expertise, experience and a careful hand to help us design how we transition from an operating to a governing board,” said CCLC Board Governance Committee Chair Joan Lipsitz. “There is no other organization that has the level of experience that ESC brings to the table.”
Board Development Results
Armed with an essential scholarship made possible by Triangle Community Foundation, CCLC began a board development engagement that resulted in the establishment of a living board governance document that redefines the role of the board and the process for recruiting board members. The work has already spurred board members to revamp the board committee structure and to create committee charters.
“It’s easy to say get your act together,” Lipsitz said. “It’s hard to define the steps you need to take to get your act together so that you become a strong governing board.”
With new board governance techniques in place, CCLC began looking ahead at its need for a major strategic plan and has engaged ESC to help once again.
“You get what you put into it,” Birch said. “ESC has put a lot of effort into helping us, so we’re trying to put in a lot of effort back and to grow from that.”