As a nonprofit ministry, the Passport national staff are so thankful to have such a wonderfully diverse board of directors.
We have a national board – with members coming from 7 different states and representing 5 denominations. We have business leaders, lawyers, ministers, denominational leaders, former summer staffers, and three of the four original founders of Passport 26 years ago this month! They are not a passive board, but a passionate board! They are interested in the details of our ministry and want to look deeply into our policies and budgets to make sure we are doing the best we can with the resources we are blessed with.
In the early days of Passport, our board was just three people: me, my wife Colleen, and my best friend Nathan. We started Passport in the midst of the dismantling of a great seminary by an out of control trustee board. So my thinking in those early days was to keep it simple. That way if my best friend turned on me, at least Colleen and I would still have the majority vote!
To which Colleen says, “Unless I agreed with Nathan!”
Soon after, we double the board to 6, so that Colleen and I no longer had that extra veto power! Those 6 have become the Executive Board, whose terms do not expire. And to that we add another 6 to 8 at-large members, all serving a three-year rotation.
Our board spent many years meeting annually to review the work of the past year and plan for the year ahead – simple oversight. But in the last 7 years, we have been transitioning into a board that does oversight but also directly helps tell our story to raise the money needed to keep this ministry on a solid financial footing.
I take comfort in having this strong board behind us. Yes, they have authority over us, but really, they work with us to make us stronger, leaner, on the cutting edge – through their thoughtful, intentional support. They know the full story – salaries, income vs expenses, problems that need to be worked through – all of it.
Tasha Gibson is new to our administrative staff this fall. Of this year’s gathering she said, “During my first board of directors meeting at Passport, I observed a group of extraordinary individuals with a variety of skills and experiences. That variety was most noticeable to me in the questions and comments I heard from the board. I especially appreciated their thoughtful analysis of data and programs. Hearing the board engage in these important conversations only strengthened my own understanding of what makes Passport so extraordinary.”
I am thankful for this board. They have been instrumental in helping us go over our Capital Campaign goal of $1.5 million! 100% of our board members are also donors to Passport – putting their money with their words. They work with our churches giving away around $25,000 a year in camper scholarships. They help us make the tough decisions when needed.
Lindsay Morton, in her 6th year as Passport’s Director of Marketing says,
“Passport’s board continues to be a source of wisdom, encouragement and joy for me & the entire organization. Every year at Board Meeting, I am reminded of how incredibly lucky we are to be led by a group of women & men that believe in Passport’s mission and are committed to ensuring that our ministry will not only alive in 25 years but thriving.”
Dale Tadlock, a 7th year Camp Coordinator with Passport noted, “Interacting with the Board is always a palpable reminder that there are people in many different walks of life, some who don’t even attend a session of camp, who are praying for and supporting the work that we do. It’s nice to be reminded of the unsung heroes who help us make camp happen each year.”
We ended this year’s meeting with what I thought would be a brief, obligatory announcement of next summer’s camp theme. Dale and Tasha shared the daily themes and chosen scripture passages. To my surprise, the board scolded me for saving the best, most inspiring part for last!
Truly, they are all in.