Director education course now offered at Dalhousie University

Innovative program from the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Rotman School of Management serves non-profit sector in Atlantic Canada

HALIFAX, March 16 /CNW/ - The Atlantic Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, and presenting sponsor TELUS, are pleased to announce the inaugural offering of the Governance Essentials Program for Directors of Not-for-Profit Organizations (NFP Program) on June 21st and 22nd, 2010 at Dalhousie University.

This intensive two-day program will help directors, CEOs and executive directors of small and large NFPs create better organizations through enhanced board governance practices.

"The NFP Program is the only one of its kind in Canada. The program provides participants with the knowledge and skills to make them more effective directors and better able to contribute to the governance needs of their organizations. The participant benefits, the organization benefits-it truly is a win-win scenario," says Richard C. Powers, Academic Director, Associate Dean, Rotman School of Management.

The NFP Program empowers not-for-profit leaders to contribute even more to these socially vital organizations by focusing on key accountabilities and responsibilities, change management principles, and best practices in governance.

"Since non-profit organizations are being held to a higher plane of trust by donors as well as the general public, training to support good governance and ethical conduct is important and timely," says Peggy Cunningham, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University.

To meet the professional development needs of directors in this $112B sector, the NFP Program is also offered by leading business schools in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Including Halifax, the program will now run in 8 cities across Canada and to date, has over 800 graduates.

"We are very excited about this opportunity to provide organizational leaders in Atlantic Canada with a concise yet comprehensive program on governance in this important sector. Knowledgeable directors are more effective in fulfilling their responsibilities, including on not-for-profit boards," says Douglas Hall, Chair, ICD Atlantic Chapter.

The NFP Program is presented through the generous assistance of TELUS, which has established Community Boards across Canada. A limited number of TELUS scholarships, valued at $1,000, are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

"In these challenging economic times good governance is no longer a 'nice-to-have', it's a 'must-have' and critical in gaining public trust and retaining donor support. By providing governance training to key leaders, we are able to position many not-for-profit organizations for success. For TELUS, it is also a great way to equip our team members to be effective board members and give back to the communities where they live and work," says Janet Yale, Executive Vice President, TELUS and National Community Board Chair.

More information about the NFP Program, scholarships and the application process can be found at http://www.icd.ca/nfp

About the Institute of Corporate Directors

The ICD is a not-for-profit, member-based professional association representing Canadian directors and boards across the for-profit, not-for-profit, and government sectors. With more than 3,800 members and a network of nine chapters, the ICD promotes the professionalism and effectiveness of directors by providing professional development activities, such as director education and certification, and information and resources including a board matching service and networking opportunities.

For further information: Carolyn Thrasher, Manager, Marketing Communications, Institute of Corporate Directors, T [phone] ext. 229, F [phone], E [email protected]