Kentucky Coalition's Board Rebuild Positions Organization for a Bright Future
Sam Spofforth, Principal, GoForth.Partners
Summary:
Over a three-to-four-month period during the spring and early summer, 2026, GoForth Partners worked with staff from University of Louisville, Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition's (KCFC) host organization, to rebuild KCFC's Board of Directors. This successful project will be critical to maintaining KCFC's Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Cities and Communities (CC&C) designation and positioning the organization to continue rebuilding. The effort featured substantial outreach and engagement of former stakeholders and new stakeholders. Then, GoForth identified a mechanism through the old bylaws whereby a handful of former board members were able to meet, bring on new board members, then resign. Following this "legacy" board meeting, the new nine-member board held its inaugural meeting, with 100% attendance, in early July 2026.
Setting the Stage:
KCFC has a proud 30+ year history as one of the most effective CC&C coalitions. But after their long-time executive director retired, they struggled for several years. A few KCFC board members, with DOE support, temporarily salvaged their designation in 2023, but most disengaged or drifted away.
DOE witnessed this disintegration. So, as annual DOE funding for coalitions returned in 2026, KCFC needed to prove that it remained a viable CC&C coalition. This required KCFC to rebuild its Board of Directors – and to do that quickly. But how?
Process Driven by Urgency:
Dr. Jagannadh Satyavolu, the Acting KCFC Coalition Director and professor at University of Louisville, turned to me and my company, GoForth Partners, for help.
"I knew about Sam's success building Clean Fuels Ohio over many years," said Dr. Satyavolu. "Then, we had a chance to work with him in 2023 while he was at DOE to help resuscitate the coalition and its designation status. I sought his expertise when he became available. I appreciate his teaming with us”
I consulted with Dr. Satyavolu, reviewed bylaws, and connected with the few former Board members who responded to outreach. Fortunately, the bylaws provided a pathway to appoint new board members if we could find a small core of the "legacy" board, whose service had never technically ended.
The parallel challenge was to identify and vet potential new board members. Doing this required networking through former board members, where possible, and stakeholders who had positive memories of KCFC's good work 10+ years ago. I also found people through networking through some neighboring CC&C coalitions and their contacts. The process required listening, trust building, information sharing, and candid assessments of what potential new board members might offer. We also needed to identify which potential new board members could provide leadership, and understand the value that everyone could bring to the organization.
In less than three months, we had identified nine individuals excited to serve. Eight were new to the board and one had served previously. We also found four former board members who agreed to attend one "legacy" board meeting. I developed an agenda that positioned the legacy board to appoint the new directors, as the bylaws provided. After taking this action, three individuals from the legacy board formally resigned and one carried over to the newly formed board.
That new board convened for the first time on July 7, then met again on August 6. It will meet for the third time in mid-September. KCFC has also scheduled an annual membership meeting for November 2. Dr. Satyavolu and Dr. Veera Boddu, the Associate Director, have brought on two new interns to provide support. Staff are building new communication tools, including a newsletter and revamped website. They are executing tasks under their project management plan with DOE funding, and exploring new funding sources. The new Board treasurer has been busy building new financial systems. In the coming months, the board will provide strategic direction to recreate KCFC's programs, engage former and new stakeholders, build new revenue streams, and more.
"Sam's work has been invaluable," said Dr. Scott Williams, Chancellor, Owensboro Community & Technical College and new KCFC Board President. “We have extended his contract so he can continue to provide strategic advice to KCFC on governance, programs, membership, and other critical areas, as we continue to rebuild.”
Why Have a Board in the First Place:
Every organization is unique, and so is every board of directors. For most nonprofits, board members serve as volunteers. Many have no prior experience with such service. They need support to perform their duties. This is challenging for coalition directors and staff with extremely limited capacity themselves. Boards may fall into dysfunction, disengagement, and become dormant – zombie groups that no longer serve the organization or advance its mission.
Some are tempted to shrug and let the board disengage or disintegrate. They ask, “What is the board doing anyway? What value do they bring to the organization?” But this is short-sighted.
An active and effective board is well-informed, engaged, and clear about its roles, providing support in many ways. Boards are the voice of stakeholders and the community. They ensure the organization's mission is clear, and the work is aligned with that mission. Individual board members act as ambassadors, leading to new stakeholder relationships, programs, partnerships, projects, and funding. If prepared, they play essential roles during a crisis – loss of the executive director, a major funding source, or other.
Boards Can Be Rebuilt:
The KCFC experience is one example of how boards can be rebuilt, or built from scratch, even in dire situations. It just requires identifying stakeholders, having honest conversations, listening, and being clear on process and expectations. It also requires judgements about character, expertise, passion for the mission, ability to work with others, and specific values that individuals offer. Ideally, an organization should take six months or even a few years to accomplish a rebuild, but it can be done as an emergency project.
As part of the rebuilding process, staff and board members should have honest conversations about expectations on both sides. What is needed and expected from board members, besides attending meetings? How does the board, as a group, govern? How do they support the organization, as individuals? What support is needed from the staff to ensure the board is positioned to meet expectations of effective governance and support? What systems and processes (i.e., board-related standard operating procedures) are needed to ensure the board is supported to fulfill its duties and provide real value?
How GoForth Partners Can Help Your Organization:
I have twenty years of successful experience founding and growing a successful nonprofit, including building, supporting, and renewing the board of directors. This led to four more years at the Department of Energy and a national lab advising CC&C coalitions and developing guidance on many organizational matters, including boards of directors.
Board development has become a major nonprofit academic area of focus. Volumes have been written by experts, and consultants populate the field. I've had a career-long interest in the nonprofit field, including the critical roles of boards, and am familiar with the literature and learnings. However, what distinguishes me and GoForth Partners is practical experience over twenty years. I've learned from successes and failures, as one does building a successful nonprofit, and running it for many years. I've walked in your shoes. Very little surprises or confounds me.
I chose my company's name, GoForth Partners, because any board rebuild or other endeavor – creating new programs, hiring personnel, raising funds – requires partnership. I will be your partner – helping you define the strategy, then execute it. Contact me today to learn more. New opportunities and successes await on the other side!
