AHA Board Health Check™

Individual ratings are not presented in the report. All quantitative results are reported in aggregate. Written comments, if provided, are included without attribution and may be lightly edited to remove identifying references while preserving the original meaning.

While the survey platform may track completion status for reminder purposes, all reporting is prepared in a manner that prevents identification of individual respondents.

Survey responses are collected and stored using reputable survey administration tools and standard security practices. Access to raw response data is restricted to authorized project team members involved in survey administration and reporting. Data security is supported through a multi-layered approach, including robust infrastructure with managed services such as WAF (Web Application Firewall), malware scanning, DDoS protection, SSL/TLS encryption and firewalls, as well as compliance with standards such as HIPAA and PCI DSS. These safeguards are designed to protect data both in transit and at rest through TLS/SSL encryption, access controls (MFA, SSH keys), regular scans and threat detection.

Survey data is used solely to administer the survey, produce the summary report, benchmark against peer organizations and facilitate the review session. Survey data is not sold or shared with third parties for any purposes.

All board members are invited to participate. While a minimum of three responses is required to administer the survey, there is no limit on the number of participants. If applicable, the board may also invite non-voting directors or ex officio members to participate. Newly appointed Board members may elect to opt out if they have had limited interaction with the board.

Please note that responses from any additional participants will be included within the overall Board results when calculating aggregate scores. Separate comparative reporting for non-voting directors or ex officio members will not be provided.

If the CEO participates, their responses can be included either in the board aggregate or in the management aggregate, depending on how the CEO is categorized during the registration process.

Management participation is strongly encouraged and aligns with best practices of high-performing boards. When management participates, responses are reported in aggregate and presented separately from the board's results, enabling side-by-side comparison.

Management participation should be limited to senior executives with sufficient exposure to the board and its committees. The survey includes a Don't Know or Unable to Judge option for respondents who lack enough information to assess specific items.

To protect anonymity, board-to-management comparison results are reported only when at least three management participants complete the survey.

Each participant receives an individual email containing a unique survey link. Invitations are typically sent to participants' preferred email addresses, with optional Ccs such as board support staff or executive assistants. The AHA Board Health Check™ Interest Form asks for the following information for each participant: First and Last Name, Preferred Email, Optional Cc (for an executive assistant or alternate email) and Length of Tenure.

Survey launches are scheduled only on the first or third Monday of each month. We recommend submitting the AHA Board Health Check™ Interest Form at least 2-3 weeks prior to your selected launch date to allow time for review and follow-up. If a selected launch date is missed for any reason, the survey will be scheduled for the next available launch date.

Once launched, the survey remains open for 12 calendar days (10 business days) and typically closes on the Friday of the second week following launch. This timeline balances participant flexibility with consistency across engagements.

Board First Consulting will send reminders to partial respondents and non-respondents. Reminder emails are sent on Days 8 and 10, with a final reminder on the morning of Day 12 (the closing date).

If participation is below the agreed-upon threshold near the deadline, commonly 75 percent, the survey collection window may be extended by up to 72 hours to allow for final outreach to non-respondents.

Participants can change their responses at any time before the survey deadline.

The survey cannot be reopened after the deadline. Please plan the survey timing carefully, taking holidays and key organizational events into consideration.

If an invitation is undeliverable, the point of contact listed on the AHA Board Health Check™ Interest Form will be notified. To avoid delays, please verify the accuracy of participant names and email addresses prior to submitting the form.

The AHA Board Health Check™ Summary Report includes the board's aggregate results for the standardized survey items, and if management participates, a side-by-side comparison of board and management aggregate results. The report focuses on clear, actionable interpretation of the data at the board level.

Results are presented only in aggregate to support board-level learning and development.

Comments are not attributed to individuals. Before inclusion, comments are lightly reviewed to correct spelling and grammar and to remove any obvious self-identifying information. They are then included in the report as written.

If a comment includes identifying information, we will edit to protect confidentiality while preserving the intent and substance of the feedback.

The report includes a summary showing how board members rated each question on the 5-point agreement scale, along with the percentage of respondents who selected each rating. This view helps illustrate whether perspectives are aligned or more varied. For management participants, however, we include this information only when there are five or more respondents to protect anonymity.

Here’s an example of how it looks in the report:

We request two weeks following the survey deadline to prepare your summary report.

Report recipients are identified during the registration process. Typical recipients include the board chair, governance committee chair, CEO and a designated board support contact. Final distribution should align with your organization's governance practices and preferences. You can modify the recipient list any time before the report is finalized.

That depends on the organization's preferences and the agreed-upon distribution list. Many organizations share results with management in an appropriate forum, while others limit distribution to the board and share selected takeaways with management.

A virtual review session with a member of Board First Consulting is included in the AHA Board Health Check™ pricing. During this session, the consultant will review the results, answer questions and facilitate discussion regarding practical next steps and opportunities for continued Board development.

During the registration process, organizations may determine the preferred audience for the presentation. For example, some organizations may choose a presentation to the full Board, while others may prefer a session with the Governance Committee.

Presentation formats may include:

• A Board meeting, with consultants joining virtually at the appropriate time
• A Governance or Executive Committee meeting
• A dedicated session with the consultants and select participants

The total cost of the AHA Board Health Check™ is $12,800. This fee covers registration, survey administration and tracking, reporting and the virtual review session. Pricing is set at the organizational level rather than per participant, and remains the same regardless of the number of survey respondents.

Yes, we will provide a terms and conditions contract for your review before starting the process. This contract will be available during the intake process, allowing you to review all terms before proceeding with the AHA Board Health Check™.

There are no additional or hidden fees. Optional services, such as an additional presentation to a committee or an in-person session with a Board First consultant, can be arranged if desired. These services are scoped and priced separately and require a professional services agreement to cover consultant time and, if applicable, travel expenses.

Payment details are collected during the contracting process, including accounts payable contacts, invoice submission preferences, and any purchase order requirements. Once the agreement is finalized, the AHA team will issue an electronic invoice, payable within 30 days of receipt.

Please reach out to the following:

• For general questions: JoAnn McNutt at joann@boardfirstconsulting.com | 925-586-0880
• For technical issues: Scott Conser at scott@boardfirstconsulting.com | 610-202-9318