Make a Difference in your Community!
Being a leader in a rural community can be challenging: That’s why Governance Solutions designed this certificate program in governance essentials.
Regardless of the size of your agricultural business, organization, or board, the Governance for Rural Leaders Program develops corporate governance expertise by ensuring that rural leaders have the skills, knowledge, attitude, and capabilities to get the most out of the time and effort they invest in controlling and directing their organization.
Beyond Owners and Managers of Farms and Agribusinesses!
This program is for anyone involved in the rural sector interested in advancing their leadership skills within their business and community.
- Ideal for Senior Board Members: Demonstrate your commitment to the learning journey by staying abreast of current governance principles.
- Necessary for Junior Board Members: Are you 100% prepared to face the challenges your new responsibilities may throw at you? Expand your skill set and find the confidence to fully occupy your seat at the boardroom table.
- Important for those Seeking a Board Position: A deep understanding of rural governance is a great asset, and may boards now expect governance certification from their applicants. Be ready for your next opportunity by completing the program now.
Take your career, your organization, and even your board to the next level with the competence, confidence, and certification you need to be more effective.
This comprehensive program gives you:
- The skills and competence needed to fulfill your role as a leader.
- A comprehensive understanding of governance and how it operates within your business, sector, and organizational structure.
- Practical working knowledge of business finance with the tools and know-how to use financial information strategically at the board level.
- Deep awareness of how you can add value in the boardroom.
Structure and Details
Earn your Certificate in Governance for Rural Leaders online, at your own pace: as fast or slow as you want, but always at the speed your organization needs!
- This program includes 8 self-paced levels and a final exam.
- Each self-paced level includes instructional videos, reading material, and a quiz to show you’ve mastered the content. You’ll be given full access to this module’s materials from day one, with total freedom to review the content and complete the quiz at your own pace.
- After completing all 8 modules you will receive a Governance for Rural Leaders Certificate.
In This Program
Level 1 | Governance Essentials
Level 2 | Guarding The Vision & Building Structure
Level 3 | Knowing Your Role & Leading The Way
Level 4 | Boardroom Culture & Behaviour
Level 5 | Financial Oversight
Level 6 | The Right People Doing The Right Things
Level 7 | Strategy & Risk
Level 8 | Succession & Evaluation
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About This Program
Specifically designed for rural leaders, this program was created to give you the governance essentials every rural board member and executive must know.
Your Instructor
Dr. Debra Brown is the founder, President and CEO of Governance Solutions Inc. and has been a leading voice in governance since 1991.
Rural Leadership: Level 1 - Governance Essentials
Expectations are extremely high for any board member. Meeting and exceeding them starts with fully understanding your fundamental role and the skills required to effectively keep your organization on track.
Rural Leadership: Level 2 - Guarding the Vision and Building the Structure
From the board’s role in strategic planning to the importance of director independence and term limits, you will learn how to help your board keep things on track and build a strong governance structure.
Rural Leadership: Level 3 - Knowing Your Role and Leading the Way
Gain a deeper understanding of your role and what it takes to lead. From best practices for board chairs to the do’s and don’ts of committee effectiveness, you’ll learn how to lead more effectively and create strong governance protocols to guide you
Rural Leadership: Level 4 - Boardroom Culture and Behaviour
Gain a deeper understanding of your role and what it takes to lead. From best practices for board chairs to the do’s and don’ts of committee effectiveness, you’ll learn how to lead more effectively and create strong governance protocols to guide you.
Rural Leadership: Level 5 - Financial Oversight
Financial literacy is a must for any board member. From key financial indicators and forecasting to variance and gap analysis, this module will show you how to use the financial statements to ensure your organization has wise, reasoned financial oversight and is fully resourced.
Rural Leadership: Level 6 - The Right People Doing the Right Things
Even the best governance structures can falter if the boardroom culture is unhealthy. People are your organization’s most important asset, and you will be focusing on getting the right people on the right things. From the key elements of board orientation, renewal, and succession to external communications and corporate social responsibility, you’ll learn to bring out the best in your board.
Rural Leadership: Level 7 - Strategy and Risk
Boards play a critical role in risk oversight, so it’s essential to define exactly what risk is – and what it isn’t. You’ll learn how risk is linked to organizational strategy, what SWOT is and how it can make your life easier, and how to optimize risk.
Rural Leadership: Level 8 - Succession and Evaluation
Whether you have a CEO, General Manager, or Executive Director, a strong board relationship with your most senior manager is essential to good governance. You’ll learn how to optimize that relationship through effective succession, evaluation, and delegation.
Tuition
Eight modules and an exam are required to earn your certificate. The cost is $295 per module plus a one-time exam fee of $195, when you register to complete the exam. All fees are in CAD, subject to applicable taxes and payable upon registration.
Cancellation Policy
Should you find it necessary to cancel your registration for a particular module or the exam, you will receive a full refund minus a $150 administration fee for any cancellation received in writing within 30 business days of registration. After 30 days, the registration fee is non-refundable.
Our Guarantee
We are completely confident you will be satisfied with Governance for Rural Leaders Program. If you are not, we will refund your tuition in full.
Modules can be completed in any order you choose. However, taking the course in numerical order is recommended if you don’t have prior experience as a board member.
No, as long you have internet capabilities and access.
Governance for Rural Leaders is delivered entirely online.
Certification requires eight modules ($295 each) plus a final exam ($195 fee). As each module is self-paced, how long it takes is entirely up to you. Most students complete the course in roughly six months but you may take up to three years, if needed.