Nonprofit Boards
This toolkit is for new board members, current board members and nonprofit leaders. Here you will find information on the structure and functioning of nonprofit Boards, as well as advice from the experts, including tips for successful retreats and Board fundraising.
Why do nonprofit organizations have boards of directors?
Most nonprofits are corporations--meaning that they are legal entities distinct from the individuals who founded them. Like their for-profit counterparts, nonprofit corporations are governed by boards of directors with legal and ethical responsibilities that cannot be delegated.
The board's responsibilities fall into the following broad categories:
Legal & Fiduciary - The board is responsible for ensuring that the organization meets legal requirements and that it is operating in accordance with its mission. It is also responsible for protecting the organization's assets.
Oversight - The board is responsible for ensuring that the organization is well run. It moderates the power of management and has the power to hire and remove the chief executive, usually called the executive director or president.
Fundraising - Board members raise money, make personal financial contributions, and serve as advocates for the organization to potential donors as a part of their responsibility to ensure the financial viability of the organization.
Representation of Constituents and Viewpoints - Often, board members are chosen to bring the experience or perspective of the organization's constituents to the board. By doing so, nonprofits better serve their communities.
12 Tips for Maximizing your Board Retreat, by Leyna Bernstein
Boards That Love Fundraising (Excerpt) by Bob Zimmerman and Ann Lehman
CA Nonprofit Integrity Act Explained
Tips for the Role of the CEO
Financial Oversight Basics for Boards
FOR INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS
Advice for Prospective Board Members by Mike Levy
Board Governance vs. Volunteer Role
Characteristics of an Effective Board Member
Sample Board Member Job Description
Sample Board Chair Job Description
Responding to Common Meeting Problems
Board Member Referral Form
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
BoardSource
Blue Avocado - An online magazine issued monthly
Rich Tips - newsletter from Consultant Richard Male and Associates
Roberta's Rules of Order: Sail Through Meetings with Stellar Results without the Gavel, Alice Collier Cochran, Jossey-Bass Publishers (purchase online)
Nonprofit Answer Book: Practical Guidelines for Boad Members and Chief Executives, Robert C. Andringa and Ted W. Engstrom, BoardSource Publisher (purchase online)
The Strategic Board: The Step-By-Step Guide to High-Impact Governance, Mark Light, John Wiley & Sons Publishers (purchase online)
