Page 10 - C&A's Nonprofit Board Guide

TOP 10 RESPONSIBILITIES OF
NONPROFIT BOARD MEMBERS

3. SUPPORT THE CEO.

1. DEFINE THE ORGANIZATION’S The Board should ensure that the CEO 6. ENSURE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF
has the moral and professional support he
MISSION AND PURPOSE. or she needs to further the mission of the FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
organization. There should be regular, open
It is the Board’s responsibility to define communication between the Board and One of the Board’s foremost responsibilities 9.
and review the organization’s statement of the CEO. This often happens through the is to secure appropriate funding for the ENSURE LEGAL AND
mission and purpose, which lays out the organization’s Board Chairman/President. organization to carry-out its mission. Board ETHICAL INTEGRITY.
organization’s goals, resources, and primary members are required to help raise funds
constituents served. Too often organizations 4. PERFORM EFFECTIVE PLANNING. for the organization they govern. If you’re Remember, Board members have three
move outside their core mission, chasing not able to, you may want to consider if you overriding duties; the duty of care, the
funding that may not be appropriate. Boards must actively participate in an will be an effective Board member. duty of loyalty, and the duty of obedience.
The Board is in charge of keeping the overall planning process on a regular basis Board members are ultimately responsible
organization on track. We encourage Board and assist in implementing and monitoring for adherence to legal standards and ethical
members to re-read the organization’s the plan’s goals. Planning should look 7. MAINTAIN PROPER norms.
mission before each Board meeting so that at short-term and long-term, and should FISCAL OVERSIGHT. 10.
they have a clear understanding of what’s include “what if” scenarios, especially if ENHANCE THE ORGANIZATION’S
guiding their decisions. your organization relies on government The Board must assist in developing the PUBLIC STANDING.
2. CHOOSE AND EVALUATE THE funding that could be tenuous. annual budget and ensuring that proper Board members need to be ambassadors
financial controls are in place. The Board
CEO AND SET COMPENSATION. 5. MONITOR AND STRENGTHEN/ can only do this if it receives regular, for the agencies whose Boards they sit on.
ELIMINATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. adequate financial information. Once again, This includes the public sector (lobbying
Boards must reach consensus on the chief this includes “what if” modeling so that the activities on behalf of the agencies) and
executive’s responsibilities and perform a The Board’s responsibility is to determine agency is prepared if certain funding is not the private sector (bringing on new Board
thoughtful search to find the most qualified which programs are consistent with the available. members, raising money and support for
individual for the position. This includes organization’s mission and monitor their the agency, integrating with constituents,
helping to define job responsibilities, effectiveness. For those programs which 8. DEVELOP NEW BOARD MEMBERS. etc.).
compensation, etc. Each organization will are not, the Board should consider if such
have different expectations and skill sets programs should be transferred to another All Boards have a responsibility to identify
needed depending on the other members of organization. Management should also potential new Board members, orient new
management, where the organization is in continue to evaluate whether it is a buyer members to the Board, and periodically
its life cycle, the nature of the organization (looking to acquire another organization to and appropriately evaluate their own
and its funding, etc. strengthen/expand its footprint/offerings), performance.
a seller (looking to merge into another
organization), or whether it will maintain
the status quo.
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