"The board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization..."
An exploration of the roles and responsibilities of non-profit boards of directors, including fiduciary duties, ethical considerations, and best practices.
Overview of Non-Profit Organizations: An introduction to non-profit organizations, their mission, and their structure.
Non-Profit Governance: The system of rules and practices that govern the management and operation of a non-profit organization.
Board of Directors Responsibilities: The roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, including fiduciary duties, strategic planning, and oversight of the organization's activities.
Bylaws: The legal document that establishes the structure, governance, and operation of a non-profit organization.
Conflict of Interest Policy: A policy that addresses conflicts of interest for board members and staff and provides guidelines for dealing with potential conflicts of interest.
Ethical Standards: A code of ethics that outlines expected behaviors for non-profit board members, staff, and volunteers.
Financial Management: The process of managing the financial resources of a non-profit organization, including budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting.
Fundraising and Resource Development: The process of generating revenue and securing funding for non-profit organizations.
Human Resource Management: The process of recruiting, hiring, and managing staff and volunteers for non-profit organizations.
Legal Compliance: The various legal requirements and regulations that non-profit organizations must adhere to, including tax-exempt status, governance, and reporting obligations.
Policy Governance: This type of governance focuses on setting policies, goals, and objectives for the organization and letting the executive director oversee the implementation of these policies.
Carver Model: A governance model that emphasizes the role of the board as a strategic visionary body and decision-making authority that delegates operational responsibilities to staff.
Team Governance: This type of governance seeks to foster collaboration and teamwork between board members and staff by encouraging open communication and shared decision-making.
Shared Governance: This is a collaborative model of governance that involves board members, staff, and community stakeholders in decision-making processes that affect the organization.
Co-Op Governance: This type of governance is characterized by a highly participatory approach that involves members in all aspects of decision-making, including setting policies and goals.
Committee-based Governance: A governance model that relies on committees composed of board members and staff to oversee specific functional areas (e.g., finance, fundraising, HR, etc.).
Hybrid Governance: An approach that combines elements of different governance models to create a tailored solution that fits an organization's specific needs.
Advisory Governance: This type of governance involves the creation of an advisory board that provides guidance and support to the main governing board.
Executive Governance: A governance model in which the executive director holds a significant amount of decision-making power, with the board playing a more supportive role.
Grassroots Governance: A governance model that emphasizes stakeholder engagement and democratic decision-making processes at the grassroots level, with participants shaping organizational policies and strategies.
Institutional Governance: Governance that emphasizes the role of institutional structures, such as policies, procedures, and regulations, in ensuring effective board management and oversight.
Change-Oriented Governance: A governance model that emphasizes the organization's ability to adapt, innovate, and respond to changing circumstances and challenges.
Values-based Governance: Governance that is guided by a set of core values and principles that form the basis for decision-making and strategic planning.
Inclusive Governance: Governance that prioritizes equity, diversity, and inclusion, and seeks to foster a more inclusive and representative organizational culture.
Accountability-based Governance: A governance model that emphasizes accountability and transparency, and seeks to ensure that the organization is fulfilling its mission and responsibilities to stakeholders.
"...which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organization, or a government agency."
"The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulations (including the jurisdiction's corporate law) and the organization's own constitution and by-laws."
"These authorities may specify the number of members of the board, how they are to be chosen, and how often they are to meet."
"In an organization with voting members, the board is accountable to, and may be subordinate to, the organization's full membership, which usually elect the members of the board."
"In a stock corporation, non-executive directors are elected by the shareholders..."
"...the board has ultimate responsibility for the management of the corporation."
"In nations with codetermination (such as Germany and Sweden), the workers of a corporation elect a set fraction of the board's members."
"The board of directors appoints the chief executive officer of the corporation..."
"The board...sets out the overall strategic direction."
"In corporations with dispersed ownership, the identification and nomination of directors (that shareholders vote for or against) are often done by the board itself..."
"In a non-stock corporation with no general voting membership, the board is the supreme governing body of the institution..."
"...and its members are sometimes chosen by the board itself."
"The board of directors...supervises the activities of an organization."
"The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulations and the organization's own constitution and by-laws."
"...the board is accountable to, and may be subordinate to, the organization's full membership, which usually elect the members of the board."
"Non-executive directors are elected by the shareholders..."
"...the board has ultimate responsibility for the management of the corporation."
"The identification and nomination of directors...are often done by the board itself..."
"The board is the supreme governing body of the institution."