Developing your Board of Directors
by Craig White
Every nonprofit organization has a Board of Directors, a group of volunteers that formally owns and directs the organization. There are many different kinds of nonprofit organizations, and Boards can vary considerably in size, composition and responsibilities. The following are some issues to consider in developing a Board that reflects the mission and the work of your organization.
Composition. The most important aspect of a Board is who serves on it. These are the people who own the organization. For community-based organizations, the Board might be composed primarily of members or constituents, the people who have the greatest stake in the decisions and the work of the organization. Having a Board that is diverse in its racial, cultural, age, class and gender composition helps ensure that many perspectives are considered in making decisions. The most important requirement for any Board member is a strong commitment to the mission and vision of the organization.
Size. Boards may have as few as three members, or more than fifty. As a general guideline, have enough Board members to do the work, but not so many that it is hard to communicate or make decisions. Most grassroots Boards have between seven and seventeen members.
Decision Making. Boards may make decisions by voting or using consensus. Another option is 'loose consensus', which seeks for general agreement, but has provisions for voting when necessary. Regardless of the formal procedure, it's important to consider everyone's perspective in making a decision.
Leadership. A Board may have officers, a steering committee, or an executive council, or it may not. However, there are three responsibilities that should be clearly designated: running meetings; tracking the organization's finances and budget; and keeping notes and records.
Activity. Some Boards focus on their oversight role, letting the director and staff carry out the work of the organization. Boards of grassroots, volunteer organizations are often more active, with members serving on working groups and actively participating in leading projects.
Meetings. Have enough meetings for the Board to fulfill its responsibilities, but not so many that people feel burned out. Meetings are useful for planning, sharing information, and making decisions. But don't only do work; make sure that relationship-building and enjoyable activities are included when the Board gets together.
Working groups. Tasks can be delegated to smaller groups so that work gets done between meetings. Some organizations prefer the term 'working group' over 'committee', because it focuses on the purpose of getting the work done. Working groups might take on tasks like fundraising, evaluation, or board recruitment and training.
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