Details

The Nonprofit Board Answer Book

A Practical Guide for Board Members and Chief Executives
3. Aufl.

von: BoardSource
34,99 €
Verlag:	Wiley
Format:	EPUB
Veröffentl.:	08.11.2011
ISBN/EAN:	9781118127025
Sprache:	englisch
Anzahl Seiten:	384

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Beschreibungen

Titelbeschreibung

An essential guide to good governance for board leaders at all levels of experience and expertise This third edition of the bestselling book for nonprofit board members and professionals offers a thoroughly revised and updated resource that answers the most-commonly asked question on board governance. The book covers such topics as board structure and process, board member recruitment and orientation, board-staff relations, and financial management. This new edition includes updated information on topics that have recently increased in importance including new Form 990; dealing with the financial crisis, risk management, and mergers. <ul> <li>Shows executives and board members how to be more effective, meet difficult situations head-on, and deal with commonplace challenges with confidence</li> <li>Topics include information on the viability of for-profit ventures, board retreats, board diversity, fundraising, financial oversight, strategic thinking, and the use of technology</li> <li>From Boardsource the premier resource for practical information, tools, best practices, training, and leadership development for board members of nonprofit organizations worldwide</li> </ul> Offers insight gained from the BoardSource Governance Index Survey, hundreds of board self-assessments, and questions and challenges heard by BoardSource from thousands of nonprofit leaders.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

About BoardSource v Introduction: The World of Nonprofits xv Part One: Basic Board Functions 1 What are the basic responsibilities of a nonprofi t board? 3 2 What are the legal duties of a board member? 6 3 What is the board’s role and involvement in mission, vision, and values? 9 4 What is the board’s role in fi nancial management? 12 5 What is the board’s role in strategic planning? 16 6 How does strategic thinking contribute to board and organizational effectiveness? 20 7 What is the board’s role in fundraising? 23 8 What is the board’s role in organizational evaluation? 27 9 How does the board avoid the extremes of “rubber stamping” and micromanaging? 32 10 Why is connecting and communicating with constituencies an important task for the board? 36 11 How does a board function as a team? 40 12 What are the attributes of a high-performing board? 43 Part Two: Board Structure 13 What is the best size for our board? 49 14 How should we structure our board? 52 15 What types of board committees should we have? 55 16 How can our committees be most effective? 58 17 Does our board need an executive committee? 62 18 Should our board have advisory councils? 65 19 What is the role of the board chair? 69 20 What board offi cers should we have? 73 21 How should we select our board offi cers? 76 22 What kind of board does an all-volunteer organization have? 79 Part Three: Board Member Selection and Development 23 How can we recruit active, involved board members? 85 24 How can we use a board matrix to identify recruitment needs? 89 25 What is the chief executive’s role in board recruitment? 93 26 How can a membership organization build an effective board? 95 27 How can our board become more diverse and inclusive? 98 28 What should we tell our prospective board members? 101 29 What should we include in our board orientation? 106 30 Should members of the same family serve on a board? 109 31 Should constituents serve on the board? 112 32 What should we do about uninvolved board members? 114 33 Should we have term limits for board members? 119 34 How can we engage former board members and chief executives? 122 35 Should board members be compensated? 126 36 How can our board assess and improve its own performance? 130 37 Should individual board members be evaluated, and, if so, how? 136 Part Four: Board and Committee Meetings 38 Is a board legally required to hold open meetings? 141 39 How often and where should we meet? 144 40 How can we improve our meetings? 147 41 How can we encourage debate while promoting civility in the boardroom? 154 42 What is the purpose of a board retreat? 158 43 Who should attend board meetings, and what are their roles? 160 44 How should staff members participate in board and committee meetings? 163 45 What are the different ways boards make decisions? 167 46 How should board minutes be written, approved, and kept? 170 47 How can e-governance improve board and committee work? 174 Part Five: The Board’s Role as a Fiduciary 48 How does a board help ensure the organization’s long-term viability? 181 49 What does the board need to know about reserves and investments? 185 50 What is the board’s role in the budget? 190 51 What is the board’s role in the annual financial audit? 193 52 What are the signs of fi nancial distress in an organization? 197 53 What should we do if we suspect fraudulent activity? 200 54 What policies and practices should we adopt to manage confl ict of interest? 205 55 How can we protect the organization—and ourselves—from lawsuits? 210 56 What is a Form 990? 216 57 Why should every board member make an annual monetary contribution? 219 58 How can we develop board members’ fundraising skills? 222 59 How can we generate revenue beyond fundraising? 225 60 How does a nonprofi t operate a for-profit subsidiary? 230 61 What’s the best way to keep track of board policies? 236 Part Six: Board-Staff Relations 62 How does an all-volunteer organization make the transition to paid staff? 243 63 What is the board’s involvement in staff selection and management? 247 64 What is the ideal relationship between the board chair and the chief executive? 251 65 Should the chief executive have a vote on the board? 257 66 Should board members be hired as staff members? 259 67 How should we evaluate the chief executive? 261 68 How do we set fair compensation for the chief executive and the staff? 265 69 What is the chief executive’s role in improving the board? 269 70 What is the board’s role in relation to the staff? 273 71 How can the senior staff contribute to board effectiveness? 276 72 How can we facilitate the end of a chief executive’s employment? 280 73 What characteristics should we look for in a new chief executive? 286 74 How do we fi nd a new chief executive? 291 Part Seven: Organizational Change 75 What is the typical lifecycle for a nonprofi t organization? 299 76 How do we ensure that the organization thrives after the founders depart? 304 77 When should an organization consider revising its mission statement? 307 78 When should we enter into strategic alliances with other organizations? 310 79 When should we consider a merger or acquisition? 313 80 How can we expand the organization’s scope to an international level? 318 81 Should our charitable organization engage in lobbying? 323 82 How should we respond to an organizational emergency or controversy? 326 83 What is the board’s role in hiring a consultant? 330 84 When should the board consider closing a nonprofit organization? 332 85 How does the board keep up with organizational change? 335 Conclusion 339 Index 343

Autorenportrait

BoardSource is the premier resource for practical information, tools, best practices, training, and leadership development for board mem- bers of nonprofit organizations worldwide. Through its highly acclaimed programs and services, BoardSource enables organizations to fulfill their missions by helping build strong and effective nonprofit boards.

Back cover copy

Praise for the third edition of The Nonprofit Board Answer Book "This third edition of The Nonprofit Board Answer Book is an excellent resource guide for new and experienced nonprofit board members alike. Grounded in recent research and updated to reflect the changing demands of our times, this edition addresses both the basic questions and offers important new insights with practical answers and action ideas that are presented in a clear and succinct manner. The new Answer Book is a resource that every board leader and member will value having in their library." —David O. Renz, Beth K. Smith/Missouri Chair in Nonprofit Leadership; director, Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, Henry W. Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri–Kansas City; and editor of the Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management "A better, more accessible overview of nonprofit board governance simply does not exist. The Nonprofit Board Answer Book, with its accessible format of 85 questions and answers, addresses every conceivable challenge all nonprofit boards, as well as their key staff, must eventually confront—from ensuring that fundraising is on the board's radar to outlining how new board members should be oriented (to what, for many of them, is uncharted territory) to providing recommendations on how best to navigate the often awkward relations between the board and management. This book is essential reading (and re-referencing) for anyone serious about the role of the board in today's nonprofit world." —Doug White, academic director, Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, New York University; and author, The Nonprofit Challenge "The Nonprofit Board Answer Book is a comprehensive guide for small and large nonprofit organizations. The format centered around critical questions and answers makes the information very accessible. Any question a board has about governance can be answered in this book. I was particularly impressed with the activities listed after each question. I would highly recommend The Nonprofit Board Answer Book to nonprofit organizations." —Carol Goss, president and CEO, the Skillman Foundatione