Successful Nonprofit Boards
Updated 5/11/2020 We’re having to adjust to a different world right now. In general, it’s always best to have an in-person meeting on matters of great importance. This provides the fullest opportunity to discuss, debate, consider alternatives, and come to agreement. When that’s impossible, you have to look at alternatives. This article lays out…
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The basic principle underlying conflict of interest is easy to state but applying it in real-life cases can be complicated. In a nutshell, when you accept a position on a local government body or a nonprofit board, you are obliged to put the interests of the organization above your own personal interest, and you can’t…
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In my experience there are three major pitfalls that can affect the ability of a nonprofit board of directors to fulfill its duty and serve its organization. Pitfall 1 – lack of immediate feedback In many cases, nonprofit boards are dealing with matters whose results will occur sometime in the future—next month, next year, or…
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It is a basic principle of parliamentary procedure that the decision of the majority, voting at a properly called meeting, is the decision of the body as a whole. The members whose views did not prevail are bound to go along with the majority. This goes back deep in time, to the origins of our…
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If your board isn’t following its own bylaws, here are some different approaches you can take. Download PDF 1. Educate the board about liability The first step is to educate the board. Point out to them that bylaws are not a “suggestion,” they are mandatory. They form the foundation of how the entire organization functions.…
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A reader contacted us recently to ask whether the executive committee of his organization had the right to overturn a decision made by the full board. The answer is no, unless the bylaws give that right. Similarly, a board of directors may not overturn a decision made by the full membership. Robert’s Rules is very…
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Have you ever wished that you could just throw a member out of your nonprofit organization? Some people are so challenging that we wish we could! Here are some tips for dealing with difficult members. Download PDF Bylaws and policy regarding difficult members In an ideal world, everyone goes along with the rules. In reality…
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Everyone wants effective meeting management, but how do we get there? The secret is to get all the participants on the same page. We suggest that you download our Sample Discussion Guidelines and spend 30 minutes talking about them with your group. We offer Sample Discussion Guidelines for Nonprofit Boards and Sample Discussion Guidelines for…
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At a recent nonprofit board conference, I asked participants how they discuss and decide their issues. The majority of the attendees at my session agreed that they use “informal consensus.” Download PDF What is informal consensus? Here is a description of informal consensus from Andy Robinson’s book, Great Boards for Small Groups: Someone presents an…
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Update on June 4, 2020 – Things have changed this spring because of the COVID-19 crisis. Some states have amended their laws or issued emergency orders changing their rules on remote meetings and email voting. This guidance may no longer apply. Check with your attorney before deciding what to do. It is fine for board…
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