nonprofit board directors

Avoiding action in Robert’s Rules

By Ann Macfarlane / November 26, 2019 / Comments Off on Avoiding action in Robert’s Rules
A road, lined with trees and extending into the distance, is blocked by a white and red barricade with a no entry sign and two yellow warning lights, signaling the need for avoiding action.

Guest post by Colette Collier Trohan on how NOT to do things by avoiding action in Robert’s Rules. Many thanks Colette for this useful summary! Have you ever been in a meeting and had the sinking feeling there was no good path forward? If the motion was adopted, perhaps it would inadvertently send the wrong…

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Executive committee cannot overturn board decision

By Ann Macfarlane / October 1, 2019 / Comments Off on Executive committee cannot overturn board decision
Close-up of a dictionary page showing the word "Overrule" in bold, with its definition provided by the executive committee.

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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Action Items List will improve board followup

By Ann Macfarlane / October 18, 2018 / Comments Off on Action Items List will improve board followup
word followup with marker

At our nonprofit workshop last Saturday, someone asked, “How can you get board members to do what is agreed upon by the group at large?”

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Starting a nonprofit? Here’s a helpful workbook

By Ann Macfarlane / October 5, 2018 / Comments Off on Starting a nonprofit? Here’s a helpful workbook
Cover of "Non-profit, Tax-Exempt Corporation Workbook" by Amy Hereford. The yellow cover features a small image of stacked papers near the center, ideal for anyone starting a nonprofit.

Are you planning to start your own nonprofit organization? The process is complex.

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No after-the-fact comments in minutes

By Ann Macfarlane / August 31, 2018 /
Portrait of a man with long curly hair, wearing a dark brown coat with gold buttons and a white cravat, standing against a plain background—an image that leaves little room for after-the-fact comments.

As our faithful readers know, Robert’s Rules affirms that minutes contain what is DONE, not what is SAID. Personal remarks and commentary do not belong in meeting minutes. By extension there is no place for after-the-fact comments in the minutes, either. The minutes are the record of the meeting itself. If your council or board…

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The board booted me out – but can they?

By Ann Macfarlane / July 10, 2018 / Comments Off on The board booted me out – but can they?
An umpire wearing protective gear, including a face mask and chest guard, gives a thumbs-up gesture. He stands against a plain white background, as if signaling the confidence required for removing a director.

A reader writes that he was voted off the board of directors of his neighborhood association. On investigation, it turned out that the board didn’t have the right to remove him. The director was reinstated. What are the rules about removing a director of a nonprofit organization? In order to answer this question, you have…

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Duty of care is critical for nonprofit board directors

By Ann Macfarlane / March 13, 2018 / Comments Off on Duty of care is critical for nonprofit board directors
A file folder with a paper titled "DUTY of CARE" and a gavel placed beside it on a wooden surface emphasizes the importance of maintaining responsibility.

Guest post by Colette Collier Trohan.  Directors of nonprofit boards will find this outline of their duty of care an invaluable guide. Do you remember being a teenager and ignoring the potential consequences of your actions? Did anyone ever look at you and ask: “What were you thinking?!!!”  You weren’t expected to be a perfect child, but…

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