Role of Board of Directors Within a Nonprofit
The Role of a Board of Directors
By Jean Kelsey At first glance, one might think that the role of a Board of Directors (“Board”) would be based upon a standard set of criteria that would ultimately make the formation and function of a Board more straightforward. As I researched into the special role a Board would have within a non-profit, I discovered that the role is also determined by the functionality of that same Board. Functionality of a non-profit’s Board is clearly dependent upon several factors that include the selection and formation of the Board, the individual roles of each Board Officer, the Life Cycle of the Board, the selection and role of your Executive Director, tensions between the Board and the Executive Director and whether that same Executive Director would have to be replaced. Furthermore, if the Non-profit begins to experience “Founder’s Syndrome” or has a retiring founder also plays a pivotal part in determining the role of the Board. A typical Board includes a Board Chair, Chairperson, or President, a Vice Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Board may also include a Committee Chair and a Board Member. The actual selection of each member AND their acceptance of the Board position, as well as the size of the Board are key pieces that helps define the direction of the Board. “It is a critically important function for non-profit organizations to find and retain qualified, experienced Board members and officers.” (Grobman/Sand 2008) Finding suitable Board members is an actual process dependent upon the needs of the non-profit. A founding Board is very important to the non-profit organization because the Board’s success at governing and leading the organization is dependent upon several characteristics. These include the need for a Board with a diverse array of skills from financial, marketing, technical, entrepreneurial, legal and social service. Parents of children serviced by your non-profit and other volunteers who work
By Jean Kelsey At first glance, one might think that the role of a Board of Directors (“Board”) would be based upon a standard set of criteria that would ultimately make the formation and function of a Board more straightforward. As I researched into the special role a Board would have within a non-profit, I discovered that the role is also determined by the functionality of that same Board. Functionality of a non-profit’s Board is clearly dependent upon several factors that include the selection and formation of the Board, the individual roles of each Board Officer, the Life Cycle of the Board, the selection and role of your Executive Director, tensions between the Board and the Executive Director and whether that same Executive Director would have to be replaced. Furthermore, if the Non-profit begins to experience “Founder’s Syndrome” or has a retiring founder also plays a pivotal part in determining the role of the Board. A typical Board includes a Board Chair, Chairperson, or President, a Vice Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Board may also include a Committee Chair and a Board Member. The actual selection of each member AND their acceptance of the Board position, as well as the size of the Board are key pieces that helps define the direction of the Board. “It is a critically important function for non-profit organizations to find and retain qualified, experienced Board members and officers.” (Grobman/Sand 2008) Finding suitable Board members is an actual process dependent upon the needs of the non-profit. A founding Board is very important to the non-profit organization because the Board’s success at governing and leading the organization is dependent upon several characteristics. These include the need for a Board with a diverse array of skills from financial, marketing, technical, entrepreneurial, legal and social service. Parents of children serviced by your non-profit and other volunteers who work
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