Basic Training for Your Nonprofit Board of Directors
You’ve been asked to serve on a Nonprofit Board of Directors (or to work closely with the Board as a staff member). Congratulations! Now what? This course walks you through the Board’s legal obligations, and why the IRS requires 501(c)(3) public charities to have a Board of Directors.
The roles and responsibilities of each member, including the Board Officers (Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary) and Executive Leadership will be addressed in detail, as well as the leadership balance between Board and Staff, along with the difference between governance and management.
We’ll also cover what makes for an engaging Board meeting, including setting the agenda, Robert’s Rules of Order, and what goes into the meeting minutes. The purpose and roles of Board Committees and Advisory Councils is covered as well.
The Board’s role in fundraising, and why it is a requirement for most nonprofit boards is covered, along with hints to make the giving and getting process easier and pain free.
The final section includes tips for evaluating your Board’s performance, and recruiting and on-boarding new members to keep your Board going and growing.
This course is based on my many years of work as a nonprofit executive, as a board member, and as a consultant to nonprofit Boards of Directors, including delivering training in each of these areas.
The Legal What and Why of Nonprofit Boards
Roles and Responsibilities
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2
The Legal What and Why of Nonprofit BoardsThe basic legal requirements and expectations of nonprofit Board members, including what it means to be a governing body, the ban on private inurement, the importance of your bylaws, and personal liability of Board members.
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3
The Legal Role of Nonprofit Boards QuizA quick quiz on lesson one
The Board Meeting
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4
Roles and Responsibilities
The basic roles of all Board members, including the duties of Care, Loyalty, and Obedience, as well as the specific responsibilities of the Board officers (Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary), and the leadership balance between Board and Staff.
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5
Board Roles and Responsibilities Quiz
A quick quiz on lesson two
Board Committees
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6
The Board Meeting
What to expect at a nonprofit Board meeting, including tips for a good agenda, and how to run an effective and engaging meeting. Also discussed is Robert's Rules of Order, what goes into your meeting minutes, and how much of your Board activity is public informaiton.
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7
The Board Meeting Quiz
Quick quiz for this lesson
The Board and Fundraising
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8
Board Committees
About the role of Board committees, including typical committee structure, who is on various committees, and what powers they have. Advisory Councils are also discussed, and how they can help your Board govern your nonprofit.
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9
Board Committees Quiz
Quick quiz on the Board Committees lesson
Keeping Your Board Going and Growing
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10
The Board and Fundraising
Why fundraising is a key responsibility of a nonprofit Board of Directors, and why every Board member should be involved with both giving and getting donations. Also included are some tips for making "the ask" easy and other easy ways to contribute.
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11
The Board and Fundraising Quiz
Quick quiz on the Fundraising Lesson
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