First, let’s talk a little bit about the importance of developing an effective nonprofit board.

Board development seems to be one of the most frequently written about topics for nonprofits, and with good reason. Here are some of the reasons:

·        Without a strong board of directors, the executive director and staff are expected to not only have the vision for what the organization can become, but also to do all of the work.

·        An effective board can provide a foundation for the mission of the organization and a framework of expectations that make it possible for the management, staff, and volunteers to focus upon the day-to-day tasks of making that mission a reality.

·        The bottom line: Without a strong board, nonprofit organizations show limited success in meeting both client and community need.

Steps to Board Building
Building an effective board is similar to creating a winning sports team. Recruiting talented players that fit the team and training them to play their best are key ingredients.

Board members join an organization for a limited amount of time and pledge their personal, professional, and financial resources to advance the mission of the organization.

Some helpful questions for board member “recruiters” to ask include:

·        What gaps in expertise exist on the current board?

·        Who is likely to be interested in the mission of the organization?

·        What does the position offer to the prospective board member? Why join?

Even the best of teams experience challenges, so providing a “playbook” of policies that build unity and enthusiasm for the mission and define how conflict will be resolved will go a long way toward making sure that the board fulfills its purpose.

Board Building Resources

Below are just a few of the websites online filled with information to help you have a better board of directors!

NonProfitExpert want to thank all the organizations listed below that contribute greatly to the collective knowledge of how nonprofits should go about developing their respective board of directors! We also have additional information about boards at our category site link titled: Board Guide

Board Cafe
An online newsletter with brief commentary, news and information on nonprofit topics. Contains over 60 archived copies of the newsletter.

Board Development   
A Canadian nonprofit site with useful ideas that apply to all boards. For example, it suggests that one of the basic responsibilities of the board is to “ensure its own renewal and development.”

BoardSource
Provides articles on many aspects of governance, such as forming an audit committee and evaluating the performance of the chief executive. There is also a Q&A section with practical advice for enhancing day-today operations.

Free Management Library 
Complete, highly integrated library for nonprofits and for-profits created by Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting. Covers over 75 topics of interest, including: crisis management, business operations, sample job descriptions, and conducting effective meetings.

The Community Development Network 
A site of the Portland, OR Community Development Centers, with a list of “Top 10” nonprofit management sites and a specific section for board  governance.

The Non-Profit Risk Management Center 
Books, articles and web seminars on many aspects of managing risk in the nonprofit sector.

Volunteer Today
A journal that provides the fundamentals of volunteer management and increases awareness of the volunteer management profession.

The following is a list of FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is based on questions and answers about nonprofit organizations exchanged on the Internet since 1994 and provided by www.idealist.org  Please click below to search by category:
 

• Board of Directors  

• Board-Staff Relations  

• Charter Documents  

• Chief Executive Officer  

• Collaboration & Mergers  

• Committees  

• Conflict of Interest  

• Dissolution  

• Evaluation  

• Fraud and Abuse  

• General Considerations  

• History  

• Liability  

• Management

• Mission & Purpose  

• Officers  

• Organization

• Outside the USA  

• Planning  

• Policy Issues  

• Start-up  

• Statistics  

• Strategy  

• Subsidiaries  

• Systems & Standards  

• Types of Nonprofits  

• General Management  

• Theories of Management  

• Accounting  

• Audits  

• Budget & Finance  

• Collaboration  

• Communication & PR  

• Compensation  

• Conflict  

• Contracting  

• Databases  

• Employment  

• Evaluation  

• Insurance  

• Internet Use  

• Leadership  

• Legal Questions  

• Mailing Lists  

• Marketing  

• Meetings  

• Membership  

• Personnel  

• Research & Data Collection  

• Risk Management  

• Tech - Policies  

• Training  

• Volunteer Programs  

• Advocacy  

• Business Activities  

• Charitable Solicitations  

• Federal Laws in the US  

• Federal Regulations in the U.S.  

• Gambling  

• IRS  

• Lobbying  

• National Policies Worldwide  

• Nongovernmental Regulation  

• Payments in lieu of taxes  

• Political Action

• Regulation

• State Laws  

• State Regulations  

• Tax Deductions  

• Tax Exemptions  

• Taxes  

• Unrelated Business Income  

• U S Postal Service  

• Watchdog Agencies  

To Recap:

·        Strong nonprofit boards are essential to achieving the mission of the organization.

·        Recruiting board members who support the organization and providing training to help facilitate board work are critical elements of success.

·        Many resources to guide board recruitment and development are available online at the sites listed above and at www.nonprofitexpert.com