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Board
of Director's Resources
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Building a
better board and getting your board more deeply involved in your
organization are two of the top priorities a nonprofit organization will
face.
Board members should be goodwill ambassadors for your cause, should
support your organization both financially and with their time, and should
be among your strongest supporters.
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Many
small non-profit organizations, especially those just starting out, make
the mistake of only putting founding members and current volunteers on
their board. Although this may be your only option at first when creating
your non-profit, it's important to expand your board as your organization
grows.
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One
of the most essential people in your fundraising process is the Chairman
of the board. The chair will be instrumental in creating an effective
board, motivating members, and insuring that goals and commitments are
met. The chairman will be responsible of overseeing the planning process,
soliciting board members for contributions, appointing members to
committees, and making solicitation visits to major donors, corporations,
and foundations. Their first responsibility will be to motivate board
members and insure that they understand the need for a development effort
and the strategies involved.
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Fundraising
is the responsibility of each board member, and should include a personal
donation each year. Board members are advocates and solicit funds on
behalf of the cause. New board members should be apprised of their
financial participation before they are elected. Many organizations adopt
such information into the by-laws and by-laws should also clearly specify
how many board members the board should have and how long board terms are
to be held.
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Although
legitimate concerns of current board members should be dealt with as you
expand and enter a development effort, do not postpone or cancel efforts
waiting for members to come around. Most board members only need to be
educated to see that a development plan is the only way to insure the
success of the organization. When all attempts to educate certain board
members have failed, it may be necessary to suggest resignation.
The
ideal board would have a representative
from each of the following:
Accountant
Lawyer
Banker
(Trust Officer)
Largest
Corporate Employer in your area
Professional
Person (doctor, dentist)
Representative
from your service area
Religious
Leader
Small
Business Man (printer would be ideal)
Local
Foundation
Civic
Group Leader
Public
Relations / Media Expert
Your
Executive Director
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Three
ways to welcome a new board member:
One:
Before their first meeting, give them a tour of the facility (if you have
one) and lunch with the board president and executive director. If you
haven't already done so this is a good time to talk over what they would
like to learn, to accomplish and what experiences they would like to have
as a board member.
Two:
At their first meeting, pass out a resume or biography of the new
member.
Three:
The board president or other officer can call the new member the day after
their first meeting to solicit reactions, discuss ways the new member can
be involved, and just make a personal connection.
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The following are a few
documents to help you build a better board. Download the .pdf
documents to read more...
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Questions board
members should ask themselves
Conflict
of Interest Policy For Board Members
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The
following are some other resources for your board of directors
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Boardsource.org
- Helping you build a better board
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Board
Cafe - electronic newsletter for board members
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