Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
I have found that as the summer comes to an end, many not-for-profit and community groups start to look for new members to add to their board of directors.
Being approached to sit on a board can be very exciting and a little bit daunting.
Many people ask, what are my responsibilities as a board member, what do I need to know?
I would like to help with providing those of you contemplating sitting on a board, the top 10 responsibilities of a board member.
The Internet is also packed with several articles concerning the roles and responsibilities of a board member.
The main responsibility is for a board to determine mission and purpose of the organization.
They should create and review a statement of mission and purpose that articulates the organization’s goals, means and primary constituents served.
The board is also responsible to select the chief executive officer (CEO). Boards must reach consensus on the CEO’s responsibilities and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position.
In the most productive situations, the board works closely with its appointed CEO to further the organization’s goals and to broaden its financial and membership support base.
Together they regularly review the organization’s overall mission and program goals and decide on a regular evaluation process for all programs to monitor program effectiveness.
An integral part of the organization’s annual cycle of review and planning is the CEO’s performance review. The board, in partnership with the CEO, should decide the process, timing and form of this review.
The board should also ensure that the CEO has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization.
Boards need to ensure effective planning. Boards must actively participate in an overall planning process and assist in implementing and monitoring the plan’s goals.
Strategic planning enables the board to think through and document what they are doing, and for whom, and why they are doing it.
The process encourages examination of established directions and strategies for contemporary relevance and results.
Once the strategic plan is developed, the board needs to monitor and strengthen programs and services through consultation with the CEO.
The board’s responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization’s mission and monitor their effectiveness.
The board is also responsible to ensure adequate financial resources. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to secure adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
In addition, the board must protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. The board must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
The board is also tasked with building a competent board. All boards have a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members and periodically and comprehensively evaluate their own performance.
The board must ensure legal and ethical integrity of the organization, the CEO and the board themselves. The board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.
Finally, a board member must enhance the organization’s public standing.
The board should clearly articulate the organization’s mission, accomplishments and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
In addition, make sure you know the requirements of the board and its by laws. Also make sure you truly have the time to commit to the organization, meetings and committee work.
» Leslie Allen is the executive director of Westman Immigrant Services.
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition August 11, 2012
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I have found that as the summer comes to an end, many not-for-profit and community groups start to look for new members to add to their board of directors.
Being approached to sit on a board can be very exciting and a little bit daunting.
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I have found that as the summer comes to an end, many not-for-profit and community groups start to look for new members to add to their board of directors.
Being approached to sit on a board can be very exciting and a little bit daunting.
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