I’ll be on Nonprofit Radio this Friday, February 22, at 10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET talking with host Tony Martignetti about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and a nonprofit’s governing documents. This follows up on part one of our discussion on DEI and nonprofit governance from February 15, which is now available as a podcast here. We’ll […]
governance
DEI and Bylaws: Board Composition
As we’ve discussed in a previous post, one way to anchor diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) as a core value of an organization is to include DEI principles and language into an organization’s Bylaws. A common starting place for nonprofit corporations is the composition of the board of directors. Each organization should determine for itself […]
Governance Documents: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Nonprofits
The Center for Effective Philanthropy reports that 70% of organizational leaders in the nonprofit sector consider staff diversity to be of great importance, yet only 36% believe they have actually achieved it. Nonprofit organizations that fight to improve social problems should consider incorporating explicit language on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in […]
Governance Committee: 12 Key Tasks
A nonprofit corporation is ultimately governed by its board of directors, but a board may create committees to assist in fulfilling the board’s duties. Among the most common and important committees utilized by boards is a governance committee. The governance committee is generally responsible for reviewing the governance structures and practices of the organization and […]
So You Wanna Join a Nonprofit Board? BASF 01/23/18
On January 23, 2018, NEO’s Erin Bradrick will be presenting So You Wanna Join a Nonprofit Board? at the Bar Association of San Francisco Conference Center from noon to 1:15 pm. The event (offered live and as a webinar) is sponsored by the Litigation Section of the Barristers Club. Victoria Weatherford of the San Francisco City […]
Amending Bylaws of a California Nonprofit Corporation
We are often asked to help nonprofit corporations review their bylaws and amend them as necessary or as desired. Bylaws may need to be reviewed and amended for legal compliance or risk management purposes or to match the existing or desired policies/practices of the corporation. The following are steps for amending the bylaws of a […]
Nonprofit Radio: What Boards Get Wrong
I’ll be on Nonprofit Radio this Friday at 10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET talking with host Tony Martignetti about what nonprofit boards get wrong. Catch us live on Talking Alternative or a few days later on iTunes. You may have heard rumors that your board isn’t perfect. We’ll run through the most glaring offenses you need to look out for. We’ll […]
10 Ways Nonprofit Boards Get in Trouble
While the vast majority of charitable nonprofits are led by board members who want to do the right thing and see their organizations flourish in advancing their mission, we too often read about nonprofit boards that fail to lead their organizations out of trouble. Here are 10 ways nonprofit boards get in trouble. Allowing a […]
Advocacy: An essential board responsibility
[Updated – original version published on July 15, 2015] Advocacy is an essential board responsibility. That’s the new message being espoused by BoardSource in connection with the release of the third edition of Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards. I’ve long asserted that board members should consider whether advocacy (and in some cases lobbying) would be an effective strategy and if […]
Duties of the President and/or Chair of the Board
Who’s in charge? This is a commonly asked question when structuring the governance and management of a nonprofit corporation. Is it the president or chair of the board? Do nonprofits need to maintain both of these positions? And how does an executive director fit into this equation? Directors vs. Officers It’s important to first distinguish […]