Print

Preface These days, it is busy people who step forward and agree to serve on nonprofit boards. Often when they join their first board or even subsequent boards, they do not know what they are getting themselves into. They do not have the time to read textbooks or the latest in-depth thinking on governance of nonprofits. They need a quick, easy read on the basics of what it means to join the board of a nonprofit. Additionally, officers of boards do not have the time to teach all the principles that they may have learned from decades of board service. Often board terms are limited to three to six years, and there are always new board members coming on. This book of basic principles can be read in a few hours but serve as a refresher and a reference for board members. Resources such as sample policies, forms, and checklists are provided for future reference. Given the often-limited number of board meetings held and the amount of business that needs to be addressed, training is often nonexistent or limited to a couple of hours. New board members have to get up to speed quickly. This book answers many of the “I wish I had known that when I first went on the board” questions. As the numbers of nonprofits continue to grow with the emphasis on social responsibility, the need for knowledgeable board members grows. This book, based on over 35 years of both serving on boards and providing finan- cial and consulting services to boards and nonprofit organizations, is intended to meet the need to provide a basic understanding of what board members will have to understand to participate effectively. At the same time, fraudulent and irresponsible nonprofits also continue to grow increasing the need for transparency fiscal responsibility and skilled, ethical board members. With the availability of data on nonprofits on the Internet, board members need to know how to represent their organizations well from day one in any setting. This book meets that need by discussing how information about a nonprofit organization is derived for publication on the Internet and the board’s responsibility for accuracy and favorable portrayal.