Often people say to me they would like to serve on a nonprofit board. This always brings great delight when I hear this statement. However, it is the next few minutes of conversation which can bring me a great deal of consternation.
So, here are a few things you should know before agreeing to nonprofit board service:
Fact #1: The responsibilities of serving on a nonprofit board of directors are the same as the responsibilities of serving on a "for profit" board of directors. Both are corporations, one simply has a tax-exempt status issued from the federal government.
Fact #2: As a member of the nonprofit board of directors, you are ultimately responsible for the charity. It is not the staff or volunteers to which the fiduciary and legal responsibilities fall. It is the board members.
Fact #3: Governing, not managing, should be the focus of the board members as well as overseeing the finances, policies and legal issues. Baord members are not worker bees and should not be micromanagers in the day to day operations.
When I share these three facts with folks, most look at me incredulously having not realized before this moment the seriousness of serving as a board member. However, there are a great number of highly valuable resources to provide assistance. One that I strongly recommended is Board Source whose mission is to inspire and support nonprofit boards and executives to lead justly and with purpose. Check it out.
With 1.6+ million nonprofit organizations in the United States, there is plenty of opportunity to serve on the board of an organization which stirs your passion and makes you excited!
And remember this golden rule:
If you can only give your time, you are a VOLUNTEER.
If you can only give money, you are a DONOR.
If you can give money and your time, you are most likely a good candidate to serve on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
