Board members are legally and ethically responsible for all activities of the organization. Board members are solely responsible for determining council policy in the following areas:
Human Resources Key responsibilities include:
- Board membership (which includes recruiting new board members, recognizing and nurturing existing board members, and providing existing board members with opportunities to grow and develop as leaders);
- Executive Director accountability (which includes hiring, firing and ongoing evaluation of the Executive Director; and
- Personnel policies (which include providing policy guidance about salaries, benefits and grievance procedures);
Planning Key responsibilities include:
- Setting and reviewing the organization’s mission/philosophy and goals;
- Planning for the organization’s future, on a strategic (3-5 years) basis;
- Deciding and planning which services/programs the organization provides; and
- Evaluating the organization’s programs and operations on a regular basis.
Finance Key responsibilities include:
- Ensuring financial accountability of the organization;
- Overseeing an ongoing process of budget development, approval and review;
- Raising funds and/or ensuring that adequate funds are raised to support the organization’s policies and programs; and
- Managing and maintaining properties or investments the organization possesses.
Community Relations Key responsibilities include:
- Ensuring that the organization’s programs and services appropriately address community needs;
- Marketing the organization’s services/programs; and
- Ongoing public relations, (which includes an awareness that board members are always emissaries of the organization in the community
Organizational Operations The Board should ensure that:
- the organization’s administrative systems are adequate and appropriate;
- the board’s operations are adequate and appropriate;
- the organizational and legal structure are adequate and appropriate; and
- the organization and its board members meet all applicable legal requirements.
NOTE:
Throughout the orientation process, the agency should define the roles and responsibilities of new board members:
During the first three months, the Board of Directors should:
- Assign new member to a specific committee
- Orient new member to the work of the specific committee
- Provide written, relevant background materials
During on-going training, the Board of Directors should:
- Ensure that the new member consults with appropriate committee chairpersons and staff to obtain full involvement and commitment.
- Provide assistance to new Board Member in carrying out responsibilities
- Arrange for new member to participate in special workshops related to the assignment, where available.
- Recognize the new Board Member’s work, and ultimately expand level of responsibility or rotate new Board Member to another committee where they can continue to learn more about the agency and contribute to its achievements.
Adapted from several sources by Barbara Huberman, Advocates for Youth, 2009.
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