Elect officers even if your meetings are informal. Board members can serve in multiple roles; only the secretary and chair should not be the same person.
Chairperson:
o Oversees and works closely with your director
o Serves as the public voice for the organization, or delegates this duty to one person
o Sets the agenda and tone for your meetings – a excellent leader once advised me to limit board agendas to two or three topics, so each can be discussed thoughtfully.
Chair-elect:
o In training the year before taking the office of chairperson
o Fills in when the Chairperson is absent
Secretary:
o Records and manages meeting minutes, freeing the chair to facilitate the meeting
o Keeps licenses and official documents current
Treasurer:
o Monitors and keeps the board informed on the organization’s financial situation
o Provides financial reports to help the board with decision-making
o Whether you conduct an informal internal audit or have an outside company conduct one, your treasurer will review findings and report them to the board.
o If you need a finance committee, your treasurer chairs that committee
Note: If your board is a new, one of your first discussions will be on decision making. Many nonprofit boards make decisions by consensus, and when needed, by majority vote. Decide before a need arises if you will allow absentee voting. If a topic is controversial, politically or emotionally charged, offering a written vote can help. It’s healthy for boards to have open, respectful debate.
As always, I am hoping for your every success!
