Tools for Executive Directors and Boards of Directors
Board of Directors Tools
Board Composition Matrix听(笔顿贵)
Is your board membership diversified? Are members actively involved? Use this helpful tool to get a snapshot of your board.
Board Development Pre-Assessment听(笔顿贵)
Would your board benefit from board training? Are some of the board members unsure of their role? Do some board members seem disengaged? This pre-assessment helps you assess your need for board development.
Board of Directors’ Assessment听(笔顿贵)
Start your new board year with reflection and clear direction.
Board Member’s Activity Report听(笔顿贵)
An excellent way for board members to be aware of their individual activity and engagement over the year. Can also be used as a kick-off to discussion with board chair.
Board Meeting Minutes听(笔顿贵)
Every nonprofit board has a legal obligation to take minutes of its board meetings. Minutes serve as the record of the actions that the board has taken in light of its informed, prudent deliberations and decision making.
Content for a Board Membership Manual听(笔顿贵)
A useful and important tool for nonprofit organizations is the board manual or handbook. Here are some guidelines on how to put one together.
Form for Prospective Board Candidates听(笔顿贵)
A questionnaire to help determine if prospective board members are a good fit for your organization.
Form to Evaluate an Individual Board Member听(笔顿贵)
How effective a board member are you? This individual self-evaluation will help you personally assess your board service.
Form to Evaluate Board Meetings听(笔顿贵)
A quick self-assessment to gauge the effectiveness of your board of director meetings.
NYC Good Governance Blueprint (PDF)
What You Need to Know BEFORE You Serve on a Board听(笔顿贵)
Serving as a board member can be one of the most important, challenging聽and rewarding experiences of your life. Board members have important聽legal and fiduciary responsibilities that require a commitment of time, skill聽and resources.
Individual Board Member’s Fund Development Plan听(笔顿贵)
A useful tool to help individual board members clarify their commitment to the organization and聽 develop their personal fundraising plan to support the mission.
Board Documents
Document Destruction and Retention Policy听(笔顿贵)
Document retention is a required practice for all corporations, including nonprofits. Adopting a policy for document retention and destruction ensures that you are in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Sample鈥擟ode of Ethics for Board Members听(笔顿贵)
A Code of Ethics for board members helps define your organization’s principles and acceptable practices and provides guidance and direction for board conduct and decision making.
Sample鈥擟onflict of Interest Policy听(笔顿贵)
A sample conflict of interest statement for board members.
Sample鈥擝oard Member Contract听(笔顿贵)
Understanding roles and responsibilities is an essential element of successful boards. This sample board member contract defines responsibilities from both organization and board member perspectives.
Tips for Developing Bylaws听(笔顿贵)
Bylaws are the internal rules and regulations that guide a board鈥檚 activity and answer important procedural questions.聽 They provide a roadmap for how the board operates.聽 In addition to having them reviewed from a legal perspective, bylaws should reflect how the board wants to conduct its affairs.聽 Equally important is that the board abides by its bylaws.
Sample鈥擶histleblower Policy听(笔顿贵)
Enhance your organization’s public accountability and transparency while providing your employees with the necessary protections for blowing the whistle.
Resources
Annual Evaluation of the Executive Director听(笔顿贵)
An evaluation of the executive is an integral responsibility of an organization’s board of directors. The process by which boards fulfill this obligation varies. Here is a template that provides a sample executive evaluation.
Consent Agenda听(笔顿贵)
A useful tool for helping your board meetings run smoothly and efficiently.
Current Salary Survey (PDF)
Valuable information on salary ranges for many different positions in several cities in the Northeast area.
Emergency Succession Plan听(笔顿贵)
What would happen if your organization was faced with the unexpected and sudden departure of your executive director? Adopting an Emergency Succession Plan can help you ensure that essential functions continue uninterrupted by outlining a plan for the appointment of an acting executive director.
Exit Interview for Employees听(笔顿贵)
When an employee leaves an organization, an exit interview is a helpful tool.
Sample鈥擡xecutive Director Contract听(笔顿贵)
A contract can help lay the groundwork for a successful relationship between your board and new executive director.
Sample鈥擲ocial Media Tactical Plan听(笔顿贵)
A plan that includes tactical objectives used to accomplish social media goals.
Tips for Constructing an Elevator Pitch听(笔顿贵)
Learn how to engage people about your organization in a limited amount of time and leave them wanting to know more.