October 2007
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Dear Friends:
Who needs yet another regular meeting shoehorned into an already over-extended schedule? No one, I realize. Especially in the world of small to midsize nonprofit organizations, where so many of us play multiple roles, just preparing for the regular board meeting can be a real challenge. Yet the truth is that boards can in fact accomplish more if their meetings are not always meetings of a committee of the whole. A few key committees with clear mandates can result not only in more productive board meetings but also more productive boards of directors over all. So here is my list of standing committees that I recommend for nearly all boards. Peace, Recommended Standing Committees for Boards of DirectorsExecutive Committee The Executive Committee is typically composed of officers and other committee chairs. It should be empowered to act between board meetings on matters requiring immediate attention and should also set the agendas of regular board meetings. Ideally, it organizes and monitors the work of other committees and does long-range planning (unless the organization is large enough to have a separate Planning Committee). Finance Committee The Finance Committee is best composed of the Treasurer and at least one other board member and one person not on the board. Its purpose is to review financial statements in advance of the full board doing so and offer helpful interpretation. It recommends the auditor for engagement by the full board. It also recommends all financial procedures and controls and leads the budget preparation process. Resource Development Committee or Advancement Committee The Resource Development Committee (sometimes called the Advancement Committee) will work most effectively when it consists of at least two board members and several others not currently on the board. Its role is to oversee and support the design and execution of a comprehensive development plan for the organization. Such a plan should have components that include constituent relations (volunteer, member, major donor, corporate & foundation, community), foundational development practices (financial reporting, gift acknowledgment and donor recognition), and, of course, fund-raising. This committee's work needs to be coordinated especially closely with that of the Communications Committee. Board Development Committee (or Nominating Committee) I recommend naming this committee Board Development because its mandate goes well beyond nominations. Beside the Executive Committee, it is the one other committee that is composed entirely of currently sitting board members. It charge is to identify, screen, and recommend prospective board members, to be sure, but its work is not done once such a list is compiled. It also orients new board members and arranges for ongoing board training about nonprofit organizational management and advancement AND current issues which relate to the purpose of the organization. Communications Committee A Communications Committee is effectively composed of at least one board member and some others who are not presently on the board. It plans and oversees all external communications with all constituencies and the public at large. It needs to work hand-in-hand with the Resource Development Committee. Many organizations combine these efforts, I realize, but to the detriment of their volunteers. The mandate is just too large when one group attempts to do it all. Besides, while all external communications have implications for resource development, goals for communications are often related to program or administration. Program Committee A Program Committee will also be composed of at least one board member and one or two who are not on the board but active volunteers. The group reviews program efficiency, effectiveness, integrity, and quality. It recommends expansion or reduction of services as well as the opening of new programs or closure of old ones. It arranges for regular, formal program review. |
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