Nonprofit Governance: Steering Your Organization with Authority and Accountability (Booklet)

Berit M. Lakey (National Center for Nonprofit Boards, 2000)
Universities, hospitals, environmental organizations, and human services organizations—while each may be run differently, all nonprofit boards have the authority to decide the organization’s direction, and they are accountable for how this authority is carried out. Nonprofit Governance: Steering Your Organization with Authority and Accountability takes an innovative look at governance and describes ways that boards and board members can add value to the organizations they serve. Written by NCNB governance consultant Berit M. Lakey, this booklet defines the difference between policy making and management and outlines how nonprofit boards carry out the charge to set direction, ensure the necessary resources, and provide oversight. It includes a discussion of decision making in membership and subsidiary organizations, provides clear examples of organizational mission and vision statements, and the qualities of a well-functioning board. Also included are the roles and responsibilities of individual board members, discussion questions, and a board responsibility checklist. Softcover, 24 pages, $16 (Nonmember), $12 (Member)