The Essential Board Documents You Have but Don’t Use

with Mary Beth Harrington from 501c3 Empowering Nonprofits

Even the most organized, responsible, and friendly board needs to document its activities, internal rules, and processes. Some of the documentation is legally required, while others are still essential and often overlooked. When was the last time your board looked at its Bylaws before deciding? These documents ensure effective accountability, operations, and decision-making to enable your organization to be effective and sustainable, not to mention avoid risk.

These documents are the founding roots of your organization. It is not enough to have them developed, but organizations need to actively use them. If they are not consistently tendered and stop growing, then eventually your organization will wither and die.

Documents discussed include:
• Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
• Standard Board Documents – Conflict of Interest, Whistleblower, Document Destruction, Directors and Officers Insurance
• Board Policies Manual – Meeting frequency and attendance, consistency of board members, recruitment, onboarding and mentoring process, evaluation process for Executive Director and the Board, Board Contract, Executive Director and Board job description, Board Committees.
• Ongoing Board Documents – Board meeting agendas and minutes, Organization’s Strategic Plan, Succession Plan for Executive Director and Board Members.
• Board Financial Documents – Budget, income statement, 990, giving model, oversight