When you serve on a nonprofit board the responsibilities you have are to provide financial and legal oversight. These duties ensure that the organization is operating within its budget and in conformity with state, local, and federal laws. You must also consider the interests of the organization above your own interests. It is your responsibility to disclose any conflict of interest.
Nonprofit boards guide nonprofits in a variety of ways, such as by enhancing their culture, focussing on their strategic goals and ensuring financial sustainability. They act as ambassadors to promote the work and mission of the organization.
Advocacy is the only method to communicate a nonprofit’s mission to its staff, supporters, volunteers and other people who are its constituents. A committed, passionate board will be more likely to stay involved and will assist in the growth of the organization.
The board is also accountable for setting and adhering to an annual budget, as well as creating policies that guide the management of employees and donors. It is critical to the success of the non-profit that the public trusts that funds are used in a responsible manner and in accordance with the organization’s stated mission.
Nonprofit boards are also responsible for overseeing a chief executive, who is accountable for the day-today operation of the organization. In smaller nonprofits, it’s possible that volunteer directors work as employees, but this model can quickly become unsustainable and hinder the board from being focused on governance and directory oversight. To make the most of their time, the board should delegate its responsibilities to committees, and those committees should report to the entire board.