Who are these people on your nonprofit board anyway? I’ve been getting asked about this a lot lately. Your state’s corporate code tells you that you need a certain number of officers on your nonprofit board. Most likely it’s a President, Treasurer and Secretary. So you make sure you have those folks in place every year. Awesome.

Then you ask – Now what exactly are we supposed to do with these wonderful volunteers?

Here are 3 easy-to-follow guidelines for an effective nonprofit volunteer team:

1. Read your bylaws. They will tell you what positions you can have and provide a basic outline of their role. Chances are it’s rather boiler plate and that’s okay because then you have flexibility. And it’s important to note that different organizations have different needs depending on where you are in your evolution, how you operate and what goals you have set.

2. Invest in your leadership. This is not the time to go with the warm body philosophy. These are critical positions that require thoughtful consideration. From the time you start recruiting new board members, do so with leadership succession in mind. Look for those qualities and experiences that will set your nonprofit up for success. Then focus on developing those volunteers in the pipeline so when they arrive in the officer slot, they don’t look like deer in the headlights.

3. Establish meaningful position descriptions.  Have them sign on the dotted line to formalize the commitment and confirm their understanding of the role and term (how many years is an officer term and is it renewable?). Here are some basic suggestions:

President: As the Chief Volunteer Officer, board members report to the president, not unlike an employee and supervisor relationship (yes, I understand the dynamics are different because they are volunteers, but you get the point). So the president is responsible for ensuring an effective and high-performing team is in place. This includes activities such as (not meant to be inclusive):
* Preside over board meetings and maintain a focus on strategic issues
* Ensure a strong board composition and put procedures in place to address board development strategies year round
* Monitor committee activity to ensure the goals and annual work plans are achieved (ex-officio of all)
* Work with the CEO (if there is one) as a trusted partner to support operational matters
* Be the face of the organization at times when public relations require it
* Serve as the authorized signatory as appropriate
* Model outreach and fundraising behavior as an ambassador who inspires others to do the same; this results in enough resources to fund your mission work
* Set annual board goals and evaluate the board’s performance
* Supervise and conduct annual performance reviews of the CEO (if there is one)
* Confirm effective financial planning, monitoring and reporting systems are in place

NOTE: The President may determine that some of these activities can be completed by her representative. For example, she may ask the Vice President to monitor committee activity, or take a key fundraising role. But the President is ultimately responsible for ensuring the organization is running smoothly, with integrity and serving the community as promised.

Vice President: I have to giggle when I hear nonprofit leaders say the VP just fills in for the president when they are absent. True……and here are some other things to consider:
* Work closely with the president and CEO to understand the organization’s priorities so they can step in if needed.
* May be in line as the next president. Pay attention here! You want to have a succession plan. So when you are considering who to nominate for officers, keep in mind those folks could be your next president. Do they have what it takes and are they interested? Keep that pipeline full so you aren’t stuck with the warm body issue someday.
* Carry out assignments as instructed by the president (see note above). This is a smart development strategy, by the way. It’s not just about off-loading some work. Allow all officers to play a meaningful role by giving them opportunities to shine.

Treasurer: This is also a key role with several important responsibilities:
* Oversee all financial planning and reporting and work closely with staff in doing so. I recognize staffing structures vary widely. The point is, if you have staff, they should understand the treasurer has a fiduciary responsibility along with the rest of the board to ensure sound practices are in place. Staff don’t work in a vacuum.
* Assist staff in development of the budget and present it to the board for approval. Particular attention is focused on key strategic items, risk analysis, etc.
* Chair the finance committee (in most cases) and report on financial position at every board meeting, and between meetings if the board isn’t meeting regularly.
* Might be considered for the board president role.

Secretary: Who likes to take minutes?? That really isn’t only what this position is about. Check it out:
* In the absence of staff, the secretary will take minutes at board meetings to ensure appropriate documentation. Otherwise, staff takes minutes and offers them to the secretary to review before distribution.
* Ensure proper documents and records are retained as determined by state law (yes, there is a document retention rule -look it up if you don’t know it).
* Sign official documents as primary signatory, in many cases
* Monitor conduct at board meetings to ensure rules and bylaws are followed.
* Might be considered for the board president role.
* In some cases, the secretary will serve as the primary governance monitor: assure compliance with all laws, review bylaws periodically, monitor practices to ensure integrity and transparency, watch for conflicts of interests, etc. If you choose this option, you might consider an attorney in this role.

The good news is you have some flexibility to structure these positions in the way that will serve your nonprofit organization best. BUT – if you are hearing most of this for the first time and realize you’re behind in the game, start adjusting now.

The #1 reason nonprofits struggle is due to a leadership deficit of some kind.

Invest in your leadership, take your officer positions seriously, lay out a succession plan and watch your board’s performance soar!  If you have more questions about how to apply an effective officer structure at your nonprofit, shoot me an email and let’s work through it.

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