A 21st Century Nonprofit Board of Directors – A Volunteer Director’s View
By: Eugene Fram
Following are my estimates of the attributes a nonprofit board needs to be considered a high performing board in the 21st century.
Has organizational professionalism, flexibility & efficiency
• Operating managers consider themselves (more…)
Nonprofit & Trustees Personal Liabilities: Another Penn State Impact
By Eugene Fram
All nonprofit organizations should continue to follow the news from Penn state, especially with the insurer’s negative reactions to paying claims related to directors & officers personal liability for the Sandusky’s misdeeds.*
To what extent should nonprofits carry Director & Officers (D&O) insurance?
For example, I recently encountered a nonprofit board (more…)
From Mission Specialist to Nonprofit Manager –What Does It Require?
By: Eugene Fram
In over there decades of nonprofit consulting, I have observed a wide range of nonprofit management skills and backgrounds.. One group is interesting because nonprofit boards often appoint mission specialists to executive director or president/CEO of the organization. Those who succeed (more…)
Do Nonprofit & Trustee Boards Need A Conflict of Interest ‘Parliamentarian”? –Second in a series of two.
By Eugene Fram
There is ample news about conflict of interest on nonprofit and trustee boards. Based on several decades of board experience, I can’t remember a single instance where the topic has become a material issue. However, Google, taking only .29 seconds, lists over about 422,000 placements, related solely to nonprofit and trustee boards. (more…)
Interesting Conflict? Two Nonprofits Boards, Seeking Same Funding & Clients, Has One or More Board Directors Who Are the Same? — First of a series of two.
By Eugene Fram
It is not unusual to for two “competing” nonprofit’s to have a person(s) who fills a position on both boards. Examples: universities, and health care agencies. This dual volunteer deployment (more…)
Can A Nonprofit Organization Have A President/CEO & An Executive Director?
By: Eugene H. Fram
Yes, if the organization has the following structure:
Board With A Volunteer Chairperson
President/CEO With Full Authority for Operations
Executive Director for Division A
Executive Director for Division B
However this structure (more…)
Trustee’s Lament: “We are accountable for what’s happened… We are deeply ashamed.”*
Like the Penn State trustee, who bemoaned the board’s inaction, other nonprofit trustees, directors and managers easily can find themselves in similar situations, if they fail to impartially investigate negative news or even rumors. In fact, those who serve on small and midsized nonprofit organization’s boards may even be in more perilous situations than larger nonprofits for four reasons. Small & midsized companies may be affected for some of the same reasons. (more…)
Although this article may focus on for-profit boards, there is a great deal in it for nonprofits to ponder. It again shows that although the mission vision and values differ between the two types of boards, operationally there is much that can be learned from each other
How successful Nonprofit Chief Executives Should Operate
By: Eugene Fram
Successful nonprofit chief executives, like those in the commercial positions, should share similar perspectives and beliefs. Author Jeff Haden writing in the June 25th issue of INC Magazine. about for-profit executives suggests, “9 Beliefs of Remarkably Successful People.” Following is his list and how I see how his ideas may apply to chief executives of nonprofit organizations
Nonprofit & Trustee Boards: Any Side Effects From Health Care Act?
By: Eugene Fram
Obviously the Supreme Court’s health care decision will have significant impacts on nonprofit and trustee boards of health related organizations. However, like any large dose of medicine, the dose from the health care act will have kinetic effects on the cultures and operations of other types of nonprofit and trustee boards. They can range from Animal shelters to Zoos. Here are some, which I think are the most obvious. (more…)
Nonprofit Management 