Trustees

What Nonprofit & Trustee Directors Have a Right to Know

What Nonprofit & Trustee Directors Have a Right to Know.

By Eugene Fram

A recent blog was published, “raising some (directors’) questions that go beyond the rules…” (See below) Developed by an international for-profit & nonprofit board expert, they are primarily targeted toward for-profit boards. Following are my suggestions how these questions could apply to nonprofit and trustee boards. In addition, field examples show what happened when they had to be raised in crises situations.

Does bad news rise in your organization?
“You may be the last to know.” For example, the board of a human services organization knew that the professional staff was not happy with a new ED, but the board needed to give him a chance to solve the problem. Directors didn’t know that the staff had been meeting with a union organizer for nine months.
An labor election resulted, with the professionals agreeing to work under a trade union contract. (more…)

How To Develop A Trusting Nonprofit Governance Model

How To Develop A Trusting Nonprofit Governance Model

By: Eugene Fram

A nonprofit governance model that provides a significant amount of trust between board and staff can lead to an entirely new working environment. It calls for a working relationship based on respect for all involved, especially respect for management personnel by the board. (more…)

Is Your Nonprofit Chief Executive An Effective Fund Raiser?

Is Your Nonprofit Chief Executive An Effective Fund Raiser?

By Eugene Fram

In the past, many nonprofit chief executives, whether they be executive directors or president/CEOs, did not have fund raising responsibilities. They were considered mission specialists by their boards. These specialists did not have enough higher-level community contacts or were not aggressive enough to seek development assets. (more…)

Social Media and The Nonprofit Board

Although social media are disruptive technologies, I don’t think many nonprofit boards have given  sufficient thought to what they may mean to their organizations currently, beyond marketing, and in the future.   Following is a link targeted to the business community, which I think should be of interest to nonprofit boards.

bit.ly/RxhETF

Is Your Nonprofit a “Slim & Smart” High Performance Nonprofit?

Is Your Nonprofit a “Slim & Smart” High Performance Nonprofit? 

By Eugene Fram

The “slim and smart” nonprofit approach does not involve specific steps but instead calls for management to develop an overall transitional framework and climate for the organization.[i] It does, however, require planning with sufficient lead-time. (more…)

Once Again: Who Should Be Involved in Fund Development and How?

Once Again: Who Should Be Involved in Fund Development and How?

By Eugene Fram

This is a perennial question. Following are suggestions that many will find of interest.

The Board of Directors
• Board members should a have to provide (more…)

Using Imperfict Metrics Well; Tracking Progress And Driving Change

This article on nonprofit evaluation has appeared in a shortened version in a previous blog. However, based on the attention it has received from all over the world, I thought that some viewers might like a direct link to the full article.

http://bit.ly/LLeuyU

A 21st Century Nonprofit Board of Directors – A Volunteer Director’s View

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

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…)

Can A Nonprofit Organization Have A President/CEO & An Executive Director?

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…)