policy

Governance Policy: Easy Four-Part Structure

Governance Policy: Easy Four-Part Structure

Posted in policy / board of directors

The board of a non-profit has a complex job. It is accountable to the stakeholders to meet the strategic goals, while at the same time governing the organization and monitoring management. No experience, no time, no problem! Non-profit board members rarely come to the position with a wealth...


The Secret Code Book to a Non-Profit’s Vision

The Secret Code Book to a Non-Profit’s Vision

Posted in policy / members / stakeholders

Here’s a fun fact, where I am, Bylaws are not a legal requirement, and yet, most non-profits have Bylaws. Bylaws are the rules created by the founding members to regulate the organization. They can be changed, but not easily. Bylaws are the rules created by the members. This is how it starts....


Is your non-profit incorporated? (and why does it matter)

Is your non-profit incorporated? (and why does it matter)

Posted in policy / members / stakeholders

Non-profit leaders, be it board members or the executive director, need to have a firm understanding of 4 key documents a non-profit uses for legal status, governance, and operations. Becoming familiar with these documents is not simply an orientation tool, rather, it is a critical step to...


How to Stop Non-Profit Policies from Becoming Mind-Numbingly Boring

How to Stop Non-Profit Policies from Becoming Mind-Numbingly Boring

Posted in office operations / filing / policy / board meeting

Non-profits have sooo many policies. Policies that define the work of the board. Policies that define what an executive director is and isn’t allowed to do. Policies that tell the staff team what they can and cannot do. A non-profit’s policies, from governing to operational, are the rules that...


Can an employee expect privacy at work?

Can an employee expect privacy at work?

Posted in office operations / emergency / policy

Office environments have changed over the last few years. We went from working in a central office to being required to work from home during the pandemic. When it was finally allowed to go back to work in a central office, many employees continued to work from home or embraced varying...


Take the Guess Work Out of Non-Profit Gift Giving

Take the Guess Work Out of Non-Profit Gift Giving

Posted in policy / staff team

Here and there throughout the operating year, a non-profit will give different kinds of gifts. It might be a gift when an employee reaches a work milestone. It might be a gift to thank a summer student. It might be a farewell gift for a departing board member. There is nothing like the...


What do you do when a board member goes rogue?

What do you do when a board member goes rogue?

Has there been a time when a board member didn’t follow policy and no one, you or other board members, said anything? Has a board member reported tasks that they’ve handled when they were neither asked, nor given the authority, to handle those tasks? Has a board member been making decisions...


The Board Speaks With One Voice

The Board Speaks With One Voice

Posted in policy / board of directors

When a non-profit board is being developed and new members added, there is excitement to embrace the diverse perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders. But having many different voices at the table can sometimes make it challenging for a board to make decisions. If a board doesn’t...


Writing Procedures for Great Board Meetings

Writing Procedures for Great Board Meetings

Posted in policy / board meeting

Meeting procedures is a policy that determines how a board meeting will be handled. It is very common for some meeting procedures to be defined in the Bylaws where the voting membership requires certain minimum requirements. For example: Minimum number of board meetings per year How a...


Operating Policies

Operating Policies

Posted in policy

July has been a full month talking about the four kinds of non-profit documentation every board member should understand. So far, we’ve covered Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Governing Policies. We’ll wrap this month with a discussion about Operating Policies. The key difference...


Anatomy of a Policy

Anatomy of a Policy

Posted in policy / risk management

Operating policies are the rules required for a specific task in how your non-profit will be run. You don’t need to have operating policies for every operational task, only for required tasks. Some of those required tasks might include, handling cash, cell phone etiquette, branding rules,...


Bylaws vs. Policies

Bylaws vs. Policies

Posted in policy / board of directors

When your non-profit first started, bylaws were created following the guidelines outlined in your provincial act and regulations. Your bylaws likely include items like the types of memberships you offer, the number of board members you must have, and the kind of activities your organization...