1. Define the organization’s mission and purpose. It is the Board’s responsibility to define and review the organization’s statement of mission and purpose, which lays out the organization’s goals, resources, and primary constituents served. Too often organizations move outside their core mission, chasing funding that may not be appropriate. The Board is in charge of keeping the organization on track. We encourage Board members to re-read the organization’s mission before each Board meeting so that they have clear understandings of what’s guiding their decisions.
2. Choose and evaluate the CEO and set compensation. Boards must reach consensus on the chief executive’s responsibilities and perform a thoughtful search to find the most qualified individual for the position. This includes helping to define job responsibilities, compensation, etc. Each organization will have different expectations and skill sets needed depending on the other members of management, where the organization is in its life cycle, the nature of the organization and its funding, etc.
3. Support the CEO. The Board should ensure that the CEO has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the mission of the organization.
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