The Nonprofit Board Answer Book: A Practical Guide for Board Members and Chief Executives - Hardcover

BOARDSOURCE

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0787994618 ISBN 13: 9780787994617

Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub, 2007

Synopsis

“Think for a moment of the best conversations you’ve had with friends and colleagues. You were honest with one another—not shy about speaking up but relaxed, even if the topic being discussed was serious in nature. That’s the type of conversation The Nonprofit Board Answer Book aims to have with you in the pages that follow. It follows a question-and-answer format, enabling you to quickly find an answer to a burning question you have right now. At the same time, it’s easy to pick up and read straight through, either cover to cover or one section at a time.

At the end of each question-and-answer pairing you’ll find suggested action steps. These offer ways to put the information to a practical use on your own board and within your own nonprofit organization. Implementing some of these steps may lead to more questions as you become even more committed to fulfilling your responsibilities as a board member.

Remember: behind every good answer lies a good question. So keep asking those questions.”--from the Introduction

About this title

About the Author

BoardSource, formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards, is the premier resource for practical information, tools, best practices, training, and leadership development for board members of nonprofit organizations worldwide. Through its highly acclaimed programs and services, BoardSource enables organizations to fulfill their missions by helping build strong and effective nonprofit boards.

From the Back Cover

The Answers Your Board Has Been Searching For

"Think for a moment of the best conversations you've had with friends and colleagues. You were honest with one another?not shy about speaking up but relaxed, even if the topic being discussed was serious in nature. That's the type of conversation The Nonprofit Board Answer Book aims to have with you in the pages that follow. It follows a question-and-answer format, enabling you to quickly find an answer to a burning question you have right now. At the same time, it's easy to pick up and read straight through, either cover to cover or one section at a time.

At the end of each question-and-answer pairing you'll find suggested action steps. These offer ways to put the information to a practical use on your own board and within your own nonprofit organization. Implementing some of these steps may lead to more questions as you become even more committed to fulfilling your responsibilities as a board member.

Remember: behind every good answer lies a good question. So keep asking those questions." ?from the Introduction

Praise for the Previous Edition

"The authors strike just the right balance between theory and practice. The Answer Book is thorough, thoughtful, and comprehensive?while at the same time organized with busy readers in mind. The addition of 25 new chapters turns what was already an invaluable resource into a one-stop toolkit for addressing common board problems. If I could recommend only one book about governance, it would be this one."
?Richard L. Moyers, director, Nonprofit Sector Fund, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

"This new edition is a must for those boards who take seriously the issue of appropriate and excellent board governance. It addresses particularly well the what, when, how, and who issues of boardsmanship and helps set the course for governing rather than administering or micromanaging."
?Ken Smitherman, president, Association of Christian Schools International

"Without exception, this should be required reading for both new and experienced board members and senior management. With 25 new chapters, I can't imagine there is a question (or an answer) that isn't addressed in this thorough, but practical, resource. Board meetings will be 25 percent shorter, thanks to this book."
?John Pearson, president, John Pearson Associates, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

What is the board's role in financial management?

How should we select our board officers?

Who should attend our board meetings and what are their roles?

Should the chief executive have a vote on the board?

The Nonprofit Board Answer Book is designed as a guide to good governance for board leaders at all levels of experience and expertise. BoardSource's second edition of its best-selling book shows board members how to be more effective, meet difficult situations head-on, and deal with commonplace challenges with confidence. It shows chief executives how to focus and support the board in carrying out its governance responsibilities. The book is written in an easy-to-use question-and-answer format and includes action steps and examples.

The second edition of The Nonprofit Board Answer Book has been thoroughly updated and includes new material on topics such as

• Sarbanes-Oxley and its implications for nonprofit boards

• Executive compensation

• Mission and accountability

• Risk management

• The chief executive?board chair partnership

• Board diversity

• Recent legislation, public policy, and ethical considerations

This indispensable resource contains 80 questions and answers?a wealth of information about board structure and process, meetings, board composition, orientation, board-staff relations, financial management, and much more. The book offers insight gained from the BoardSource Governance Index Survey, hundreds of board self-assessments, and questions and challenges heard by BoardSource from thousands of nonprofit leaders.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0787994618
• ISBN 13: 9780787994617
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 328