Board Member Essentials

What you’ll learn

• Name and apply the three legal duties of every board member: care, loyalty, and obedience
• Tell the difference between governing (board) and managing (staff) — and stay on your side of the line
• Read a budget and a Form 990 well enough to ask the right oversight questions
• Show up prepared for board meetings, fundraising, and a healthy partnership with your executive director

Course outline

1. 1

   What a board actually does

   5 min

2. 2

   The duty of care

   5 min

3. 3

   The duty of loyalty

   5 min

4. 4

   The duty of obedience

   5 min

5. 5

   Financial oversight & the Form 990

   7 min

6. 6

   Fundraising & the give-or-get expectation

   5 min

7. 7

   Board meetings & Robert's Rules

   5 min

8. 8

   Recruitment, terms & the executive director

   5 min

Sources & further reading

• BoardSource — Legal Duties of Nonprofit Board Members
• National Council of Nonprofits — Board Roles and Responsibilities
• National Council of Nonprofits — What to look for when reviewing the IRS Form 990 before filing
• Internal Revenue Service — Form 990, Part VI and Schedule L: Board review of return
• BoardEffect — Robert's Rules of Order Cheat Sheet for Nonprofits