The provincial chapter (affiliate) of your professional or industry association has just selected you as its representative on the board of its national association. You're informed at your first meeting of the national board, that the Canada Corporations Act obliges...
Is it ethical for the chair of the board to become the executive director? If the executive director position is vacant or about to be vacant, the board of directors must try to find the best new executive director they...
Board Assessment Common sense suggests that individuals and organizations committed to self-improvement are more likely to perform at or near peak capacity and achieve their goals. But a prerequisite of such improvement is having benchmarks to gauge where you're starting...
Should direct beneficiaries or their families serve on our board? Many charity boards are made up almost entirely of clients or caregivers of clients. Most professional associations (as distinct from professional colleges) have boards made up solely of members; their...
The director of development at the charity where I work wants to be able to tell foundations that 100% of the board and staff make a donation every year. I agree that the board members should donate, but can donating...
As treasurer, I work hard to keep the board informed of our financial status and forecast. But when I send or distribute statements, no one looks at them. When I raise the financial status at board meetings, they just say...
Is it ethical for a company to make a profit from a relationship with a charity? It absolutely is - unless the company tries to count the same support as philanthropy. If a company wants a tax receipt, it must...
Our treasurer has directed us to include client names, contact information, and reason for intervention on our weekly activity reports. These reports go to the finance department and are seen by the bookkeeper, accountant, and finance committee. She said the...
Is it okay for family members to work or volunteer in the same organization? Recruiting our family members as volunteers has been part of nonprofit life from the start. They are often a wonderful source of time and expertise, willing...
I recently joined an agency where staff are overloaded, and people who approach us for services are told there will be a four-month wait for a first appointment. But some people have been on the waiting list for over a...
