Governance Q&A: Should nonprofits serve alcohol?

In my office we have mixed opinions on what the organization should pay for when it comes to lunches with donors and staff meals/staff retreats. Should a nonprofit ever spend money on alcohol? If yes, what about for staff? It's...

Governance Q&A: Should boards recommend candidates for election?

My nonprofit had more people come forward to run for the board than the number of vacancies. The board recommended only certain candidates to the members, the same number as there were vacancies. Was it ethical to do that? It...

Governance Q&A: Can staff be forced into shared service agreements?

Can my nonprofit make me serve another without my consent? I'm the human resources officer of a charity with 44 staff. My boss doesn't think that should be full time, and plans to contract with another charity, with 13 staff,...

Governance Q&A: When membership is not defined

Our bylaws do not define a "member" and we have no membership fee. Is it ethical to just let all adult attendees at the upcoming annual general meeting vote? Or all volunteers? Should we let staff be members and vote?...

Governance Q&A: Paying for board service?

Some of the directors of my nonprofit want to be paid a per diem for board and board committee work. Is this ethical? There's recently been a lively online international discussion among governance professionals and senior staff on this very...

Governance Q&A: Should family members serve on the same board?

My organization just elected a married couple to its board. Is this ethical? In most circumstances it is ethical, but often unwise. I usually advise against it but I sit on a board myself that has not one but three...

Governance Q&A: Board service while job searching

I was invited to sit on the board of directors for a charitable organization. I am looking for work in the charity sector, including perhaps this very organization. Is it a conflict of interest for me to accept this invitation?...

Governance Q&A: Representatives who vote against their chapter

In my organization, each chapter appoints a representative to the provincial board. But the one from my chapter has been voting against what the chapter wants. She says she votes for what's best for the province instead. How do we...

Charity watchdogs: An intelligent development?

For the vast majority of Canada's 85,000+ charities, the work they do is often unheralded, workmanlike and of interest only to the stakeholders impacted by their cause. The organization keeps its head down, does the best it can on whatever...

Governance Q&A: Board and funder are too close for comfort

I sit on the board of an organization that is greatly intertwined with a major funder. The board members of the major funder are also the only members of my organization. Their part-time executive director also serves as our part-time...
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