When it is ethical to have 'in camera' sessions of the board, and what are the guidelines around tracking and communicating decisions made at them? First, just so everyone understands, 'in camera' and 'executive session' appear to be interchangeable terms...
I counsel clients and am required to explain a range of options. My clients are usually under considerable stress and not at their best for making sensible choices. It often seems they make the worst possible choice. I compare notes...
My executive director read some motivational books and now wants us to have a Can-Do attitude where anything is possible. I would dearly love to say yes to everyone, but our shelter has limited space and people do get turned...
My community has many needs. Sometimes as executive director I hear about new grant programs that would serve my community well, but the type of service is well outside what my organization does. I cannot just tweak. Should I go...
I hear a lot about conflict of interest at the board and executive level. Is it an issue below that? Conflict of interest is possible and serious throughout all levels of staff. The Code of Conduct for staff, and staff...
I see bad people get away with stuff all the time. Those they report to look the other way, or are equally bad, or seem so gullible. Does anything bad ever happen to nonprofit staff or volunteers who behave unethically?...
I sit on two nonprofit boards. One treats everything as secret, so even the staff do not know what got discussed or decided at board meetings except what the Executive Director chooses to tell them. Occasionally, an outvoted board member...
The federal government recently came out with policies on whistle-blowers. Working in a nonprofit organization, who protects whistle-blowers? I have encountered staff who work in nonprofits who feel that if they cannot go to the executive director, there is no...
My small charity serves a worthy cause and really depends on my work as program coordinator. There are only three other staff members. But there is no career path for me, and after six years it is time for a...
Can our all-volunteer charity pay board members for time-consuming non-board duties on behalf of the organization? Should we? We are located in British Columbia, and our issue involves extensive consultation sessions with the provincial government. Normally, minimum ethical standards include...
