"What difference do boards really make to organizations? What is governance anyway? How can boards add value to organizations? How can we evaluate their performance?" These are questions about boards many of us have asked or heard in recent years....
Since June 2005, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has had the power to impose penalties on charities for breaking certain rules which stop short of revoking the charity's registered status. These intermediate penalties range from a $500 penalty for not...
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...
The board of directors is elected by members and the board is accountable to the members. boards delegate the implementation of their policies and plans to staff and committees, but the board remains accountable to members for the outcomes. They...
Woody Allen once said that: "Eighty percent of life is just showing up." The other 20% is where it gets complicated. Success demands learning, knowledge, creativity, hard work, and pragmatism...more than 'just showing up'. So it is with the demands...
It's no big secret - small, medium, and even large nonprofits have to manage their budget and donors' dollars wisely. Fundraisers know there is one key questions a would-be donor will ask when considering a cause to support. It may...
This week's cover story is the next installment in an ongoing series to help nonprofit organizations see the world from another perspective. The series also includes what funders, volunteers, the media, and donors would like the nonprofit sector to know...
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...
This is the third in a series of articles offering tools to not-for-profit leaders. The first article described the strategic plan - your roadmap to lead you to your desired outcomes. Your strategic plan focuses on supporting your mission and...
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...
