I think we have 3 people willing to be on the board. Their main question is time commitment. I have no idea what to tell them. Do you have any support materials to help leaders judge this?
Jennifer in North Carolina
Jennifer,
Board commitment can vary a lot. Some homeschool organizations need everyone to pitch in on co-op day, but the board may only meet once a month for 1-2 hour long meetings.
The more important issue is that potential board members consider their duties as board members.
Each board member has a fiduciary (i.e. legal) duty to manage the organization and its funds within the purpose/mission of the organization and not for private gain or benefit. The board’s job is to govern the organization, be responsible for the management of funds, and be responsible for its programs.
From Ohio Attorney General Guide for Charity Board Members comes this excellent list of the duties of board members (with my comments and links added).
Duty of Care
- Read and understand mission, vision, and governing documents. I recommend a board binder for important documents.
- Attend board and committee meetings.
- Be informed and prepared to participate in decision-making and oversight.
- Exercise same care as a prudent person would in the handling of their own affairs.
Duty of Loyalty
- Be prepared to put organizational objectives above self-interest.
- Establish and follow written policies concerning conflict of interest situations.
- Disclose personal financial interests when needed/excuse yourself from voting. See a sample Conflict of Interest policy.
- Avoid entering into business relationships between board members and the organization. That means hiring board members as teachers, bookkeepers, etc. Hired workers should step down from serving on the board.
Duty of Management
- Develop policies that assure the financial responsibility of the organization. Get my list of best practices to prevent fraud.
- Keep accurate and complete records of income, expenses, investments, and minutes.
- Develop budget as a blueprint for program plans and all organizational spending. My book Money Management in a Homeschool Organization and webinar on Financial Reports can help you create a budget.
- Develop fundraising goals and assist the organization in acquiring adequate resources.
Duty of Compliance
- Understand and comply with governing documents, including bylaws and code of conduct. Sample bylaws.
- Know and comply with state and federal laws governing non-profit organizations, including registration and reporting requirements. If you’re unsure about what your filings requirements are my book, The IRS and Your Homeschool Organization, and the IRS and State Filings webinar will be helpful.
I hope this list of duties doesn’t scare away your potential board members! I have found that serving on a nonprofit board has been one of the most rewarding things I have done.
Homeschool Board Training
The three-video set will to train your homeschool group’s board members. Many homeschool leaders have never served on a nonprofit board before so these videos explain the duties of a board, its structure, how to run a meeting, and more. For more details visit: Homeschool Board Training video set