Many people volunteer each year to serve on the boards of non-profit organisations (NPOs) with a wish to contribute and make a difference in the society. Many of them are either serving as board members for the first time; or even if they have had previous governance experience, it has not been on the board of a charitable organisation. These people are not automatically expected to have the expertise and knowledge in the complexities of not-for-profit governance. However, board members bear significant moral and legal responsibilities for the organisations they govern, and the lack of knowledge or skills do not exempt them from liability. Therefore, for new volunteers to become effective board members, they need to be invested with the right knowledge and skills.
We are pleased to bring to your attention the following modules we are offering for the ongoing development of your board of directors. To fit with the members’ busy schedules, we suggest that the modules be offered as one-two hour sessions on the day of your board meetings. Nevertheless, we are also happy to offer sessions as part of a board retreat. As always, we are flexible and willing to provide bespoke training for your Board.
The Course
The two-day board induction training aims to equip board members with the knowledge and skills to help them successfully onboard into their governance role. It covers the board’s key roles and responsibilities as prescribed by statute and based on good practice. It also covers the key processes and procedures that facilitate boards to govern effectively.
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Module |
Contents |
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1. The Bigger Picture: What is the role of Civil Society and Public Benefit Organisations?
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NPOs are constituted to serve certain needs within a particular community and a wider society. Members of the Boards of Directors need to be aware of the contextual issues, the operational environment, as well as the jurisdictional obligations in relation to their roles.
This module also helps Board members to contextualise and understand the role of the Not-for-Profit sector as part of the wider civil society (or the third sector), their contribution to society and the state, their character and legal status as charities or public benefit organisations, what differentiates the Not-for-Profit sector from the other sectors and what NPOs have to do to acquire and retain their legitimacy. |
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2. The PBO Constitutive Document |
The module discusses the role of the NPOs constitutive document and its key elements including mandatory provisions. |
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3. The Statutory and Common Law Duties of the Board of Directors |
Introduces participants to the duties of the board of directors as prescribed by statute as well as those based on the common law as well as the liabilities. |
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4. Board Governance Roles and Responsibilities |
Defines governance and identifies the key responsibilities of the board members based on good practice |
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5. Board Effectiveness |
Here, we consider the elements and the steps necessary for the board to be effective. |
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6. Risk Management |
This module explains the board’s role in establishing a system of risk oversight and internal controls. It equips the Board Members with skills to provide leadership in risk assessment and management using a pro-active approach that is unique to their organisation. Working with senior management, the Board members will be able to understand what is missing and how use strategic risk reviews to unlock the potential both internally and externally. |
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7. Board Composition |
Discusses how to ensure the board has the right group of people in its membership as well as the tools the board can use to assist it including the necessary processes and structures. |
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8. Culture and Ethics |
Considers the board’s role in establishing the culture and ethics of an organisation and the specific measures, tools and policies required. |
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9. Organisational Development |
Explains the board’s responsibility for the development of the NPOs capacity and resources and the tools, strategies and policies required to monitor and assess organisational development. |
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10. Board Strategy |
Discusses the Boards role in setting the strategy and purpose of the organisation |
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11. Not for Profit Organisations Accounting |
Introduces the participants to Not for Profit accounting and the specific issues for the board to look for when interpreting them. |