Under well-established principles of nonprofit corporation law, our board members must meet certain standards of conduct and attention in carrying out his or her responsibilities to the organization.
Duty of Care;
The duty of care describes the level of competence that is expected of a board member, and is commonly expressed as the duty of “care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise in a like position and under similar circumstances.” This means that a board member owes the duty to exercise reasonable care when he or she makes a decision as a steward of the organization.
Duty of Loyalty;
The duty of loyalty is a standard of faithfulness; a board member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization. This means that a board member can never use information obtained as a member for personal gain, but must act in the best interests of the organization.
Duty of Obedience;
The duty of obedience requires board members to be faithful to the organization’s mission. They are not permitted to act in a way that is inconsistent with the central goals of the organization. A basis for this rule lies in the public’s trust that the organization will manage donated funds to fulfill the organization’s mission.
Bruce R. Hopkins, Legal Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards (BoardSource 2003).
We are looking for qualified individuals that are dedicated to assisting public service agencies. If you would like to obtain more information on joining our board, please send an email to support@calmass.org and put “Board of Governors Application” in the subject line.
Basic Board Responsibilities Include
Setting policy
Your primary board function is to fashion policies that ensure your organization is run
effectively, legally, and ethically. These policies are building blocks for your director who, in
turn, is responsible for implementing your policies and managing the organization in
accordance with them.
Supporting your director
Without your director’s day-to-day management skills, the policies and plans adopted by the board would be of little impact. He or she truly is the person who makes your ideas and visions real. You and your director will work together to achieve CAL-MASS’s goals, however, you must also remember that your job and the director’s job are quite different. You make the plan, but the director decides how the plan is implemented and the goals accomplished.
Guiding long-range planning and development
The board gives direction to your organization through long-range goals ranging at least three to five years into the future. During the planning process, you will be asked to assess the present and future needs of the community and to determine how CAL-MASS fits into that picture.
Raising money and monitoring finances
As a “trustee” for your organization’s money, you are responsible for seeing that it is spent effectively in delivering programs and services. You’re also responsible for looking into the financial future. When you plot CAL-MASS’s goals, you must review your ability to pay for your plans. That means fund-raising when appropriate.
Working cooperatively with other board members
If you cannot work with your peers, then your board will accomplish nothing. This is true in every aspect of board service, meeting efficiency, conflict management, recruitment, training, and director evaluation.
