Third Sector Connector :: Forum

Under-voting in small nonprofit organizations [by Anne Kjemtrup]

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:00:03 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: Under-voting in small nonprofit organizations
I am a board member of a small (200 members) nonprofit religious organization. We have an annual membership meeting where we elect 3 new board members (among the usual annual meeting items). One general member each year insists that it is perfectly okay to get a bunch of members to vote for only 1 of the candidates (usually there is slate of 5 candidates) although 3 new board members must be chosen. This stragic under-voting effectively guarantees that his candidate of choice will be on the board and deprives the other candidates of votes. Under-voting is not outlawed in our by-laws and Robert's Rules of Order (which we follow if something is not covered in our by-laws) does not outlaw it either. We have recently changed our by-laws to allow our election committee to set policy each year on voting procedures and they announce well ahead of the election that members must vote for three candidates (no more, no less) for a ballot to be valid. Still, the arguments arise. In a large organization, under-voting would not have a great effect. In a small organization, this can throw an election. We are looking for best-management practices of small organizations that would specifically address this issue. Does anyone know of such practice guidelines?

Re: Board Contributions [by nonprofitmaven]

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:41:35 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: Board Contributions
A key to board giving is making sure that "giving" is an expectation up front. I encourage the organizations with which I work to develop job descriptions for their Board which are given to those nominated for Board positions in advance with a request that they return a signed copy acknowledging acceptance of the responsibilities outlined.

Norman Olshansky
NFP Consulting Resources, Inc.

Commute-time learning resources? [by 3rd Sector Connector Admin]

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:49:32 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: Commute-time learning resources?
Know of any good resources for good commute-time learning like podcasts or books on tape? We're pulling together a growing list, so post them here and we'll add them to our list!

Re: Is outsourcing the back office a smart move for small nonprofits? [by Kim Bell]

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:28:10 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: Is outsourcing the back office a smart move for small nonprofits?
Laura, I am going to look into this for a small non profit that I am a board member of. Also, I have been considering outsourcing my fundraising experience as a consultant but am unsure where and how to begin. Thanks for the post!

e-Advocacy: What's legal? [by Laura Deaton]

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:47:34 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: e-Advocacy: What's legal?
I recently had a participant at a training session ask me about the slippery slope of e-advocacy and what is legal for nonprofits. Although I gave a really general answer about issues-based advocacy, I realized I wanted to learn a little more about this topic. Boom! I came across this great resource and wanted to share it. E-Advocacy for Nonprofits was written by Elizabeth Kingsley and Gail Harmon of the Washington, D.C., law firm of Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg, LLP, and John Pomeranz and Kay Guinane of the Alliance for Justice. Although they charge for the printed version, they have generously made the full 69-page manual available for free.

Anyone else have some great resources to help nonprofits who are engaged in advocacy stay legal, and still do a great job?

--Laura

Interesting article: Nonprofits paying price for gamble on finances [by Laura Deaton]

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:00:56 -0000

Best Practices Pavilion:: Interesting article: Nonprofits paying price for gamble on finances
Quote:

Homeowners and businesses were not alone in taking on piles of debt over the last decade. Nonprofits of all sizes did the same, and now they, too, are paying the price.

Full article.