Board By-Laws and Structures
There is conflicting advice out there about how large boards should be, how many and what kind of officers it should have and the number and nature of the committees that should come under the board. There is also the question of what the organization's constitution and by-laws should contain. The sites in this section offer suggestions worth considering.
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One of the excellent booklets offered by the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit Department, "Drafting and Revising Bylaws" covers the bylaw question from a Canadian perspective.Government of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit -
This booklet from the Saskatchewan Public Legal Education Association covers the basics of the incorporation and responsibilities of non profit organizations.Saskatchewan Public Legal Education Association -
Jan Masaoka runs a highly useful blog called "Blue Avocado". In this issue she deals with the sensitive matter of the use of email voting by boards. It's tempting, but is it legal? Even if it's useful, when is it a good idea?Blue Avocado -
The article "Typical Types of Board Committees" by Carter McNamare covers what kinds of committees boards might need and how they should be structured and operated so as not to conflict with the role of the board as a whole.Authenticity Consulting -
Frequently a source of original thinking about nonprofit management, this blog posting from Blue Avocado suggests that boards need only three committees. A very persuasive arguement.Blue Avocado