Update Board and Mission Circle Roles and Responsibilities

2019 Version

What are the responsibilities of the whole board?

  • Raise funding
  • Set strategy
  • Recruit staff, volunteers, and partners
  • Make sure our organization is following the law
  • Represent our organization in public

What do we expect of our board members?

  • 10-15 hours/month
  • Within our top three out-of-school/work commitments
  • Attend at least 70% of board meetings
  • Responsive via email, forum, and phone communications
  • Act on principle: make decisions true to our shared vision, mission, and values

What are the responsibilities held by any specialized roles?

Board chair

  • Have the big picture and be clear about the work that the board needs to accomplish:
    • What needs doing next?
    • Are members doing what they agreed to do?
    • What might be needed so operations can run more smoothly?
  • Engage and support each board member through individual meetings, public acknowledgment, etc.
  • Give feedback on performance to each board members so they can be effective
  • Coaches and leads board evaluation of the executive director
  • Ensure fiduciary and legal compliance
  • Execute all instruments requiring a signature on behalf of the Organization
  • Serve as or designate a public spokesperson for the Organization
  • Perform the duties of other executive officers if they are unable or unwilling to complete them as stated in these bylaws or at the direction of the board

Secretary

  • Makes sure meeting minutes are taken, approved, stored, and communicated
  • Interprets the meeting notes in case of disagreement
  • Keeps track of all documents
  • Supports planning the agenda
  • Maintain custody of the seal of the organization, if any, and validate documents by affixing the seal as authorized by the board or the president
  • Perform the duties of the board chair if they are unable or unwilling to complete them as stated in these bylaws or at the direction of the board

Treasurer

  • Draft and present the annual budget to the board
  • Prepare and present a treasurer’s report at board meetings
  • Check accounting work for errors and fraud
  • Sign or approve checks and other payments, and sign the annual tax return for the organization, known as a Form 990

Facilitator

  • Prepare meeting agenda in collaboration with leader and secretary
  • Guides circle through the decision-making process
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We will need to update this documentation because roles and responsibilities will eventually move to our circle directory. These policies themselves are in need of review.

Applicable Circle Roles Draft Document
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g5aJOrS5mZIwzGGwiE5hrflUwUw4Zq-ILQvPJnzrPM4/edit#heading=h.dayxbaa8qcc5

Additional thinking:

Supporting Materials

Ideas

  • Backup key foundational items: master email account and passwords