Role of the Council

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Role of the Council

• RCD Concepts
• Net Training

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Strengths and Weaknesses
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What do you want to be when you grow up?
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Board of Directors Responsibilities

• The Board of Directors are trustees who act on
  behalf of the organizations constituents,
  including service recipients, funders, members,
  the government, and taxpayers.

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• The Board of directors has the principal
  responsibility for fulfillment of the
  organizations mission and the legal
  accountability for its operations.

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• The Board is in charge of establishing a clear
  organizational mission, forming the strategic
  plan to accomplish the mission, overseeing and
  evaluating the plans success.

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• The Board directs a competent Coordinator through
  the Area Plan and Plan of Work and provides
  adequate support.

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• The Board is responsible for ensuring the
  financial solvency of the organization.

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• The Board is responsible for interpreting and
  representing the community to the organization.

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• The Board is responsible for instituting a fair
  system of policies and procedures for human
  resource management.

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What are the Duties of a Director?

• Officers and directors owe three basic fiduciary
  duties to a nonprofit organization the duties of
  obedience, loyalty and due care.

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The Duty of Obedience

• forbids acts outside the scope of corporate
  powers. The governing board of the organization
  must comply with state and federal law, and
  conform to the organizations charter, articles
  of incorporation and bylaws.

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The Duty of Loyalty

• dictates that officers and directors must act in
  good faith and must not allow their personal
  interests to prevail over the interests of the
  organization.

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The Duty of Due Care

• requires directors and officers to be diligent
  and prudent in managing the organizations
  affairs. The individuals charged with governing
  must handle the organizational duties with such
  care as an ordinarily prudent person would use
  under similar circumstances

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• www.t-tlaw.com

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Some Best Management Practices for Board Members

• Informed and regular review of financial
  statements.
• Board members should understand the sources of
  income for the nonprofit and know where those
  resources are being expended.

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• Regular attendance at board meetings.
• As a board member, ignorance of a problem in the
  agency is not a good defense. Board members must
  make informed decisions about the governance of
  the organization by thorough review of board
  packets and regular attendance and participation
  at meetings.

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• Have a clear understanding of the boards role in
  personnel situations
• The Board of Directors of the RCD Council has
  the authority and responsibility to hire and fire
  staff not provided by USDA/NRCS.

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• Clear compliance with conflict of interest and
  code of ethics policies.
• Board members must remove themselves from
  decision-making and declare a conflict of
  interest when it arises.

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Board Diversity and Recruitment

• Because board member selection is one of the
  most important decisions the Board makes,
  recruitment should be a thoughtful strategy which
  considers skills, interests, backgrounds,
  personal characteristics, and perspectives needed
  by the board.

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• Every board or committee member should have a
  specific role to play the key reason they are
  on the board. Board members must bring resources
  to the table of the organization. The old adage
  of Give It, Get It or Get Off is true. It may
  be money, time, connections, or clout, but EVERY
  board member should be expected to pay up.

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Assessment

• Council
• Board of Directors
• Board Member
• Coordinator
• Partners/sponsors

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• What skills and strategies are needed to get the
  best Board of Directors?

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Building Capacity

• Board Member Orientation and Training
• Board Meetings
• Committee Meetings
• Conferences
• Workshops
• Peer to peer