Introduction to the role of the nonprofit board
Welcome to the role of the board! This short course is intended to introduce basic concepts about nonprofit board service and corresponds to the first module of the Nonprofit Board Certificate Course. Here’s what you’ll learn in this 10-minute lesson:
- An overview of nonprofits in our communities
- How a nonprofit is different from a for-profit entity
- The role of the board as a group
- What individual board members actually do
You’ll learn about the 3 duties that represent your legal responsibility as a board member:
- Duty of Care
- Duty of Loyalty
- Duty of Obedience
You’ll get an overview of the 3 lenses that a board uses to look at the work:
- Fiduciary
- Strategic
- Generative
Finally, you’ll learn what to ask and what to do before joining a board:
- The 3 questions you should ask before joining a board
- What you should do before joining a board
This free introductory course is the first module from the Nonprofit Board Certificate Program. In the video, we mention materials and concepts in the other modules. Those are only available when you take the full course.
Before going forward, be sure to download this sample page from the Powerhouse BoardsTM workbook and print it out. To maximize your learning, it’s important to capture your notes and next steps. The workbook helps you create a customized roadmap to move your board forward.
