1. Determine the organization’s mission and set policies for its operation, ensuring that the provisions of the organization’s charter and law are being followed.
2. Set the organization’s overall program from year to year and engage in longer range planning to establish its general course for the future with short term (the next year),medium term (the next five years), long term (the next decade) goals and objectives.
a. establish goals and objectives in advance of every new year
b. develop a written plan
c. review the operational and financial consequences of these goals and objectives
3. Establish fiscal policy and boundaries.
a. develop and monitor budgets
b. establish fiscal control (who signs checks and approves invoices, will the treasurer be bonded, should the books be audited by an outside examiner, etc.
4. Provide adequate resources for the activities of the organization through direct financial contributions and a commitment to fund raising.
5. Select, evaluate, and if necessary, terminate the appointment of the chief executive.
6. Develop and maintain a communication link to the community to promote the work of the organization (speak to community and business groups, friends and associates about the organization’s activities and importance to the community.
Trustees should not:
Engage in the day-to-day operations of the organization
Hire staff other than the chief executive
Make detailed programmatic decisions without consulting staff
Should trustees be expected to donate to the Temple?
Trustees must support the organization in spirit, encouraging others to be as enthusiastic about its programs and activities as they are. They must support the organization more tangibly with money, demonstrating that those closest to the organization, its trustees, are 100 percent committed to it. No set amount of donation should be asked of the directors; however, the directors are expected to provide adequate resources for the activities of the organization through direct financial contributions and a commitment to fund raising.
Adapted from Managing a Nonprofit Organization by Thomas Wolf.