Board Members: Governing Roles and Responsibilities

Board Members focuses on the governing function associated with a subcategory of non-profit organizations that share five defining characteristics:

-Public-serving missions
-Nongovernmental ownership and control
-Multiplicity of relationships with governmental agencies and programs
-Noncommercial operations
-Incorporation, i.e. corporate entity status

In the United States, there are over 500,000 non-profit entities with these five characteristics. This work describes them as ＂nongovernmental public-serving (NPS) organizations.＂ In NPS organizations, ultimate authority over the governing function is vested in a board of directors. Each of the following seven sets of governing roles and responsibilities of members of the board of directors are explained in separate chapters:

-Trusteeship
-Managing the managers
-Facilitating organizational learning
-Performing catalytic behaviors
-Equipping organizations for work
-Establishing and maintaining inter-organizational links
-Evaluating organizational performance

Dr. Kirk argues that because the well-being of millions of people throughout the U.S. is directly affected by what NPS organizations do or fail to do, their boards must govern these organizations effectively and responsibly. Dr. Kirk provides practical formulas for strategic governance, performance indicators and assessment, and a thorough analysis of these organizations’ history and current state.

W. Astor Kirk is a former college professor, church organization manager, and senior federal executive. Upon leaving government service, he established the OMS Company, which specializes in executive-management and strategic-governance consulting work. His other publications include Desegregation of the Methodist Church Polity and Nonprofit Organization Governance.