The Roles and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards of Directors within the Governance Process

About this course: This course provides a more in-depth look at the roles and responsibilities of boards of directors in the governance of nonprofit organizations. While the course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that in other parts of the world, the nature of the roles and responsibilities of boards of directors may not be the same. Nevertheless,it is our hope that much of the course content will still be of value to those in other parts of the world. To learn more about this course, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://goo.gl/SXZEZS. Keywords: Nonprofit; Nonprofit Sector; Voluntary Sector; Nonprofit Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Volunteer Organizations, Leadership, Management, Governance, Board, Board of Directors, Performance, Effectiveness Course 2 Overview: Week 1: Some of the questions to be explored this week are: What is the board's role in planning for the organization's future and why is it important for nonprofit organizations to do it? What is strategic planning and what can boards do to carry this out effectively? Week 2: This week's questions: What is the board's role in assessing the performance of the organization? Why is performance assessment important? Why do many boards have difficulty meeting their performance assessment responsibilities? Week 3: This week's questions: What are the elements of the fundraising/resource development process? What is the board's role in ensuring the organization has adequate funding? What information should be in a resource development plan? Week 4: At this stage, you are asked to review the course content, submit a written assignment (known lightheartedly as a BEAR (Board Effectiveness Readiness Assessment), and take two multiple choice Readiness Assurance Tests (known similarly as RATs). One RAT will assess knowledge and reading comprehension and the other will test application of knowledge within a practical case. Week 5: We will encourage you to discuss the RATs in the discussion forums and take them again should you wish to change any of your answers based on the information exchanged.

Created by:  The State University of New York, Luther College at the University of Regina

• Taught by:  Prof. Yvonne D. Harrison, PhD, Associate Professor and Director

  Voluntary Sector Studies Network (VSSN)

• Taught by:  Prof. Vic Murray, PhD, Adjunct Professor

  School of Public Administration, University of Victoria

Basic Info Course 2 of 4 in the Improving Leadership & Governance in Nonprofit Organizations Specialization Commitment 5 weeks, 5 - 7 hours per week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.3 stars Average User Rating 4.3See what learners said Coursework

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The State University of New York The State University of New York, with 64 unique institutions, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States. Educating nearly 468,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs both on campus and online, SUNY has nearly 3 million alumni around the globe. Luther College at the University of Regina

Syllabus


WEEK 1


The Board's Role in Planning



Hello and welcome to Course 2 in the series of three courses on developing leadership and improving governance in nonprofit organizations. The goal of week 1 is to address several important questions related to one of the most important board responsibilities--planning: What is Strategic, What is Strategic Planning, and What is Strategic Governance? These elements form the basis of this week's overview and content in Chapter 3 of the main course text Improving the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors and readings in recommended course texts.


4 videos, 8 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Video: Welcome video introducing this series of course
2. Video: Course 2 Overview Video
3. Reading: Course 2 Teaching and Learning Overview
4. Reading: Required and Recommended Texts
5. Reading: Week 1 Key Questions and Competencies
6. Video: Week 1 Overview
7. Reading: Week 1 Readings and Resources
8. Video: Interview with Dr. Laura Schweitzer: Leadership and Governance of Nonprofit Organizations from a Practitioner Perspective
9. Practice Quiz: Week 1
10. Reading: Discuss Case Study
11. Reading: Course Project Overview
12. Reading: Option 1: Working With a Real Board
13. Reading: Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board

WEEK 2


The Board's Role in Performance Assessment



Hello and welcome to Week 2 of the second course on Leadership and Governance of Nonprofit Organizations! The focus this week is on the vitally important partner of planning--Performance Assessment. Some of the key questions we will explore this week are: What is performance assessment and why is it important? What is the board's role in performance assessment? Why do boards have difficulty meeting their performance assessment responsibilities? And, what frameworks exist to help boards measure and manage performance?


1 video, 6 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Reading: Week 2 Key Questions and Competencies
2. Video: Week 2 Overview
3. Reading: Week 2 Readings and Resources
4. Practice Quiz: Week 2
5. Reading: Discuss Case Study
6. Reading: Course Project Overview
7. Reading: Option 1: Working With a Real Board
8. Reading: Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board

WEEK 3


The Board's Role in Fundraising and Resource Development



Hello and welcome to Week 3! The goal this week is to address important questions related to the board's role and responsibilities in fundraising or, as we will refer to it, resource development. Some of the key questions we will explore this week are: What is the board’s role in resource development and why do boards have difficulty meeting their responsibilities in this area? What information should be included in a resource development plan and how can boards improve their effectiveness in carrying out resource development responsibilities?


2 videos, 6 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Reading: Week 3 Key Questions and Competencies
2. Video: Week 3 Overview
3. Reading: Week 3 Readings and Resources
4. Video: Interview with Putnam Barber on Charitable Solicitations in the United States
5. Practice Quiz: Week 3
6. Reading: Discuss Case Study
7. Reading: Course Project Overview
8. Reading: Option 1: Working With a Real Board
9. Reading: Option 2: Working With a Fictitious Board

WEEK 4


Concept Testing and Application



Hello and welcome to Week 4! The goal of this week is to assess course learning. The end of Course 2 assessment of learning begins with the requirement that you to take two Readiness Assurance Tests (RATs) and submit your first Board Effectiveness Assessment Reflection (BEAR). During the testing process, don't forget to bring a piece of paper and pen to make a note of your answers to the RAT and RAT Application Exercise questions. You will need them to vote and discuss your responses in the RAT forums next week.

Graded: Readiness Assurance Test (RAT)
Graded: RAT Application Exercise
Graded: Board Effectiveness Assessment Reflection (BEAR) Course Project

WEEK 5


Assessment of Learning: BEAR Peer Review and RAT Discussion Forums



Hello, and Welcome to Week 5! The goal of this week is to discuss and complete the end of Course 2 assessment of learning. It begins with peer discussion of the individual Readiness Assurance Test (RAT) and RAT Application Exercise (case) you took last week plus peer review of the three BEAR assignments you have been assigned to evaluate this week. It concludes with re-taking the RAT and RAT Application Exercise Tests and returning the three BEAR assignments you peer-reviewed last week.


2 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Reading: RAT and RAT Application Exercise Discussion and Polling Instructions
2. Video: RAT Peer Discussions and Polling
3. Video: RAT Application Exercise Peer Discussions and Polling

Graded: RAT Post Peer Learning Forum
Graded: RAT Application Exercise Post Peer Learning Forum