Advancement · Grants & Funding

Tell new board members
what the job really is.

Most board friction starts with a vague ask: nobody said how many hours, whether everyone gives, or where governing ends and managing begins. Build a description for each role: term and limit, meetings, hours, giving, the eight parts every description should cover and the tasks that belong to that role alone. The builder flags what is missing and prints a description to hand to a candidate.

Describe a roleWhat you get
$12one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $12

Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Grant writer’s desk, $49 for 55 items.

Board roles

The worked example is made up: a school foundation’s board member, its treasurer and a gala committee chair, each with its own term, time ask and gaps. Saved on this device only.

Loading the role form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Advancement · Grants & Funding$12 · included with Classroom and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A record per role: organization, role, term length and limit, meetings, hours a month, giving expectation, eight standard parts marked included, missing or not for this role, and the role’s own tasks. Works out the longest consecutive service, hours a year and parts included; flags no term limit, heavy time asks, a treasurer without financial oversight and unstated giving; prints a finished role description.
Who it is for
Board chairs, governance committees and executive directors of nonprofits and school foundations.
Format
Browser builder with a saved record per role. Prints a role description for candidates, one role with its checklist, every role in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$12 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Grant writer’s desk ($49) and the Advancement Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Grants & Funding space in Caveat Advancement.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pick the role and its term.
  2. Write the real time ask.
  3. Mark the eight standard parts.
  4. Add tasks only this role does.
  5. Print the description for candidates.

Describe a role

Where the board stops

Governing and managingThe boardThe staffSets mission and strategyRuns programs day to dayHires and reviews the leaderHires and manages staffApproves the budgetSpends within itOversees risk and the auditKeeps the books and recordsGoverning and managingSets mission and strategyThe staff: Runs programs day to dayHires and reviews the leaderThe staff: Hires and manages staffApproves the budgetThe staff: Spends within itOversees risk and the auditThe staff: Keeps the books and records
A role description that says where the board stops prevents most of the friction between boards and staff.

The three duties

Nonprofit law generally holds board members to a duty of care (take part and make informed decisions), a duty of loyalty (put the organization ahead of personal interest and disclose conflicts) and a duty of obedience (stay true to the mission, the bylaws and the law). A role description should name them in plain words.

Terms and limits

Many boards use terms of two or three years with a limit of two or three consecutive terms, so new members and skills keep arriving and an ineffective member can step off gracefully. Whatever you choose, put it in the bylaws and the description.

Sources

  1. BoardSource. Ten basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards, 3rd ed., and Leading with Intent: national index of nonprofit board practices (boardsource.org).
  2. Internal Revenue Service. Form 990, Part VI: governance, management and disclosure (written conflict of interest policy and annual disclosure).
  3. National Council of Nonprofits. Board roles and responsibilities; fiduciary duties of board members (councilofnonprofits.org).
  4. American Bar Association. Guidebook for Directors of Nonprofit Corporations, 3rd ed.: duties of care, loyalty and obedience.

The worked example is made up. Duties of directors are set by state nonprofit law and your bylaws; this builder describes them in general terms and is not legal advice. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.