Risk Management

Does a nonprofit really need to purchase directors and officers liability insurance? The short answer is "yes." Find out why in this article from Nonprofit Quarterly. 

This policy and procedures document gives a frame of reference when creating a policy as it pertains to a particular organization. Conveniently available in an editable Word .doc format, users can customize this template to suit their own needs.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's report, Capturing the Power of Leadership Change: Using Executive Transition management to Strengthen Organizational Capacity, highlights the challenges associated with executive transitions and describes a model of executive management transition.

"Whenever we go online—to shop, chat with our friends, or do anything else—we put ourselves at risk of cybercrime. Computer viruses can corrupt our files, hackers can steal our data, and criminals can trick us into revealing sensitive information. But luckily there are simple steps we can take to protect our digital lives. NOVA has teamed up with cybersecurity experts to create the Cybersecurity Lab, a game in which players will discover how they can keep their digital lives safe and develop an understanding of cyber threats and defenses."

A "maverick" committee--one that acts independently of the rest of the board--can be dangerous, especially when it also happens to be your executive committee. The Common Ground article "Beware of a Runaway Executive Committee" offers some tips to help you minimize the dangers.

Sample request for proposal for property and liability risk management and insurance consulting services.

While contributions of money or property donated to 501(c)(3) organizations are tax deductible, you cannot deduct the value of your time or services as a volunteer. See the most recent revision of IRS Publication 526's section on "Volunteers' Questions and Answers" for the more information about the rules for qualifying for various types of deductions when preparing a return for the most recent Tax Year. 

Sample volunteer policy and procedures document from The National Wildlife Federation, as championed among other volunteer management practices by the National Council of Nonprofits.

Sample waiver for a volunter/intern.

See also: The Hows and Whys of Volunteer Waivers

While many nonprofits are dependent on their volunteer workforce, they should still do their due diligence and take risk management precautions during the volunteer recruitment process, as described in How to Write a Volunteer Application to Protect Your Charity. (Balance Careers - Small Business, 2020)

Sample Volunteer Applications