Outside Resource

  • Advisory Boards and Committees

    Is your organization thinking about forming an advisory board? Make sure your organization specifies the advisory board's role and how it differs from the board of directors or trustees before taking the leap.  All advisory boards share common goal: to help the nonprofit organization. However, there are different types of nonprofit advisory boards.

  • A Board Member Contract

    One way to be sure that each person on the board is clear on his or her responsibilities is to adopt a Board Member "Contract" (Blue Avocado). Not intended to be legally enforced, the contract outlines explicitly what is expected of individual board members, and how the organization will in turn be responsible to them.

  • Best Practices for Gift Acknowledgement

    Good acknowledgments affirm to the donor that s/he has made a worthwhile investment. They set the stage for ongoing strategic communication about a donor's gift that will deepen his/her connection with your organization. To acheive the donor retention goals of your organization, the Association of Advancement Professionals has provided a guide to implementing best practices for gift acknowledgement.

  • Donor Thank You Mini-Guide

    The Donor Communication Mini Guide - Guidelines, best practices, and creative ideas for thanking donors in various situations, and thanking them through other means beyond standard letters. Includes a letter template and a donor stewardship checklist. (Network for Good)

     

  • How to Choose and Work with Technology Consultants

    "Whether you're looking to implement a new system, replace an existing one, or customize software for your organization's particular needs, a consultant can help you think through your options, facilitate implementation, and work with your team to make sure everyone is up and running with your new technology solution.

  • Governance Documentation: Articles, Bylaws, and Policies

    All boards (even the most organized, responsible, and congenial ones) need to document their activities, internal rules, and processes. Some of the documentation is legally required; some is simply helpful to have. Some documents are public; some must be kept confidential. Some serve as guidelines for decisions; some are part of the record keeping. For a board that takes its fiduciary role seriously — and they all should — written rules and documentation of activities are simply part of ongoing, everyday risk management. (BoardSource, 2012)

     

  • Volunteers Cannot Claim Deductions for Time or 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. 

     

  • Volunteer Policies and Procedures

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

     

  • Volunteer Intern Waiver

    Sample waiver for a volunter/intern.

     

    See also: The Hows and Whys of Volunteer Waivers

     

  • Volunteer Application Sample

    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

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