[TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership

[Grant Marcoux]

Jeff:  Despite what you may hear to the contrary, the primary duty of a
board member of a corporation especially, a 501c3 non-profit, is to promote
fiduciary responsibility within the organization.....this starts with the
elected officers.  You have a positive duty to promote transparency and
accountability within the organization.

Although the non-profit corporation pays no taxes per se, there are a
significant number of requirements in keeping tax-exempt status.  These
requirements center around publication of, and accessibility to, the firm's
financial statements.

All of the other things a board member is apt to be involved with, such as
education, travel, scholarships, and service components, will not cause you
grief as quickly as an IRS or FTB audit if your books are not up to snuff.
The requirements for non-profit financial disclosures are readily available.

As far as what members would like to see, this can generally be summed up in
one word:  TRANSPARENCY.  Members like to know that their elected officers
are making well-considered decisions regarding use of member generated
funds.

Of nearly equal importance to members is that the organization have a clear
sense of mission, and that each board member is working toward clearly
stated mission-oriented goals.

In the absence of goals, it is easy for an organization to degenerate into a
vehicle for individual self-aggrandizement....be a thinker....not a stinker.
:0

											Grant

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Jeffrey Polaski
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 2:20 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: [TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership


I've decided that I'll be running to be a board member in our states
local blacksmithing organization, the California Blacksmiths Association
(CBA). It's a good group of people, and I think I have some skills that
can really help out.

I'm curious, though, about what sort of things people expect and need
from their local blacksmithing organizations. I think following the
purpose statement* from the charter is the most important thing. After
all, that's why the group was founded. Personally, I think the CBA has
been run very well. Sometimes they may be a bit disorganized but I think
that would be true of any non-profit "hobby" group. (The web site needs
work -- but that is in the process of getting fixed).

The main thing for me is I've only had experience with the CBA, so I
could easily be missing a lot. That's why I wanted to ask others:  what
do you expect from your groups leadership? Do you want them to just put
on a few meet-ups every year, publish a newsletter, and otherwise stay
out of the way? Or do people want more public outreach, or more support
for people who are doing blacksmithing as a business, or people trying
to get a job at a shop?

I'm not talking specifically about the CBA, but does anyone have any
suggestions? What do they expect from their board members? Has anyone
done something that is especially worthwhile, but that might not be
obvious? Any tips for stuff to be avoided?




*CBA purpose statement: "The Association is organized solely for
educational purposes, accomplish by the encouragement of training
programs and conferences for higher standards of craftsmanship;
disseminating information on sources of equipment, literature and
material; and bringing the art of the smith to the public through craft
fairs and publications."


Jeff Polaski

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