The Art of Trusteeship: The Nonprofit Board Members Guide to Effective Governance (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) [Hardcover]

Candace Widmer (Author), Susan Houchin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787951331 | ISBN-13: 978-0787951337 | Publication Date: November 1, 2000 | Edition: 1

The well-being of any nonprofit organization rests first with its volunteer board of directors. This book offers board members the guidance they need to successfully govern their organizations--no matter what type or size of nonprofit they may lead.

Written by Candace Widmer and Susan Houchin, The Art of Trusteeship shows you how to fulfill ten key trustee responsibilities and includes much-needed detail on defining mission, strategic planning, executive selection and evaluation, fundraising, financial oversight, and board self-assessment. This hands-on guide is filled with illustrative case studies and real-life examples that clearly show how a variety of creative boards have tackled challenges and strengthened their organizations.

"At last, a book that doesn't take a one-size-fits-all approach! The authors recognize that the huge diversity among nonprofits calls for multiple ways of fulfilling basic board responsibilities. The book allows a board member to dive in at any point and find a concise, clear set of options for handling the challenges of trusteeship. It will help even first-time board members find firm footing on the path to effective governance."
--Sara L. Engelhardt, president, The Foundation Center

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book delivers what trustees direly need but rarely get: plainspoken, practical advice, rooted in common sense and real life. It tells trustees what to do, and how to do it well." --Richard P. Chait, professor, Harvard University's Graduate School of Education

"The Art of Trusteeship addresses the many challenges facing trustees today during this time of rapid change, increasing demand for accountability, and competition for funds. Whether you are a trustee or nonprofit CEO, you will find the authors' approach will apply to your organization and its mission." --Mary H. DeKuyper, member of the board of governors, the National American Red Cross

"At last, a book that doesn't take a one-size-fits-all approach! The authors recognize that the huge diversity among nonprofits calls for multiple ways of fulfilling basic board responsibilities. The book allows a board member to dive in at any point and find a concise, clear set of options for handling the challenges of trusteeship. It will help even first-time board members find firm footing on the path to effective governance." --Sara L. Engelhardt, president, The Foundation Center

"Nothing is more important to the success of nonprofit organizations than effective board governance. The Art of Trusteeship makes the compelling case that such success is the result of clear vision, solid understanding and good practice. The book makes great sense and will help its readers better understand what good board performance means and how to get it." --Ken Gladish, national executive director, chief executive officer, YMCA

From the Inside Flap

Nonprofit organizations are astonishingly diverse. They include colleges and universities, churches, professional associations, symphonies, museums, healthcare organizations and social welfare agencies. No matter what their mission, all nonprofit organizations are governed in the same way. They are entrusted to the care and direction of a board of directors.The Art of Trusteeship is a practical and down-to-earth guide that helps nonprofit board members fulfill their critical responsibilities with both wisdom and grace. Authors Candace Widmer and Susan Houchin—experts in the field of board governance-have developed an approach to board leadership that is both user—friAndly and flexible. It can be used by trustees from any type of nonprofit organization, whatever its mission, membership, or size. This book provides the information board members need to do everything from craft a mission statement to assess the organization's and the board's success. Step-by-step, the authors show how to provide oversight of nonprofit organizations and, at the same time, focus on strategic issues. The Art of Trusteeship explores all aspects of the board's role in mission, money, and management and spells out the ten fundamental board responsibilities. Board members will learn how to:? Establish and monitor the organization's mission? Plan strategically to achieve the mission? Oversee the programs intAnded to accomplish the mission? Communicate the mission and programs to the outside world? Oversee the organization's finances? Develop funds? Ensure sound risk management? Hire, supervise, support and, when necessary, remove the CEO? Select and educate trustees? Manage and evaluate the board's workThe Art of Trusteeship provides board members with pragmatic advice for governing their organization. Learn the skills you need to lead your nonprofit organization"This book delivers what trustees direly need but rarely get: plainspoken, practical ad

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787951331
• ISBN-13: 978-0787951337
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,545,274 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Model for What the Ideal Nonprofit Board Should Do, November 26, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Trusteeship: The Nonprofit Board Members Guide to Effective Governance (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) (Hardcover)

If you are like me, you arrived with no idea of what to do the first time you sat on a nonprofit board. If that board was not well organized, you sat down on your second nonprofit board with about the same level of understanding.

Nonprofit organizations, especially smaller and newer ones, tend to be "amateur hour" operations. They usually have neither good governance nor good management. Unfortunately, they need both much more than most for profit and nonprofit organizations that do have them.

The nonprofit organizations that focus relentlessly on improving governance and management do far more good than those who do not. So these are important subjects. I doubt if you can have very good management without good governance first. Governance creates the organizational direction and the discipline that encourages good management. Unless someone is reviewing how you are doing, even the most talented manager will soon become lazy about learning from experience.

I recommend that anyone who is on a nonprofit board or is considering joining one should read this book. You will have a much more rewarding board experience if you do. You can also share this book with others on the board, and challenge them to work with you to make the needed changes. I certainly plan to do this with the board I sit on now.

By the way, chances are that your board will never quite get to this "gold standard" described here. But at least you will know what you are and are not doing, and can focus on the more important steps.

The book breaks the board's responsibility down into mission, responsibility for money, and for management.

Top priority is "establishing the mission and monitoring the organization's progress in achieving that mission." This may involve modifying the mission from time to time. This is very critical, because you either have a mission that gets volunteers and donors excited or you are dead in the water. Habitat for Humanity and the Girl Scouts have done this well.

The board next needs to create a "vision for the future of the organization and [develop] a plan for achieving that vision."

After that, the board needs to ensure "progress in serving the mission of the organization . . . [in meeting] the needs of clients" and in the effectiveness of programs.

The board also needs to be sure that the mission and programs are communicated "effectively with its various publics."

The money side all fits under being a "steward for organizational resources." The tasks include having a formal development plan, making an annual contribution to the organization, and participating in fund-raising activities. In addition, risks should be identified and ensured and insured against as best as one can.

In the area of management, the board has to select, support, evaluate, (and terminate, when necessary) the CEO. The board has to evaluate its own effectiveness at each meeting, as well.

If your board isn't willing to start working on this items, I suggest you consider looking for another board that is. Certainly, you may be in for a lot of heartache if you a join a board that is going to ignore these areas.

Create more good by having a more effective board!

5.0 out of 5 stars Art of Trusteeship by Roger, October 3, 2005

By 

Roger E. Nelson (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Trusteeship: The Nonprofit Board Members Guide to Effective Governance (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent study on board leadership and should be read by any person serving on a non-profit board.