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Governance, Policy & Legal

Governance practices, policies, bylaws, articles of incorporation, house rules, legal compliance and HUD forms.

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Cover Image Five Elements Assessment survey Five Elements Assessment survey

You have been invited by your organization to take part in 501 Commons’ Five Elements of a Healthy Nonprofit Self-Assessment. Here is some background information.

Guides  Coop Policy
Cover Image Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance

Great leaders demonstrate how to be a force for good in local communities and beyond.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image From Good to Great Governance From Good to Great Governance

Great boards don’t just happen – they are developed and nourished. These articles and resources are based on common challenges faced by associations and chambers of commerce.

Guides  Coop Governance
Cover Image Fundamentals of Good Governance Fundamentals of Good Governance

Board discussions should be visionary, and directors are considered as thought leaders.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Getting Our Co-op Principles Right Getting Our Co-op Principles Right

We hope you’ll read Getting Governance Right if you haven’t already. It will help you get the most out of what we say here about the co‑op principles and give you...

Guides  Coop Governance
Cover Image Golden Rule Guide to the Rules Golden Rule Guide to the Rules

This introduction to Robert's Rules will emphasize the values underlying the Rules and will further emphasize the ordinary nature of the ideas behind legal and technical language. It is intended...

Guides  Coop Rules
Cover Image Govern More, Manage Less Govern More, Manage Less

The agenda listed several significant items, including the approaching legislative session, a fund-raising campaign, and selecting the site for the 2018 conference.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance and Finance Policy Guidance Governance and Finance Policy Guidance

If a CLH organization has not agreed on policies and procedures, it means that either all decisions must be made at governing body meetings or individuals must make decisions, and...

Guides  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance and Management Guidance for Co-operative and Community Led Housing Governance and Management Guidance for Co-operative and Community Led Housing

This guidance is designed to support good governance and management in new or existing co-operative and community-led housing organizations

Reports  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance and Related Topics - 501(c)(3) Organizations Governance and Related Topics – 501(c)(3) Organizations

The Internal Revenue Service believes that a well-governed charity is more likely to obey the tax laws, safeguard charitable assets, and serve charitable interests than one with poor or lax...

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance During a Pandemic Governance During a Pandemic

The executive committee met in secret, without the full board and disinviting the executive director.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance Efficiencies Governance Efficiencies

In a regional webinar on good governance, the chief elected president said, “Bob taught us these practices years ago. We adopted them and now have a more efficient board.”

Cheat Sheets  Coop Governance
Cover Image governance How cooperatives are Controlled governance How cooperatives are Controlled

Cooperatives have a unique governance structure that reflects their ownership and control by their members.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance Makeover Governance Makeover

Organizations are streamlining governance processes. It may be a revamp of the bylaws, fewer committees, a smaller board, or elimination of ex officio seats at the board table.

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance Review Governance Review

It’s the common reply by boards when asked about their rationale as to why they meet so often, why they sustain ineffective committees, or why the agenda is primarily “reports...

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance tip sheet Governance tip sheet

These tips are based on the governance areas most likely to be a challenge for boards of small-to-mid-size nonprofit organizations, as identified in Leading with Intent

Article  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governance-Index_2004 Governance-Index_2004

This Executive Summary presents our survey methodology and a profile of the respondents, and then reports on the findings in key categories: composition and recruitment, structures, policies and procedures, roles...

Reports  Coop Governance
Cover Image Governing In a Time of Crisis-10 Action Items for Board Governing In a Time of Crisis-10 Action Items for Board

Your mission and values should guide all your decisions and how you maintain relationships with each other. It’s especially important that equity and inclusion remain priorities; even when making quick...

Cheat Sheets  Coop Governance
Cover Image grievance policy procedure grievance policy procedure

The purpose of a grievance procedure is to enable employees to raise grievances related to their employment, seeking satisfactory solutions, and to allow the employer to resolve grievances in a...

Article  Coop Policy
Cover Image Guidance Notes to the Co-operative Principles Guidance Notes to the Co-operative Principles

Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness,...

Reports  Coop Governance
Cover Image Guide to Better Governance Guide to Better Governance

The concept of board governance is vague. Directors may find themselves on boards, but their knowledge of good governance is limited. This guide offers smart practices and takes governance from...

Cheat Sheets  Coop Governance