Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with executivedirector

Can the ED legally run the board?

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:07:28 -0800

Can a non-profit executive director refuse to allow the board president to run meetings? The board president has been told this isn't kosher, but she's a friend of the ED (which is why she was chosen for the job) and feels too intimidated to argue the issue. (She also may be uncomfortable asserting herself in this role as she has no white collar job experience herself; the ED has stacked the board with college students and members of her fraternal organization as more experienced members have resigned in frustration over the years). ED treats board members as employees (instead of vice versa) to be micromanaged (we've been told we shouldn't be emailing each other without her permission on board matters, for instance) and is easily threatened.

Said ED is very competent at running the day-to-day operations at this 6-figure-budget, human services NPO. She is a nightmare to deal with at the board level, having no management or prior NPO (or corporate) experience herself. So let's say that removing her from her position is not in the best interest of the organization at the operations level. What other recourse/legal responsibilities does the board have to reassert its proper role? Is it legal for her to be running meetings?

This is a weak BOD (obviously) though patience is wearing thin. One member has told the Board President she must be running the meetings, but again, the ED said no and the BP is unwilling to press the matter.

(Asked because I was one of the people brought onto the board who had no prior experience--I didn't realize any of this wasn't normal until recently. There's an awful lot online for EDs dealing with dysfunctional boards, but I've found very little on the opposite scenario.)

Throwaway email: tinpotED@gmail.com

Which officer role(s) should the founder of a small nonprofit take?

zagyzebra — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:03:22 -0800

I'm starting a small nonprofit. It is just myself at this point, though I have a very serious organization verbally committed to seed money and promotion. I have not yet solicited a board of directors or officers. What do most sole operators do? Do I double serve as executive director and board chair, at least initially? Or, do I take on the most labor-intensive offices of treasurer/secretary? I throw this out to the experts here, of whom there seem to be many, based on my perusal of nonprofit threads.

What happens when you're the last nonprofit gal standing?

vindyloo — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:51:31 -0800

NonprofitChaosFilter: The grants fell through, and I'm the last full-timer in an office of 2. What's the most ethical thing to do when I'm the last employee left, there's no money left, and I've become the director's right-hand gal? I'm working for a nonprofit that's just barely able to patch itself together. Nine months ago, I started off as the communications manager, but as of today I'm covering everything from booking plane tickets to washing dishes. Should I tell my boss that I'm unhappy in the midst of chaos, or just wait it out until I find a better job?

The first week I was hired, our office manager quit due to funding issues (her hours having been cut back to 8 per week--whee!). She was replaced by a part-time intern who, although quite a scholar, has no real background in office management. Another volunteer is covering payroll and accounting, and this person barely returns phone calls. Creditors are calling. The office is a wreck. We're chasing after grants to keep the boat afloat. To say morale is low is an understatement.

The executive director is a very hard-headed innovator who has kept the organization afloat for over 15 years. He's known for his creative drive, his sense of humor, his generosity, and his mercurial temper-- he flies off the handle, makes snap decisions, and defies the board (AKA his friends) in the name of keeping the organization (all 2 of us, ha!) alive. Today, it's just me and him in a small office. Every day, it's a new financial crisis--lots o' screaming on a regular basis (not directed toward me, just toward funders/grantors/creditors), coupled with episodes of crying and swearing. I'm 33 years old, and this is not working for me.

I took the job because the organization is involved in multimedia community work that I was very inspired by, and that I was very interested in learning more about. However, the environment has deteriorated to the degree that it's impossible for me to learn much more than scattershot last-minute grant-writing and creatively-strung-together curse words. I'm burned out and ready to move on.

The director is leaning on me a lot these days, and now that I'm the lone staffer, the expectations and demands are very high. Despite his propensity to anger, I honestly like the guy--he's got a hilarious sense of humor and he has been very generous and caring to me during this time (paying for lunches, including me in social events, remembering birthdays, etc.). Is there anything to be gained by being honest with him about how the dicey and chaotic financial situation is affecting me, or should I wait until I find another job, and then break the news? (I've been searching for work since this started to unfold ...)