Not-For-Profit Board Dilemmas

by Julie Garland McLellan


A book of practical case studies to help directors on not-for-profit boards to build skills and judgement. Why do people join the boards of not-for-profit organisations? Enthusiastic, altruistic and generous people give their time and effort to make a success of organisations in the arts, sports, health, education, religious and other sectors. The work is unremunerated yet rewarding; tiring yet energising; risky yet necessary. The reasons for supporting any particular cause are many. So are the events that can, will and do happen inside the boardroom. Events that can see directors jailed, fined, and publicly vilified or praised, respected, and promoted. Good judgment can make the difference. Nobody knows what to expect in the boardroom. Stuff happens. Directors need to react to the circumstances. They need to be aware of the people, the environment and the legal requirements of their role. They need to build success. These organisations are too important to fail. Directors need to guide them towards sustainable success by making the right decisions, in time, every time. Working through the case studies in this book will help directors to make better decisions. Based on real life events in modern not-for-profit organisations these case studies will help directors to identify the key legal and practical issues and craft a winning strategy for their organisation. They are fun to read but seriously educational. Written by an international expert and with contributions from forty board practitioners this book offers practical insights and clear examples to follow.