Bylaws: The "Constitution of Nonprofits" - The Art & Science of Making them Work

02/20/2020 01:30 PM - 03:00 PM ET

Location

Zoom

Description

Bylaws: The “Constitution” of Nonprofits – The Art & Science of Making them Work

Thursday, February 20 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Webinar

Presented by: Don Kramer, Editor and Publisher, Nonprofit Issues

Moderated by: Tish Mogan, Standards for Excellence Director, PANO

Offered in Partnership with: Nonprofit Issues

 

*CPE & CLE credits are available for this program; to receive credit you must register through Nonprofit Issues.

Very few people bother to look at their nonprofit bylaws – until they want to take some unusual action or there is a dispute. And that’s when you need bylaws that work!

  • Not bylaws that are open to several interpretations…
  • Not bylaws that describe the way things used to be done...
  • Not bylaws that fail to cover key power issues…
  • Bylaws that set out clear roles and responsibilities so that people can understand how to proceed, without litigation.

 

There is both art and science in drafting nonprofit bylaws that work. Well-written bylaws help shape power relationships within a nonprofit organization, provide unambiguous procedures to prevent disputes, and reduce the risks of litigation. They are the “Constitution” of a nonprofit corporation. They should provide answers, not raise questions.

 

This webinar will answer your questions and leave you with confidence in being able to recognize a workable set of governing instruments.

Come with questions; leave understanding:

  • The relationship to articles of incorporation.
  • Whether you should be a “membership” organization.
  • Whether your bylaws answer the question: "whose organization is it?".
  • How to deal with ex officio directors.
  • How to deal with term limits.
  • How to deal with board committees.
  • The critical issues in removal clauses.

 

In a line-by-line review of sample articles of incorporation and bylaws, you will learn how to avoid aspirational language, inconsistent language, passive tense, and ambiguities. Participants can raise their questions for immediate answers.
 

You will take home articles of incorporation and bylaws "annotated" with explanatory comments, as well as sample forms that work!

 

*CPE & CLE credits are available for this program; to receive credit you must register through Nonprofit Issues.

Cost:
$45 for PANO Members | $100 for Not-Yet Members

Terms of Participation
Your purchase entitles you to a single login; multiple accesses to the Zoom webinar are not permitted. Please do not share the login information with others, as it may interfere with your ability to join. Feel free to gather up to two other individuals around your conference phone or workstation to listen and view the program.

Group Screening Cost:
$150 for PANO Members | $333 for Not-Yet Members

Terms of Participation
If you have 4+ individuals interested in viewing the webinar, please have one individual register selecting the group screening rate then send a list of all individuals viewing the webinar (including their email addresses) to casey@pano.org.

Materials & Login/Call-In Instructions:
Materials (PowerPoint and other handouts), along with instructions on how to login and call-in, will be emailed to attendees a few days prior to the date of the webinar. PANO uses Zoom as our webinar platform; you can familiarize yourself with Zoom and/or join a test meeting prior to these sessions.

Can’t attend? All webinar registrants will receive a recording of the webinar following the live session!

What People Say About This Program:
“Excellent, even for those who are already bylaws-savvy.”

“I got what I needed to proceed with change and revisions.”

“Well-paced. Excellent speakers and materials.”

“The sample bylaws are SO helpful.”

“I have been involved in revising our bylaws for the last year. I wish I had [this webinar] a year ago!”

“Exactly what I hoped, with added emphasis on keeping it simple, non-detailed, and ‘timeless’.

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