Bylaws: The "Constitution" of Nonprofits - The Art and Science of Making Them Work

Bylaws: The "Constitution" of Nonprofits - The Art and Science of Making Them Work

Tuesday, February 16 | 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 is 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.

But 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 with 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. You will also take home 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. If multiple individuals from your organization would like to view the webinar, please purchase separate tickets for each person or consider a group screening ticket (below).

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

Terms of Participation

If you have four or more individuals interested in viewing the webinar, please have one person register selecting the group screening rate, then send a list of all individuals viewing the webinar (including names and email addresses) to christina@pano.org. This option makes the most sense when you have four or more individuals interested in viewing the webinar. For fewer than four attendees, a single login ticket for each person is the most cost-effective option.

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 registrants will receive a recording of the webinar following the live session!