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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Op/Ed : Audience Opinions |
Many nonprofit board memberships come with an implicit commitment to provide substantial financial support to the organization. This practice has been sharply criticized in the news media on the basis that that it can lead to undue influence on the nonprofit organization's policies and programs, particularly in situations where a corporation's interests are at odds with those of the nonprofit. The phrase "selling seats" has been used. The CEO of an oil company serving on the board of an environment-oriented advocacy organization would be a case in point.What do you think about this? Should board seats be "sold"? Should nonprofits be more concerned about potential conflicts of interest and unhealthy influence when it comes to recruiting board members? What other considerations are involved in this issue?
Individuals are asked to join Boards for various reasons. It is understood that in most cases a board member is asked to support the organization to the max of their financial ability. If your board members do not show support how can an organization effectively request funds from others?However, the donations should not be paid as an entry to membership on a board but be given in conjunction to a specific project.
Barbara J. Roberts-Silver, BJR Consulting Services
Why not? Everything else is for sale in our society! Hell our country is for sale -- any doubts look at the blatant attempt by the government to sell our rights out under the MAI!Seriously though, it seems to me the only seats for 'sale' are ones with prestige -- namely seats on boards of art galleries, museums, hospital boards and university senates or boards. Other than those, most nonprofits must look far and wide to find enough people to sit on boards on an annual basis.
Looking at art galleries in particular, one can see why they want movers and shakers, or people with significant means to sit on the board. It directly translates to involving and raising money from other wealthy people. Unfortunately this is how many art galleries, even civic ones, manage to purchase art.
The interesting issue for me is board/staff relations. Boards of smaller or less prestigious organisations don't often treat their paid staff very well because board members believe either anyone can do the job, and that it is not right they don't get paid but staff do get paid. After all this is a voluntary organisation! The problems between board and staff are legion.
And there are solutions -- maybe that should be our next bearpit.
Judy Haiven
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