Board members and what they do
Governing bodies are known by a variety of names including boards, committees, councils, trusts,…
Board member roles and responsibilities
Clear understanding of roles and responsibilities is essential for a board to function effectively.
When each board member knows their own role and understands the roles of others, it fosters better collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and strengthens governance.
Imagine a board where every member is confident in their duties, working together seamlessly to drive the organisation forward. This webpage hosts tools and resources to give you and your board that clarity.
Scroll down to access essential help sheets, tools, checklists, policies, books and advice guides designed to enhance your meeting experience.
Top tools and resources
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Overview of your board responsibilities
Because all not-for-profit organisations serve different community needs, their boards and the…
How to Chair a Meeting
Knowing how to chair a meeting effectively is a crucial skill for any board chair or committee…
How to be the best secretary
Nobody is perfect, but follow these top 10 tips to go from being just another good secretary to…
Help sheets
Ten questions every board director needs to ask about the board’s director payment policy
Historically, charity and not-for-profit boards have worked for the good of the cause, with no…
Ten questions every board director should ask about child safety
Everyone has a role to play in preventing and responding to child abuse. As a director of a…
Ten questions women should ask about joining a board
1. What is the current gender diversity on the board, and how does it compare to other…
Ten things board directors should know about the board’s powers (that CEOs might not want them to know)
The board and the chief executive officer (CEO) both have leadership roles in an organisation, but…
Ten tips for better board marketing
Some boards tend to be skeptical of marketing, and ignore the potential good marketing presents.…
The CEO and the board
The most healthy CEO and board relationships occur when both parties work closely together with a…
Members Only
The executive committee
A board can create any sub-committees it wishes, and can give those sub-committees any powers it…
The role of the board in risk management
The board is ultimately responsible for the organisation's risk management strategy. While some of…
Tools
Appointment of Proxy Form Template
Download our template form to help you document proxies for your board meetings.
Board composition checklist
If your board can no longer provide leadership or fresh ideas, or if money is becoming an issue, it…
Board skills and experience matrix
Welcome to the ICDA Board diversity, experience and skills matrix.
CEO annual review template
The board needs to regularly review the performance of their CEO to ensure that they are meeting…
Checklists
Members Only
10 key areas to renew, review and refresh
It's easy to carry on doing the same thing 'because that's the way we do it'. To avoid the pitfalls…
For and against setting up committees
ForCommittees can make better use of board members' time, allowing certain tasks, issues or…
Successful board succession
The process of finding, recruiting, selecting and installing new board members is perhaps the most…
Members Only
Ten ways to write a 'perfect' constitution
Alright, the "perfect" constitution might be a bad case of hyperbole, but if your constitution…
Policies
Staff Conflict of Interest Policy
All organisations should have a staff conflict of interest policy. This policy should provide a…
Board Code of Conduct Policy
Having a board code of conduct in place ensures that your organisation's directors have a set of…