Articles written By Better Boards

A Fresh Look at Directors' Duties

As a director of a not-for-profit (NFP) organisation, understanding your legal duties is crucial. Complying with these obligations not only reduces personal risk but also fosters good governance and safeguards your organisation’s reputation. In this session, we’ll explore key questions like: What are the essential duties and responsibilities of an NFP director? What rights and protections do NFP directors have? How can you ensure your board is aligned on these duties and fully compliant?

The Strategy Triangle: Strategic Intent, Direction & Destiny

Is your board harnessing the power of the strategy triangle to drive real results? Strategic leadership is the first of a Board’s four key governance responsibilities—the others being policy-based decisions, monitoring and reviewing, and compliance and coverage. While many boards understand their governance roles on paper, the practical implementation of these responsibilities—especially in the realm of strategic leadership—is where the real challenge lies. In this webinar you will learn: How the strategy triangle offers a unique, powerful, and practical approach to strategic planning.

Charity Establishment, Registration & Compliance

Do you have a clear understanding of what ‘not-for-profit,’ ‘charity,’ and ‘deductible gift recipient’ mean for you as a director? These terms have distinct legal definitions, each with specific considerations, registration, and compliance requirements. Getting them right is essential—not just for your organisation’s operations, but also for your legal obligations and potential liabilities. This panel webinar will host leading Australian charity lawyers who will step through and explore these important foundational concepts that not-for-profit and charity directors and leaders must understand.

Advisory Boards for Not-for-Profits

Jump to Section What Is an Advisory Board? Advisory Board Benefits Common Challenges & Risks Slow Decision Making Bad Communication Shadow Directors Under-Commitment Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities Tips for Running Advisory Boards Setting Up the Board Sourcing Advisors Running Board Meetings Further Resources As a not-for-profit organisation, forming an advisory board can be a strategic way of gaining access to advice and expertise. Advisory board members bring fresh ideas, new networking opportunities, and partnerships to the table.

Data Room

Jump to Section What is a Data Room used for? Non-Profits Companies How to Create a Data Room What should a data room include? Virtual Data Room vs Physical Data Room What to avoid in a data room How to ensure the data room is secure Podcast Episode: Diving into Data Rooms Frequently Asked Questions Related Terms Additional Resources Data rooms are a place where companies can collect and keep financial documents that their partners, donors, and investors review and understand the business.

Building Your Organisation's Reputation Through Media

Learn how to get your positive stories up repeatedly in the media and build your organisation’s profile and credibility. There is no shortage of problems in the world and great organisations doing great work, but building your profile and showcasing your work is critical to attracting the attention and funding you want. CEO of Good Talent Media and ex ABC and SBS journalist Tony Nicholls will show you how to create a slate of great stories targeted to specific media outlets you want to reach following by the anatomy of a successful media pitch.

Effective Director Induction

Board induction is a crucial element to successfully transitioning a new board member into your organisation. An induction is essential for all new appointments and will enable your new director to make effective contributions from the get-go. But how do you effectively welcome a new director onto your board? In this webinar you will learn: why director induction is important what goes into an effective director induction program, and how to tailor an induction program to your own organisation.

From Strategy to Impact

This webinar delves into the essential role of member-based and peak body organisations within the not-for-profit (NFP) sector, particularly in offering capacity building, advocacy, and fostering connections across diverse professions and sectors. Despite their significance, these organisations often face challenges related to funding, delivering member value, and balancing their advocacy agendas. The session will explore strategies for ensuring that members and sector representatives remain central to organisational strategies, thereby driving member value and fulfilling broader agendas.

Delegation of Authority

Jump to Section What is Delegation of Authority? Exercising Delegation Delegation of Authority Policy Key Principles of Delegation of Authority Advantages of Delegation of Authority Disadvantage of Delegating Authority Documenting Delegations Frequently Asked Questions Related Terms Additional Resources Delegation of authority is an important part of the not-for-profit governance process. Corporate laws state that board directors are responsible for making sound decisions and providing acting in the best interest of their organisations.

Getting the Most Out of Board Committees

Join our panel to explore board committees, hear how to ensure they are operating effectively and gain insights on how they can add practical value and benefit to the work of your board. Use of board committees to undertake the detailed work of the board in particular areas has long been considered part of contemporary practice. While Finance and Audit Committees have been a mainstay of boards’ governance structures, today there is an increasingly diverse range of foci delegated to committees.