Nonprofit Organization Member Handbook

Creating a nonprofit organization member handbook is a big job, and it's one that is very important.

If you are involved in managing a membership based nonprofit organization, it's important to make sure that your group has a comprehensive handbook that includes details about all current policies and procedures. The document should be made available to all members, either in a printed form or online. It should contain information relevant to the mission and management of the organization.

Nonprofit organization member handbooks will vary from one organization to another, because different entities are not likely to have identical information to share with members. Most of these types of manuals include the full text of the organization's bylaws, information about the governance structure for the entity, and the policies and procedures that set the boundaries and requirements for participating in the group.

Information also included in nonprofit membership manuals includes:

• Solicitation policy – What limitations are there on soliciting using the membership list and at functions sponsored by the organization?
• Membership approval policy – What procedure is used to recruit and approve prospective members? What documentation is required to apply for membership? Are their exclusions from membership eligibility?
• Membership obligations – Are there financial and participation requirements must members meet in order to remain part of the organization? What are the consequence of noncompliance and how will they be enforced?
• Board member election or appointment policies – How are people selected to hold positions on the board of directors and what types of term limits are in place, if any.
• Grievance procedures – What recourse do members have if they feel aggrieved in some way.
• Conflict of interest – Is there an obligation to disclose any business or personal relationships that pose a potential conflict of interest for members and officers of the organization.
• Grounds for membership removal – What actions can lead to membership privileges be revoked? If such action is taken, how will the affected member be notified?
• Fiduciary policies What type of system is in place to protect the organization's finances and to ensure that all monies are handled in a manner that is ethical and in compliance with relevant state and federal regulations?
• Change policies – What actions must be taken to propose and approve changes to policies, procedures, bylaws, and other details relevant to membership.

The process of writing a nonprofit organization member handbook is not something that should be placed in the hands of a single individual. It's something that should be worked on by several people, ideally a committee with knowledge and experience specific to the governance of a charitable organization. Board members should be consulted and be allowed to have input in the document before it is finalized for publication and distribution.

The document itself should be well written using terminology that is likely to be easily understood by the members of the organization. It should also be proofread by several people for writing style, accuracy, and to be certain that all relevant information is included. It's advisable to have the document reviewed by an attorney prior to publication, so you can be certain that it can provide the basis of a legal defense if membership practices are ever brought into question.

Members should be trained on the specified policies and procedures and should have an opportunity to ask for clarification for items that are not clear to them. It's also a good idea to have members sign and acknowledgment of receipt of the handbook that specifies that they have read and understand all of the information provided in the document. That way, if a decision made by the organization's leadership is challenged, the organization has a way of demonstrating that the member had been informed of his or her rights and duties and a member and of the organization's policies and procedures.

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