Sample Bylaws for a Nonprofit

From LoveToKnow Charity

The first thing that a new executive director must do in a charity organization is review sample bylaws for a nonprofit.

Purpose of Sample Bylaw Review

This type of review will serve a variety of purposes including:

Guiding the philosophical direction of the nonprofit
Developing standard procedures for operations
Help to develop an indispensable tool for incoming board members

Here is the foundation for bylaw development.

Sample Bylaws for a Nonprofit

Bylaws come in all shapes and sizes. There are, however, some basics that all bylaws will include. Bylaws are comprised of articles, each of which cover a major component in governing the agency or organization. Some organizations have many articles with very detailed procedures while others are little more than an outline with general guidelines for governing. All bylaws will include the following articles:

Name
Board of directors
Officers
Fiscal policies
Meetings
Amendments

Name

The name of the nonprofit organization should be clearly stated in this section. If an organization operates under an acronym, the full name should be stated with the acronym in parenthesis. As an example: The name of the organization is Drug Prevention Resources Incorporated (DPRI).

Board of Directors

This section should describe the desired make-up of the board. How many members will be on the board? Is there a required state of residency? What are the basic rights and duties of the board? These are all questions that should be answered within this section. Although less detail may be desired to avoid the feeling of restriction among board members, it is always best to cover all potential issues before they occur. Trying to react to situations without proper guidance may send an organization into a tailspin.

Any sample bylaws for a nonprofit will also stress the need to define a quorum within this section of the bylaws. A quorum defines what percentage of the board must be present before official board activities may occur. A board with ten members may state that, A quorum of six members must exist before a meeting can occur.

Officers

All bylaws must define four roles within a board. The president's primary role must be defined as decision maker and coordinator. The vice president must manage the activities of the secretary and treasurer. The secretary must document all meeting minutes and keep an accurate accounting of board records. The treasurer manages all of the financial dealings of a board where dues and other financial exchanges occur.

Fiscal Policies

The fiscal year of any organization should be outlined within its bylaws. Expense and travel policies related to the board should also be outlined here. This section can be a slippery slope if a less is more approach is taken. Provide as much detail as possible related to how the members of the board are expected to behave fiscally.

Meetings

The frequency and location of board meetings should be stated within this section of the bylaws. Members should have clear guidance regarding who to contact in the event that a meeting can't be attended. This article should also state the consequences if a certain amount of meetings are not met within a specified time period. Board members often join boards and forget to attend the meetings where decisions are made.

Amendments

Once bylaws are created, any changes to those bylaws occur through amendments. Amendments should not be made on a whim. Bylaws are legal documents and leaders within an organization should review the agency's ability to consistently comply with any new amendments. Changes to the bylaws must occur when a quorum is present to vote on changes.

Customize Bylaws to the Organization

Most organizations will have a functioning set of rules if they follow the sample bylaws for nonprofits listed above. Additional information, however, may always be provided in the form of additional articles to the bylaws. These additional articles flesh out existing rules or offer new guidance to uncharted territory. Executive Directors and board members should decide on the need for additional articles that may include: