Board Responsibilities

Board Responsibilities Policy

Background
Central to the functioning of the Board is the mutual accountability of Board members to one another, the members and the organization as a whole. The agreement signed by Board members is worthless unless there areincludes sanctions to back up thaunderscore the importance of Board responsibilities and t accountability.
Responsibilities
The Board Agreeement commits each Board memberEach Board member has made a commitment pursuant to their Board Agreement to:
1. Familiarize myself themself with and uphold the Mission Statement, Articles of Incorporation, By LawsBylaws, and Standing Rules and other policies and procedures of the Corporation;
2. Act in the best interest of the organization;
3. Assume a leadership role;
4. Demonstrate fiscal responsibility in budgetary and other financial matters concerning, the organization and its functions and events;
5. Review and uphold all current Board policies, including but not limited to these specific areas of concern:
  1. Keys (H.01 & H.02)
  2. Letterhead (H.03)
  3. Meetings (B.06.IV)
  4. Confidentiality (B.05)
  5. Media Comment & Public Speaking (G.01)
  6. Financial Procedures (C.01)
  7. Conflict of Interest (B.02)
  8. Code of Conduct (B.01)
  9. Behavior at Meetings (B.08)
  10. Event Conduct (E.05)
  11. Email (G.02)
  12. Internal Communications (G.04)
  13. Board Responsibilities (B.06)
6. Adhere to all codes of conduct or ethics as adopted;
7. Attend regular Board meetings, on time;
8. Take the initiative to stay well-informed concerning the organization and its business, including:
  1. Reviewing minutes, reports and other printed materials received prior to attending a meeting at which said materials are on the agenda;
  2. Calling and stopping by the office for my mail and messages on a regular basis;
  3. Regularly, and in a timely fashion, responding to communications from the organization and other directors;
9. Be honest and direct in myCommit to clear and inclusive communications with other directors, members and staff;
10. Work as a team member, demonstrating by my behavior in committees, at meetings, in public and in privateDemonstrate my willingness and ability to support fellow directors, members, and staff in the work of the organization (e.g., on teams, in committees, in meetings, in public, in private);
11. Serve on at least one standing committee of the Board during my first year and two during my second and subsequent years;
12. Serve on other committees as my skills and schedule allow;
13. Devote at least two days during this year’s tenure to significant volunteer recruitment and public relations work in a public venue or at another L/G/B/T event or function.
14. Promote the positive public image and positive public relations of the organization.
15. Volunteer time as requested by the Board President and/or Executive Director.
16. Support the organization’s special fundraisers and events.
17. Maintain a high degree of familiarity with issues, concerns and trends in the community.
18. Serve the organization without expectation of financial compensation or benefit to oneself, family and spouse/domestic partner for their service as a member of the Board of Directors.
19. Agree to be mentoredParticipate in Board mentorship opportunity during my first year of board service and
20. Participate in Board orientation within first month of my first year of board serviceattend an orientation.
21. Each Board of Director is responsible for giving or getting a minimum of $500 in donations per year. This can be cash or in-kind donations and the responsibility can be met by working on one of SF Pride’s fundraising events.
  1. At its discretion, the Board can waive all or part of a year’s requirement on an individual basis.
The term “Serve” as used above shall mean physical or virtual attendance at meetings and completing assigned tasks.
Sanction
1. Subject to Section 4 “Attendance” Removal for “cause” shall include failure to observe one or more of the above commitments but shall not be confined to the covenants listed above.
Attendance
1. The Board Agreement states that regular and on time attendance at Board Meetings and service upon one Board Committee is required. In pursuance of that thiscovenant responsibility, it is also recognized that there may be occasions upon which a Board Member may be prevented from attending such a meeting. Circumstances which may prevent attendance include:
  1. Illness of self, partner and/or dependents
  2. Bereavement of partner, dependent, parent or sibling
  3. Unavoidable work commitment
  4. Absence at the behest of the organization (e.g. conference)
    1) In any event, any Board member who anticipates missing a meeting they are required to attend shall send their apologies to the Board President who shall have power to excuse attendance. Minutes of meetings shall record those Board Members present, those excused and those absent. Board members absent without leave for three consecutive meetings or for an aggregate of four meetings out of 10 shall be subject to immediate termination at the discretion of the Board President in consultation with the Executive Committee and documented in subsequent Board meeting minutes.
Non-Communication
1. Any Board member who shall fail to give reason for failure to attend to their duties and/or fail to communicate for a period in excess of 28 days without leave of the Executive Committee and/or Board President shall be removed from the Board.
Equity
1. The intent of this policy is to promote and insure consistency of the board in strategic planning, setting policy, handling fiscal and budgetary responsibilities and in the overall management of the organization. As such, termination from the board should be in the manner of a last resort if all other attempts to match expectations with performance shall fail.

Approved: by the Board 03.09.99
Amended 04.04.00
Amended 11.05.01
Amended 03.04.02
Amended 06.03.14
Amended 08.04.15