A3.4 Outline for a Board Orientation Handbook

Try giving written information to board members in a large binder format so they can also store minutes and reports in the relevant sections. Such a serious document emphasizes the responsibility of being a board member while supporting them with an important tool to do the job properly!

To effort to help board members organize their time, Board Orientation Handbooks could contain the following sections:

Welcome/Messages from the Chairperson and/or the local MPP, mayor or other dignitaries

  1. Literacy statistics; national, regional and local literacy perspectives/issues
  2. History, agency background
  3. Glossary, literacy field abbreviations, definitions, acronyms
  4. The Ontario literacy scene (how funders and support organizations work together)
  5. Legal duties, responsibilities, implications and liability of being a board member; code of ethics
  6. Constitution and by-laws
  7. Philosophy, mission, goals, guiding principles, Core Quality Standards
  8. All policies, including personnel, financial etc.
  1. Staff and board organizational charts
  2. Committees, terms of reference
  3. Job descriptions (Board, staff, volunteers)
  4. Directory of staff and volunteers
  5. Financial statements (include explanations, definitions, samples, list of things to watch)
  6. Current budget
  7. Recent funding proposals/business plans
  8. Expense and other forms and records
  9. Fundraising plans, strategies expectations
  10. Communication strategy for the agency
  11. Basics on parliamentary procedures, agenda setting, meetings, making motions and other useful organizational management skills
  12. Sections to store board minutes and committee minutes
  13. Annual meeting and annual reports
  14. One-year, three-year and five-year plans (and other planning documents, with goals and objectives)
  15. Program statistics, summaries of clients served, and other service achievements
  16. Board calendar of regular activities and events
  17. Volunteer Bill of Rights