These should in writing, clearly and succinctly stated, and you should be able to embrace all three easily and earnestly. 

The composition, qualifications, and commitment of the board are some of the key factors in the organization’s success. Knowing and being comfortable with the community you will join will contribute to your engagement and the board’s effectiveness.  

The boards of a large organization may meet 3 or 4 times a year; and generally, at least twice a year to meet best practices for an active board. Large organizations often have an executive committee that meets more frequently between board meetings. The boards of smaller nonprofits may meet monthly because they may be fulfilling some of the duties that, in a larger nonprofit, would be handled by the executive leadership team.  

Here you are looking for a balance between high turnover and “deadwood.” Term limits are not required, but nonprofit best practices tend to be moving toward setting term limits (for example terms of 3 years, with a limit of 2 to 4 terms.) You’re looking for a board that is active, engaged, representing a diversity of experience and background that are appropriate to the community being served, a good balance of experience, and fresh recruits. 

A board notebook typically contains all the key documents that bring a new board member quickly up to speed and is a handy reference manual for all board members.  

Typically a board notebook would include: 

1. 1. Corporate and founding documents, including latest versions of the articles and bylaws (or equivalent documents)
   2. Vision, values, and mission
   3. Current strategic plan and outcome metrics
   4. Board member bios & contact info
   5. Board member job description
   6. Agendas and board minutes for at least the last 2 years of meetings
   7. A calendar of board and committee meetings and key organizational activities
   8. Current and prior year financials and budgets
   9. A description of the composition and function of each board committee
   10. Board governance and recruitment policies
   11. All other board policies and key organizational policies
   12. Key marketing material
   13. Most recent organizational financial audit
   14. Most recent organizational legal audit
   15. Most recent IRS Form 990
   16. A status list of all current legal actions or inquiries not reported above.  

Increasingly such important reference documents may be available in eFormat on a password-protected section of the nonprofit’s website. If these are not offered or available in hard or soft copy, you should ask for this basic entity profile information. 

The commitment to train new board members is often a good barometer to the clear understanding of the important scope and limitations of board authority and the health of the nonprofit. 

Discovering the answers to the questions covered above provides the specific factual context for understanding duties you would step into as a new director. But two equally important elements of helping to steer a nonprofit organization are the duties of care and loyalty.