Board member commitment letter

Board member commitment letter

[ORGANIZATION NAME]

Dear [NAME],

Thank you for agreeing to serve on the board of [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Our mission is [MISSION IN ONE SENTENCE]. As a director, you share legal responsibility for the organization and help guide it. This letter sets out what we ask of every director and what you can expect from us, so we start with the same understanding.

Your term

• Term: [NUMBER] years, from [START DATE] to [END DATE], as set by our bylaws
• You may serve up to [NUMBER] consecutive terms. [OR: Our bylaws don't limit the number of terms.]
• Officer or committee roles: [ROLE, IF ANY]

Meetings and preparation

• The board meets [NUMBER] times a year, usually on [DAY AND TIME], at [PLACE OR "ONLINE"].
• Please attend every meeting you can, and let the chair know in advance if you can't. Our bylaws say [WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MISSED MEETINGS, IF ANYTHING].
• Please read the board packet before each meeting and come with questions.
• We expect about [NUMBER] hours a month in total, including committee work.

Committees and other work

• Please serve on at least [NUMBER] committee(s). Our committees are: [LIST, FOR EXAMPLE FINANCE, FUNDRAISING, GOVERNANCE].
• Please attend [EVENTS, FOR EXAMPLE THE ANNUAL MEETING AND ONE FUNDRAISING EVENT] each year.
• Act as an ambassador: speak about our work in your networks, and refer questions from the press to [NAME OR ROLE].

Giving and fundraising

• We ask every director to make a personal gift each year that is meaningful to them. [OR: We ask each director to give or raise at least $[AMOUNT] a year.]
• We ask every director to help with fundraising in ways that suit them, such as [EXAMPLES: INTRODUCING POTENTIAL DONORS, THANK-YOU CALLS, HOSTING A GATHERING].

Conflicts of interest

• You agree to follow our conflict of interest policy.
• You will sign a disclosure statement when you join and every year after, and tell the chair straight away if anything changes.
• You won't take part in a board decision in which you, your family or a business you're involved with has an interest.

Confidentiality

You'll learn private information about the people we serve, our donors, staff and finances. Please keep it confidential, both during and after your service, unless the law requires otherwise or the board agrees to share it.

Acting for the organization

Decisions are made by the board as a whole. Individual directors don't speak for, sign for or commit the organization unless the board or our bylaws allow it.

What you can expect from us

• an orientation, including our bylaws, policies, budget, latest financial statements and recent minutes
• board packets at least [NUMBER] days before each meeting
• regular, clear financial reports
• [IF YOU HAVE IT: directors and officers liability insurance, with a copy of the policy summary]
• honest answers to your questions, and access to staff and records you need to do your job
• an annual conversation about how your service is going

Stepping down

If your circumstances change and you can't meet these commitments, please talk to the chair. You may resign at any time by writing to [CHAIR OR SECRETARY], as our bylaws describe.

Signatures

I have read this letter, our bylaws and our conflict of interest policy, and I agree to serve on these terms.

Director: [NAME]

Signature: [SIGNATURE]

Date: [DATE]

For the board: [NAME], [CHAIR OR SECRETARY]

Signature: [SIGNATURE]

Date: [DATE]