Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations

132 Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofi t Organizations

service. Civic service is frequent and long-term, not less than four hours

per day and twenty hours per week for an extended time. Civic service

typically includes below - market pay and addresses problems not served

through the market or public policy. It also focuses on more diffi cult

problems than traditional voluntary service, with efforts directed toward

alleviating the problem. Some of the identifi ed problems with national

service programs are insuffi cient funding for program development, pro-

gram continuity, and infrastructure development. There are additional

problems due to the complexity of communication and coordination

among the various agencies implementing volunteer policy and misplaced

expectations about working with volunteers (Brudney & Gazley, 2002;

Rehnborg, 2005).

Governing Boards

Governing boards in the public and nonprofi t

sectors bear the ultimate accountability for

organizational activity and accomplishment;

they make policy and provide oversight

(Carver, 1990).

Public Governing Boards

The duties and authority of public governing

boards are regulated by ordinances or statutes,

while nonprofit governing boards are regu-

lated by the organization ’ s bylaws. Public boards, whether they are elected

or appointed, are typically more bound by legal requirements than are

nonprofi t boards. They are also subject to a greater variety of statutes

(Carver, 1990).

Public sector governing boards deal primarily with policymaking,

such as planning, personnel or civil service, parks and recreation, zoning

and building, and probation and corrections (Baker, 1994, 2006). What

differentiates most public sector governing boards from those in the non-

profi t sector is that they typically serve in only an advisory capacity; fi nal

approval or decisions are made by the legislative body. Governmental

board members may be appointed by elected offi cials or elected directly

by citizens. The provisions that govern local government boards and

commissions are typically found in the community ’ s ordinances or are

required by state statute. Board members play important policymaking

Governing boards in the

public and nonprofi t

sectors bear the ultimate

accountability for

organizational activity and

accomplishment; they make

policy and provide oversight.