Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations

Volunteers in the Public and Nonprofi t Sectors 133

roles and serve as volunteers. Baker (2006) found that the motivation to

serve on boards and commissions in small cities was due to both individual

and contextual factors.

Nonprofi t Governing Boards

In nonprofi t organizations, directors or trustees typically develop policies

relating to the organizations ’ management. The directors are responsible

for ensuring that the public purpose of the nonprofi t organization is car-

ried out. Ingram (1988) identifi es the basic responsibilities of nonprofi t

boards:

Determining the organization ’ s mission and purposes and setting

policies for its operation

Selecting the executive director and evaluating executive

performance

Ensuring effective organizational planning by engaging in

long - range planning to establish its future course

Ensuring adequate resources by establishing fi scal policy and

boundaries and seeing that resources are managed effectively

Determining and monitoring the organization ’ s programs

and services

Enhancing the organization ’ s public image by promoting the

work of the organization

Serving as a court of appeals for employees with grievances

Assessing its own performance in relation to its responsibilities

Houle (1989, p. 6) defi nes a governing board as “ an organized group

of people with the authority collectively to control and foster an institution

that is usually administered by a qualifi ed executive and staff. ”

Board members are volunteers, and like most other volunteers, they

join boards for a variety of reasons. Research on the motivations of citizens

serving on public sector boards indicates that they expect to receive

certain benefi ts, and there are a number of selective incentives. Baker

(1994, citing Clark & Wilson, 1961, and Widmer, 1985) identifi es fi ve

types of incentives:

1. Material incentives are tangible rewards such as the opportunity to

advance politically or the opportunity to make professional contacts.

2. Solidarity incentives are intangible rewards such as socializing, a sense of

group membership, status, and sense of involvement.

• • • • • • • •