New Wiley Publication, Internet Management for Nonprofits, Features Egovernance
Submitted by: Emilie Ngokwey, Manager, Marketing and Communications, BoardEffect®
The implementation of e-governance in nonprofit organizations is picking up steam. Indeed, there is an increasing number of organizations around the world that are leveraging online board portals to address governance needs. Nonprofit governance and technology experts Dottie Schindlinger and Leanne Bergey of BoardEffect Inc, a leading provider of online board portals, were invited to contribute a chapter to the Wiley Publication Internet Management for Nonprofits: Strategies, Tools & Trade Secrets, released April 2010. Chapter 3, titled E-governance is Good Governance: Improving Nonprofit Board Leadership through Online Technology was written in six months and includes research conducted in 2008 in collaboration with the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. This data, as well as case studies, a review of literature in the field, and testimonials from board portal users substantiate the claim that the use of online tools can increase levels of board engagement, while allowing the board to realize cost savings and increased productivity.
As discussed in the chapter, the impact of e-governance is felt by nonprofits in the following ways:
An informed board
Online board portals provide a central repository of information that board
members can readily access via any Internet connection. This allows directors to
stay current and always have the latest materials at their disposal.
An engaged board
Most board portals offer features that facilitate and encourage board
communication. Such features include Discussion Forums that enable board
members to provide input on issues at their convenience. Some portals also offer
Live Talk functions to add document sharing and commenting capabilities to
conference calls. Voting and polling features engage board and committee
members in providing instant feedback on a host of issues. Features such as
these encourage board participation, leading to a more engaged board.
A productive board
With the latest meeting materials available to the board in the portal's online
Meeting Books and Resource Library, members come to the meetings having
already reviewed the materials and prepared to discuss the issues at hand.
In addition, individual committees increase their productivity by working and
actively communicating through Committee Workrooms—a private space for
committees to do their work. Committee Workrooms can reduce or the need for
frequent face-to-face committee meetings, saving time and expense.
A transparent and accountable board
Online board portals store and record documents and exchanges made within
the portal. Board members can consequently retrieve crucial information for
internal use to support a claim, or for use by external and impartial individuals
such as auditors when tax forms such as the new IRS Form 990 need to be
completed. The fact that all board communication is centrally stored in the portal
and is easily searchable makes the board’s work more transparent.
A green board
Online board portals significantly reduce paper usage as materials are stored
and distributed online. With increased virtual communication, the number of
face-to-face meetings can be reduced, leading to a decrease in carbon footprints.
There are many reasons why a nonprofit organization should adopt an online board portal. However, the success of implementing e-governance varies from organization to organization based on a number of factors which are also discussed in the book chapter.
E-governance is a growing trend that nonprofits, regardless of size or creed, should consider. It is about making boards of nonprofit organizations more effective, freeing them to focus on their mission.
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