Bylaws: The "Constitution" of Nonprofits - The Art and Science of Making Them Work (Recorded)

CLE Information

Nonprofit Issues® is an Accredited Provider for Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education. CLE credit is available for PA lawyers participating in this webinar. If you are a lawyer in a state that accepts CLE credits from other jurisdictions we can provide certificates of attendance and proof of our PA approval.

Lawyers requesting credit must register and log in separately - group registrations are not permitted.

If you have any questions, email us at info@nonprofitissues.com or call 215.542.7547.

CPE Information

This program provides CPE credit for Pennsylvania accountants.

Accountants seeking credit must register and login individually. Group registrations are not permitted.

If you have any questions, email us at info@nonprofitissues.com or call 215.542.7547

This program was recorded on January 15, 2025

This presentation addresses the art and science of drafting bylaws. Well-written and formulated bylaws help shape power relationships within a nonprofit organization; provide unambiguous procedures to prevent disputes; and reduce the risks of litigation. Bylaws should provide answers, not raise questions.

Listeners will gain clarity on procedural issues.

• Understand the relationship to articles of incorporation.
• Learn whether you should be a "membership" organization.
• Determine whether your bylaws answer the question: "whose organization is it?"
• Learn how to deal with ex officio directors.
• Learn how to deal with term limits.
• Learn how to deal with board committees.
• Learn the critical issues in removal clauses.

In a line by line review of sample articles of incorporation and bylaws, you will learn how to avoid aspirational language, inconsistent language, passive tense and ambiguities. Participants can raise their questions for immediate answers.

You will take home our most popular Ready Reference Pages on articles of incorporation and bylaws, "annotated" with explanatory comments. You will also take home sample forms that work!

This program was sponsored in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations.

What past participants say about this webinar:

* Excellent, even for those who are Bylaws-savvy.
* I got what I needed to proceed with change and revisions.
* Well paced. Excellent speaker and materials.
* The sample bylaws are SO helpful.
* I have been involved in revising our bylaws for the last year. I wish I had [this webinar] a year ago!
* Exactly what I hoped, with added emphasis of keeping it simple, non-detailed and 'timeless.'

Attendees of this program will be eligible for a discounted bylaw review session with Don Kramer.

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Semi-Functional Board
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
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Do you have a rockstar board?

Or does it limp along listlessly performing the minimum necessary to keep the organization going? Pushed by the CEO because no one on the board wants to be responsible for leadership.

Most boards are somewhere in between. Functional perhaps, but not fully functional. More like what you would call semi-functional.

This webinar will help you get beyond a semi-functional board. By acting intentionally at every step of the governance process, you can improve your organization’s capacity, resilience and effectiveness.

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Nonprofit bylaw review

Don Kramer will review and comment on your own current or proposed bylaws

Do your Bylaws reflect the way you actually operate? Do they protect the interests of those who should be protected? Do they spell out clearly how to deal with governance issues? Or do they create uncertainty for those who have to implement them?

Most nonprofits don't spend a lot of time looking at their Bylaws until there is a question or a dispute. That's when you need bylaws that are clear and unambiguous, so your questions on how to proceed are already answered. That's when bad bylaws can lead to unnecessary controversies or even costly litigation. Nonprofit Issues editor Don Kramer will review your current or proposed Bylaws to see if they work for you.

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April 24, 2025

As one of the 420,000 worldwide alumni of Harvard University’s various schools and colleges, I was invited to an upcoming “Conversation with President [Alan M.] Garber.” The virtual event is scheduled for only half an hour, but we were all invited to submit questions. The notice says the conversation will be “off the record.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “off the record” means “given or made in confidence and not for publication.”

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Bylaws: The "Constitution" of Nonprofits - The Art and Science of Making Them Work (Recorded)