One of the most effective and invaluable tools for a nonprofit board member is the board member manual. It is the depository of all the information board members need to fulfill their major lobbying, fund raising, planning, evaluating, and decision-making responsibilities. Usually the manual is a three-ring binder with at least eight indexed sections that contain the following documents:

1. Mission History and Philosophy - mission statement, philosophy statement, history statement, statements of need for each program.

2. Board - list of board members, board committees, board job descriptions, board schedules, organizational chart and other pertinent information about board responsibilities.

3. Minutes - board minutes.

4. Finances - financial statement, audits.

5. Programs - program descriptions, schedules, and other programmatic documents.

6. Staff - list of staff, staff resumes, staff evaluations, personnel manual, etc.

7. Fund Raising - sample proposal, appeal letters, development plan, feasibility studies, and other fund raising documents.

8. Documents - articles of incorporation, bylaws, strategic plan, etc.

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