April 2000

Alliance for Nonprofit Management: http://www.allianceonline.org/ A site that focuses on strengthening leadership and fostering inclusiveness, collaboration and quality. Very comprehensive.

Association for Volunteer Administration: http://www.avaintl.org/ Although this site is still under development, it promises to be a major source of information and professional support for those managing nonprofit volunteer programs.

Benton Foundation: http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit/ Free stuff on nonprofit management and interesting links. Try the link to www.helping.org.

Business Volunteers for the Arts: http://www.bvaseattle.org/ This organization has launched a new low-cost training series for nonprofit boards and the site gives information on this and other training opportunities.

Charity Village: http://www.charityvillage.com/ Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector has much information and many sites relevant to all types of boards.

CompuMentor: http://www.compumentor.org/ is the largest nonprofit computerization assistance organization in the country. It matches up consulting staff and volunteer mentors with nonprofits and schools that need assistance.

Energize: http://www.energizeinc.com/ener/ener.html/ This is the site of an international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. Much of the information is free and can be downloaded.

Directors of Volunteers in Agencies: http://www.regis.edu/spsmnm/dovia/ An extensive website with resources on managing volunteers.

Internet Nonprofit Center: http://www.nonprofits.org/ See especially the section of the Nonprofit FAQ (frequently asked questions) covering the Board of Directors. Putnam Barber always does a great job with his site and has much helpful information, particularly for the newer nonprofit executive or board member.

Free Management Library for Nonprofits: http://www/mapnp.org/library/boards/boards.htm Hosted by the Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits in St. Paul, the Library covers a variety of topics. The "Free Complete Toolkit for Boards" was Compiled by a consultant named Carter McNamara and includes a comprehensive directory of recommended practices and sample policies.

Gilbert Center: http://www.gilbert.org/ The Gilbert Center portrays itself as a center of excellence for helping nonprofits with online communications. It publishes a newsletter for the online nonprofit community and has lots of good advice about using technology for interacting with boards and volunteers.

Icebreaker sites: http://www.education-world.com/ is a site designed to provide ideas for teachers on their first day in class, but many of the suggestions could be adapted for use in board meetings. http://www.cornell.edu/ is another great site with many suggestions for ways to start meetings and encourage group involvement.

MNPL web site: http://www.mnpl.org/trainings/boards/ Particularly useful for staying on top of best practices and training opportunities in Washington.

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: http://www.mncn.org/ Another good source of material on board issues that can downloaded without cost. Has some of the most indepth information of all of the sites recommended by class members.

Nan Hawthorne: http://www.cybervpm.com/ One of the most practical sites with tips on volunteer management "from the trenches."

National Center for Nonprofit Boards: http://www.ncnb.org/

Nonprofit Genie: http://www.genie.org/ A great portal site managed by the California Management Assistance Partnership and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services.

Nonprofit Resource Center: http://www.nonprofitcenter.org/index.html/ Look for the Document called "12 Weeks to a Better Board."

Nonprofit Sector Research Fund: http://www.nonprofitresearch.org/ This organization funds some of the most interesting research on nonprofit issues and its site gives a good overview of the various publications available. As an example, there is a relatively new posting summarizing the research of Judith Saidel on the contributions of advisory boards to nonprofit governance.

Nonprofit Resource Center: http://www.nonprofitcenter.org/index/

Peter Drucker: http://www.cba.neu.edu/~ewertheim/teams/drucker.html/ Drucker is always provocative and this site had good advice for management teams.

Resources for Creating 21^st Century Organizations: http://www.thenew.org/ An unusual site that is still under development. Its declared objective is to help transform an inspire organizations and it is billed as a virtual new paradigm business school.

Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service: http://www.txserve.org/ is a site that supports the leaders of volunteers in Texas, but it also includes much information relevant to any locale.

University of Wisconsin Extension Program: http://www.uwex.edu/li/nonprofit/learner/sites/ A source of sixteen nonprofit link categories including "Board Development and Governance." Also links to an on-line Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management.

You may also want to subscribe to the free monthly publication called BoardCafe. It provides information on new resources for nonprofit boards and citations to interesting research. To subscribe to BoardCafe using the Internet, visit the web site at: http://www.compasspoint.org and follow the easy instructions. You can also call 415.541.9000 or fax a request to 415.541.7708. BoardCafe is distributed without charge to your choice of fax or email.

Compiled by participants in NPLR 537: Managing Boards And Volunteers, Executive Master of Not-For-Profit Leadership Program, Seattle University. Dr. Mary Stewart Hall, Professor