Volunteering for Board Positions

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kathryn Wilson

CPAs get asked to serve on boards a lot.  Sometimes organizations want us for our technical expertise, but sometimes they just need someone at the table who is comfortable talking concretely about money.  I spent many happy hours volunteering as a teenager, and during college I looked forward to being able to use my new accounting skills for the greater good.  I’m a big believer in learning from other people’s experiences wherever possible, so once I passed the CPA exam, I took to questioning everyone I knew (including partners at my firm) about their volunteer board experiences.  The main advice I got was to hold off for a couple of years until I had enough professional experience to know what I didn’t know.  This was sound advice! I took it.  While I now have a couple of years of experience volunteering as Treasurer for my small Home Owners’ Association (HOA), I’ve continued to question others about their volunteer experiences.  I’ve gotten some excellent advice during this process, and want to share it with you.

Three crucial sets of questions to ask the organization:

  1. Financial/Fundraising Commitment
    1. Are board members expected to personally contribute a minimum amount to the organization?
    2. Do board members have individual fundraising quotas?
    3. Sometimes board members get sued.  Does the organization have liability insurance that covers board members? If not, it’s worth looking into a personal umbrella policy, which is a way to add extra general liability coverage, including coverage for attorney’s fees, onto an existing insurance policy.
  2. Time Commitment
    1. How often and for how long does the Board meet?
    2. Where are meetings held? Is it okay to attend via phone or computer when time is especially tight (i.e. busy season)?
    3. What other events are Board members expected to attend?
    4. How long is a board member’s term?
  3. Job Description/Expectations
    1. What technical knowledge are they expecting you, as a CPA or future CPA, to bring to the table?
    2. If you’re signing on for Treasurer or another titled position, is there a job description? Is the most recent person who held the title available to train you and ease the transition?
    3. Does the organization already have a paid or volunteer bookkeeper, or are they recruiting an accountant because they need a volunteer bookkeeper?
    4. If it’s a larger organization or handles a lot of funds, do they have an annual audit?

Three crucial questions to ask yourself:

  1. Are you passionate about the organization’s mission? If you’re not, is there some other factor that will make your commitment rewarding? (E.g.: a loved one is passionate about the organization; you’ll get peace of mind knowing your PTA/HOA is in good financial condition; you’re burning up with curiosity to get to know the inner workings of not-for-profits.)
  2. If the organization were a person and it was ill, would you want to interrupt your life to bring it chicken soup? (All organizations will have crises that require board attention. It might not happen during your tenure, but you should be prepared.)
  3. Do you like the people you would be working most closely with? If you’re not sure, find out if there’s an event or portion of a board meeting you could attend to get a feel for this.

Editor’s Note: The OSCPA posts volunteer service opportunities from not-for-profit organizations and governmental entities. Visit: www.orcpa.org/public/resource/26-not-for-profit_board_openings/ to view current opportunities.

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Volunteer to Lead

Posted on May 2, 2012 by mhenney

The topic of my entry this time is Leadership and Volunteering.  This past weekend I had the honor of attending the OSCPA Strategic Leadership Forum in the beautiful Central Oregon city of Bend.  This annual event brings together all of the Leadership (new and continuing) of the OSCPA – ALL OF WHOM ARE VOLUNTEERS!!!! – for two days of programs meant to inform and connect those in attendance and set the ship (aka the OSCPA) on the right course for the new year. I’d like to think that all of us there walked away on Saturday afternoon with a renewed sense of commitment and excitement for the future of the organization.

Now, the OSCPA has an incredible staff without which the organization wouldn’t exist.  They are a tremendous group! However, the Board of Directors (11 directors), the Chapter councils (6 Chapters), the Strategic Interest Teams (9 SITs), the Project Teams (11 teams), Board Standing Committees (4 committees), and Knowledge Networks (3) are all populated by volunteers.  This group of dedicated supporters, together with the staff , allow the organization to meet the needs of its more than 4800 members. That is an incredible “machine”!

Currently, I am Chair-Elect.  Which means that next year I will be Chair – a little scary to be “in charge” but I know that the experience will be a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I got to this place over a number of years – first joining the Emerald Empire Chapter council and working through the officer positions to chair that group.  After that I joined the OSCPA Board of Directors and after being a director for three years, became Treasurer and have worked my way through the officer positions (Treasurer –>Vice Chair –> Chair-Elect) to where I find myself this year.  Meanwhile I have also been a member of the OSCPA Educational Foundation Board.  Now I don’t tell you this to brag or have you think that I am an “uber-volunteer” but it is rather to point out all of the opportunities there are within our organization to be more than just a member. If you are unfamiliar with the various volunteer positions within the OSCPA, please check out the website at www.orcpa.org.

My next suggestion is for you to consider volunteering outside the OSCPA.  If you look around, you will find numerous opportunities to lend your time and talents to others (outside of your job and families) – this is particularly true for accountants.  Most not-for-profits need someone with financial acumen on their board.  Volunteering can also allow you to do something totally different from your day to day, like walking dogs at the local humane society or dismantling donated electronics for recycling.  My point here is to get out and get involved in something outside yourself.  It is one of the more rewarding things you can do with your time and talents.  For those of you who are in “transition” volunteering can not only give you something to do with your time, it will allow you to meet other folks and who knows which one of them might be the key to the next door you need to go through.

So get out there – find a place to lend a hand or a head or a heart – it’ll be a good thing.

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