Competency 4: Public Service

Nonprofits cultivate a culture of ethical and moral ideals which perpetually promotes the importance of public service through active citizen engagement. Cultivating a culture of ethical ideals is first adopted and implemented by the Board of Directors as well as the organization’s managers (Jeavons, 2016). The board is the central governing body of a nonprofit and has three fiduciary duties; Duty of care, members are committed to advancing the organization’s mission by participating in the governing process and making well-informed decisions; Duty of loyalty, individual members actively put the interests of the organization before personal gain, and; Duty of obedience, members adhere to the board bylaws, policies, procedures, and legal regulations as specified in the organization’s IRS status (BoardSource, 2010; Renz, 2016; Worth, 2021). Each elected board member must take a binding oath to uphold these ethical practices and ensure accountable decision-making from the board as a governing body. In fact, Hudson (2005) argues that leaders “…have to be conscious of the need for complete congruence between the organization’s values and their own behavior” (p. 153). In other words, successful public organizations are intentional about connecting to the communities and people it serves and understand that each governing decision impacts all stakeholders regardless of authority.

Developing the governance case study for New Image Youth Center, Inc. (NIYC) (PAD 6237) highlighted the trickle-down effect between board decisions and motivating volunteer engagement. Many scholars agree that volunteers are the backbone of the public sector. It is too simplistic to say that volunteerism allows people to give back to their community. Instead, nonprofit agencies must view volunteerism as a collective endeavor to solve critical issues, unite diverse communities, promote individual well-being, and foster idealistic visions for a better future. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) states that “the ethos of volunteerism is infused with values such as solidarity, reciprocity, mutual trust, belonging and empowerment, all of which contribute significantly to quality of life” (2016, paragraph 4). Without intentional leadership from the board to integrate these service values or similar values into building an ethical culture, organizations experience volunteer decline which potentially negatively impacts its mission delivery.

Nonprofit organizations typically have three different groups of volunteers; the board of directors, incumbent staff, and individuals seeking to engage with their community. The literature reviewed on volunteer motivation (PAD 5145) shows that in general, volunteers are motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic motivations are altruistic in nature and are perhaps the purest form of volunteering, whereas extrinsic motivations are for personal or collective gain, such as learning new skills and networking in the community. In return for service, volunteers expect the board and its members to uphold their fiduciary duties to the organization, which include acquiring and allocating adequate resources, complying with legal requirements, driving mission objectives in strategic planning, and making decisions with integrity (BoardSource, 2010; Jeavons, 2016; Renz, 2016; Worth, 2021).

Moreover, nonprofits that have a strong relationship between their leaders and its volunteers foster a democratic governing body. The American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) third code of conduct states that nonprofit organizations should “inform the public and encourage active engagement in governance. Be open, transparent and responsive, and respect and assist all persons in their dealings with public organizations” (2013, p. 1). Upholding the third code requires the board to cultivate a culture of respect supported by unwavering organizational values, as well as making decisions that build trust between leaders and those directly involved with service delivery. Encouraging staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to participate in the board’s governing process builds and retains a strong volunteer force. In addition, research and findings from the NIYC case study revealed that the composition of highly effective governing boards that encourage active participation is diverse among its members. Board diversity is an intentional practice to ensure accurate representation of the community the organization serves (BoardSource, 2010). The commitment to diversity should be outlined in the bylaws, clearly defined in the board’s recruitment and selection process, and evident to the public through the board’s decision-making process. Diverse boards strengthen trust within the organization’s community and empower meaningful action through volunteerism.

References

American Society for Public Administration. (2013, March 16). Practices to promote the ASPA Code of Ethics. ASPA National Council. Retrieved from www.aspanet.org/Common/Uploaded%20files/ASPADocs/ASPA%20Code%20of%20Ethics-2013%20with%20Practices.pdf

BoardSource. (2010). The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance. Jossey-Bass.

Dreyfus, Susan N. (2018, August 29). Volunteerism and US Civil Society. Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved from https://ssir.org/articles/entry/volunteerism and_us_civil_society

Hudson, Mike. (2005). Managing at the leading edge. Wiley & Sons.

Jeavons, Thomas H. (2016). Ethical nonprofit management: Core values and key practices. In David O. Renz and Robert D. Herman’s The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (4th ed): 188-216.

Renz, David O. (2016). Leadership, governance, and the work of the board. In David O. Renz and Robert D. Herman’s The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (4th ed): 127-166.

UN Volunteers. (2016, September 5). The power of volunteerism. Author. Retrieved from https://www.unv.org/power-volunteerism

Worth, Michael J. (2021). Nonprofit Management: Principles and Practice (6th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.