What is an Advisory Board, and Should We Have One?
The legal, governing body of a nonprofit organization is its Board of Directors. In contrast, an Advisory Board does not have any legal, formal responsibilities, but rather is convened by the organization to give advice and support. Here are reasons why some organizations convened an Advisory Board: Eucalyptus AIDS Services* has a Board of Directors made up of wealthy, well-connected members. These directors are committed to fundraising, but they are not necessarily in touch with the low-income client population, nor are they experts on AIDS. To meet these needs, this nonprofit group convened an Advisory Board composed of low-income clients, social workers, and medical personnel. The Advisory Board meets four times a year to give input and react to ideas from staff. The last Advisory Board meeting, for example, focused on developing a policy around case management for dual-diagnosed clients. The Banyan Asian Artists Co-op* doesnt have its own 501(c)(3) status, but works under the fisca
