Gessler releases fifth nonprofit board education eLearning course

Final of five courses entitled "Personnel Issues"

Denver, Colorado, May 28, 2014 - Secretary of State Scott Gessler announced today the fifth release in a five-part eLearning series entitled "Board Education and Effectiveness." The project is aimed at helping nonprofits train and strengthen their boards of directors. The fifth release, available on the Secretary of State's website, is titled "Personnel Issues." The courses are free and open to the public.

This module provides education on several challenges that nonprofits face in managing their human resources. Topics include guidance on classifying staff as contractors versus employees, an overview of common personnel tax issues, tips for determining executive and board compensation, and a step-by-step guide to onboarding new directors. Links to additional resources allow course participants to access more in-depth information based on their organization's specific needs.

"Thanks to our collaboration with community leaders throughout the state, I’m pleased with this educational series aimed at filling in the gaps and maximizing success for all of Colorado’s nonprofits," Secretary Gessler said. "We’ve created a one-stop-shop for sharing best-practices among our nonprofit and charitable communities that make Colorado a national leader."

"An engaged, informed board of directors is key to ensuring that nonprofit organizations use their resources efficiently and effectively in pursuit of their missions," said Linda Childears, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. "The ‘Board Education’ eLearning series is an efficient means of providing directors with the information and resources they need to lead their organizations in the vital work that they do."

"Nonprofit organizations rely heavily on their board members and staff to achieve their objectives," said Deborah Brackney, Vice President for Administration for Mountain States Employers Council. "This module is a powerful educational tool for nonprofit leaders who want to learn more about their organizations’ responsibilities to their employees and board members, and about their own role in effectively harnessing human resources."

The board effectiveness training project originated from a series of meetings in 2012 between the Secretary of State’s office and nonprofit community leaders centered on strengthening nonprofits in Colorado.

The Secretary of State worked in conjunction with leaders in the Colorado nonprofit community to produce and review course content, including the Colorado Nonprofit Association, Community Resource Center, Metro Volunteers, the Colorado Ballet, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver, the Sand Creek Regional Greenway, and Kids in Need of Dentistry (KIND). The review team also included legal professionals from Leaffer Law, a Denver-based firm that specializes in providing counsel for nonprofit organizations.

Since the launch of the first course last November, 5,400 unique visitors have accessed the first four courses: Fiduciary Duties of Nonprofit Directors, Board Governance, Understanding the Form 990 and Financial Ratios, and Regulatory Compliance. The entire series of five courses is online. Nonprofit board member courses.