I know nothing about serving on a board and the details of a non profit organization, but have decided to volunteer my time to help a friend who has been doing it all on her own and desperately needs help and guidance. We have a board of four members, and we are at the beginning of the process of getting non profit status, which turns out to be far more complicated than I imagined. A lawyer has been involved but has done nothing so far and is charging the organization $6000!!! Catherine is the treasurer and trying to sort out the financial details, but Sharon has not kept good records and in the end, we are in the red, and are desperate for funds. We had a meeting two weeks ago and again tonight, and I find myself Vice President of the organization.
I am clearly way over my head, and of course all of us are out of our element. Catherine has a book 'Nonprofits for Dummies' and is reading it line by line and highlighting important segments. I find myself most preoccupied with ethical issues and that is not always of most relevant to the others on the board.
I wonder why I am involved with this venture. I have so much on my plate anyway and this commitment neither provides income or any significant satisfaction, yet here I am participating and contributing and writing minutes and offering opinions and I guess there must be something in it for me, which will reveal itself in time.
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