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Option Ultrasound Directors This area is for Pregnancy Resource Centers wanting to get started in the OUP program or needing information pertinent to the program.


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If We Are Short of Funds for a Project, What Is the Reason?

Does your board want to fund a project but is unable? Discover six reasons why you may not have the money.

Before a New Board Member Says, "I do."

Before asking a new board member to join the team, make sure he or she knows clearly what is expected. Here are some thoughts.

Board Shines as Director Takes on CEO Role

If the Board sees its Executive Director as a true CEO, it's more than a title change—it's a revolution in the making.

Quick Reads to Keep You Ahead of the Curve

A board member who reads gains perspective, more vision and a clearer understanding of the ministry he or she oversees. Here are several opportunities to stay ahead of the curve as a board member.

Investments Today for a Better Tomorrow

There's more than one kind of investment that can make the difference for your center in the future.

We Are a Ministry of Choice, and Always Will Be

Whenever the subject of abortion comes up, we will likely hear someone say that he or she believes in the “right to choose,” as if somehow Thomas Jefferson penned something in the Constitution that all of us missed.

PRC Investigative Insurance Questions

Liability insurance is a necessity, and it can be a very confusing issue to navigate. The following document was prepared to assist Executive Directors/CEOs/Boards of Directors as they review their insurance needs and potential insurance providers.

Coaching the Executive Director

The evaluation of the Executive Director is one of the most important, yet difficult responsibilities of serving on the board. Is there a way to make this experience enjoyable and productive?

The Foolish Board

How does a board withstand the winds and floods of changing economic times, changes in personnel and fundraising?

Is Your Board Bored?

Does serving on your pregnancy board sometimes feel like drudgery? Try these tips to usher in purpose for your ministry team.

The Most Important Document of the Board

How can a board protect itself, stay on task and avoid organizational turmoil? By creating a very important document.

The Ten Dysfunctions of a Board

Boards must continually evaluate themselves to be sure they are not falling victim to any of these dysfunctions.

When Does the Board Authorize the Use of a Consultant?

There will come a season in the life of every non-profit ministry when staff and volunteers do not have the time or expertise to solve a problem or issue. Learn how a consultant can help.

Build a Caring Community

Are your board meetings all business and no fun? Learn why it's important to play while addressing the daily challenges of running a Pregnancy Resource Center.

Begin with a Consent Agenda

Learn how a consent agenda can keep your board focused during meeting time for maximum communication.

The Five Critical Activities of a Development-Minded Board

What exactly is resource development and how should your board be facilitate it for a more effective center?

Hand Signals for Board Meetings

Does your board have trouble staying on track during meetings? Try these hand signals to foster more effective communication.

Donor Development Tips

As a board member you may be called upon to help the Executive Director of the center build relationships with donors in your community.

Can Your PRC Survive?

Many times in ministry work, it's easy to forget that we operate in a competitive environment. Yes, we see abortion providers as opposition, but this is not a Pregnancy Resource Centers only competition.

What Qualities Should an Executive Director Expect in the Board?

In the book, The Nonprofit Leadership Team, Fisher Howe lists the desired characteristics of the Board.

What Qualities Should the Board Expect in the Executive Director?

Discover seven powerful characteristics that the Board can expect and encourage in their Executive Director.

Lest We Forget

What is the main reason to be involved in a Pregnancy Resource Ministry? Read what motivates author Bruce Cole to continue on in the fight for life.

The Business of Stewardship

It's disheartening to hear someone in leadership say ,“This is a ministry, not a business,” implying that the application of business principles is somehow “anti-God.”

Where and Who is the Board?

Does your Board of Directors understand the community they serve and know know their role in serving? Create a plan to learn and then apply this information.

Avoid Future Legal Attacks

Pregnancy Resources Centers may be vulnerable to legal attacks if they are functioning without a written statement on biblical qualifications for board membership and leadership.

Boards Must Assure Public Access to Two Corporate Documents

According to an Internal Revenue, tax-exempt organizations such as Pregnancy Resource Centers must provide, for public inspection at your office during regular business hours, the corporation’s annual tax returns.

Board of Directors – Obey Thy Bylaws!

Boards of Directors of Pregnancy Resource Center organizations who ignore their bylaws can run the risk of personal liability.

Preparing for Unexpected Events

Boards can protect the organization by preparing and monitoring a succession policy.

Three Ways One Board Member Can Raise $100 to $5,000

Assuring that there is adequate funding for their life-saving Pregnancy Resource Center is one of the primary duties of the Board of Directors. But what can one board member do to make a difference?

Selecting New Board Members

What process should your board take to select new board members? Is it okay to take your time in the recruitment process?

What Does it Mean to be a Governing Board?

Pregnancy Resource Center literature often teaches that boards should be “governing.” What exactly does this mean? Dr. Richard Biery, M.D. has written the following to help understand the Biblical basis of governance.

Board Development

Want to develop an effective, efficient board for your Pregnancy Resource Center? Here are some strategies that will help.

Board Meetings

Prayer must always be the key element and focus of the board meetings themselves.

Community and Public Relations

Good public relations should always be a goal of board members. Keeping the community informed about your center is important.

Community-Networking with Other Agencies

Good community relations can be a real asset to your pregnancy center ministry. The board needs to look outward into the community.

Donor Gifts and Advertising

Another consideration may be the implementation of an advertising policy regarding certain gifts.

Electronic Board Materials

Mailing materials and agendas to board members is a time consuming, costly chore. Modern technology, however, can take much of the paper out of this process and increase efficiency.

Evaluating Center Finances

It is important to assess the finances of your center on an ongoing basis also.

Evaluating Staff and Executive Directors

You can evaluate staff by looking at four areas. Look for trends in number of staff grievances, look for the rate of staff turnover, look for the ratio of staff to clients served and look at absenteeism among staff members.

Executive Sessions of the Board

Are there times when an executive session should take place without the executive director? Or, should he always be included in every session?

Fundraising and Development

To many involved in pregnancy center ministry work, the terms fundraising and development are synonymous.

Generational Leadership

Do leadership styles at your pregnancy resource center clash? Discover differences between between the Builder, Boomer and Buster generations.

Gift Acceptance Policy

Culturally, we have been taught that we should not question a gift when it is offered to us, but PRC boards that adopt this policy may be looking for problems.

Practices of Highly Effective Boards

Research shows there are three factors that are consistent for boards across some of the top effective organizations.

The Executive Director as Babysitter?

Who has ultimate responsiblity to lead your Pregnancy Resource Ministry? Is it the executive director or the board? Discover the answer here.

Using Your Newsletter in Community Relations

Newsletters are an important way for pregnancy centers to communicate with vital constitutients. But they must be done professionally and accurately.

What is Your Program Worth?

“If we can save even one life, it will be worth the cost.” Can believing this be destructive to a Pregnancy Resource Center?

Who's the Boss of the Board?

One of the main duties of a board of directors is to evaluate the executive director’s performance. But, who evaluates the board and who does the board work for; who’s the boss of the board?

About Board Meetings

While serving in the pastorate for many years, I sat in many, many board meetings.

Annual Planning for Pregnancy Center Boards

Remember, it is the BOARD’s responsibility to have a plan to achieve the mission of the organization.

Board Members and Financial Matters

At every regular meeting the Board should evaluate financial information and update their understanding of the organization’s financial condition.

Effective Boardmanship According to ECFA

Much has been written about building effective Boards and boardsmanship, including detailed discussion of the various aspects of the Board's role and responsibilities.

Effectual Boardmanship

A board whose leadership is relevant not only sees to it that the organization is viable and ethical, but also effectual.The mission of most non-profits is in the realm of cultural or individual change and authentic change is always incremental and of the heart.

Ethical Mandates of Board Members

For a board to fulfill its Biblical and legal mandate, it must see to it that the organization is viable, but also ethical.

Evaluation-How is the Journey Going?

Pregnancy resource centers need to be evaluated on a regular basis. Evaluations tell us where we have been, how things are proceeding, and what adjustments might be needed before pressing forward.

Examples of Policies for Pregnancy Centers

Written policies capture the identity and character of the organization. Many times the organization’s mission statement, purpose, values, and statement of faith can be considered policies.

How Board Members Implement an Annual Plan

Once your board has an annual planning meeting there are more steps to follow to implement the plan into action.

Implementation- A Board Responsibility

The responsibility of implementation of plans belongs to Board members.

Legal Aspects of Board Membership

Board members must clearly understand their legal responsibilities because there is definitely potential for legal liability when serving on a board.

Long Range or Strategic Planning for Boards

Long range or strategic planning is not something every organization needs. The purpose is to answer the question, "What should we look like 3-5 years from now? What should we be accomplishing?”

Mission Statements for Pregnancy Centers

An org's mission is the reason for its existence. Having a mission statement that clearly defines what your pregnancy ministry hopes to achieve through its programs and activities is is a way to convey your passion or heart.

Policies-the Thing Boards are “Famous” For!

Written policies improve communication. When policies are written down everyone has access to the information as to what to do.

Spiritual Oversight of Pregnancy Centers

Board members may not realize they are being used by God in their service. Boardmanship is a high and holy calling.

The Biblical Mandate of Being a Boardmember

Is the value of serving on a board of directors found in what the organization accomplishes or in boardmanship itself?

The Board Members Calling

We all have callings in life. Some start as a seemingly tiny desire or passion and develop into a significant aspect of our life, such as a calling to intercessory prayer, evangelism, ministry to the poor or teaching.

The Legal Mandate of Board Members

In widely accepted non-profit corporate law dealing with the responsibilities of board members, governance is described as three duties.

The Ministry of Boardmanship

Whether you joined a board from a sense of passion or simple circumstances, you must either develop a sense of calling for your participation. The "ministry of boardmanship" demands your heart, intellect, abilities, spirituality, energy, resources and time. It also requires dependency on God, just a any other ministry.

Three Important Questions

When a not-for-profit organization encounters failure-or even worse, scandal-its difficulties can often times be traced to some breakdown at the Board level.

Three Responsibilites for the Board of Directors

The essence of boardmanship is this: insuring the organization is viable, ethical and effectual.

Types of Mission Statements

Here is an example of two ways for pregnancy resource centers to word their mission statement.

 
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