The role of a Board in a grassroots organization: Patang’s story

Introduction

The idea of Patang had started to take shape in 2003. When the founder decided to commit herself to this journey and register it as an organization, she had a limited understanding of what setting up and making an organization functional entailed. She had previous experience in the youth development sector. She had worked with esteemed organizations. However, this was a different territory altogether. It had numerous technicalities and nuances.

One of Patang’s first struggles was deciding on what it would be, its governance structure—a Society or a Trust. Through several consultations with experts, well-wishers and past colleagues, it was decided that Patang was to be established as a charitable trust in 2005. Since the founder was residing in Delhi then, it was agreed that the organization should be registered there.

This was followed by the question of who would be involved. Our founder, originally from Odisha, wanted to give back to her native state. However, having been away from the state for a long time, she was unfamiliar with the civil society landscape. She also lacked connections to potential Board members she could trust.

Additionally, she had a low awareness of the importance of a Board beyond compliance and regulatory needs. She held discussions with other organization leaders. She also did some thorough research. Through this process, she learned that an independent Board would be crucial for fostering Patang into a credible and transparent organization.

Insights from Patang’s

journey In the nascent stages, the Board’s input was limited to facilitating the registration and compliance of the organization. Board members were carefully nominated based on their alignment with the organization’s values and mission.

The selection criteria focused on credible faces with a passion for youth development, and diverse skills including expertise in finance and legal compliance. Their willingness to join was discussed. Their consent was requested through a formal process to close the induction process.

Patang’s bylaws mandate that meetings occur twice a year. However, we typically organize them three times annually. This ensures regular consultations and engagement. From the outset, the Board has maintained its independence. It interacts with the executive team exclusively through the CEO or the Founder.

In the early years, the Board played a crucial role in mobilizing resources. It connected us with various networks. It also played a crucial role in building capacity and providing strategic direction.

Additionally, in the initial years, the Board of trustees frequently visited Sambalpur to support Patang. They guided us in overcoming the various challenges that we faced. They supported us financially by donating money. They also sponsored certain aspects of the organization’s development.

As Patang has evolved into a more structured entity, the Board’s role has also evolved. We have tried to nominate members who would aid and support our journey through their values and skills.

Originally, the Board comprised an IIM graduate, a sociologist, and a psychologist with national-level experience. Recognizing the need for local representation, the Board brought in an academic to the Board. However, we decided to part ways with the members as we concluded that our goals and methods were not in alignment for a successful partnership.

Learnings and challenges

The learning from all these years is that there is no specific method to recruit a Board member. It depends on the organization’s needs and priorities. An important criterion for selecting a member is their accessibility.

When a Board member resigns, we seek replacements who bring fresh perspectives while ensuring gender and professional diversity. The criteria for selection include expertise relevant to our strategic goals, a commitment to grassroots leadership, and a genuine belief in youth-led initiatives.

Our key learnings over the last two decades have been that a youth-led organization should have Board members who believe in young people leading and being the face of the organization. It is crucial to prioritize Board members who empathize with and value our goals over those who are merely well-known and reputed. Ensuring gender composition is also essential to reflect diverse perspectives and inclusivity.

The challenge is to identify members who align with the vision and can commit time without expecting anything in return. Additionally, potential conflicts of interest, the nonprofit’s reputation, and legal compliance requirements hinder potential members from joining a Board. Ultimately, Board members should be realistic in their expectations and be able and willing to contribute meaningfully without promoting their own self-interest.

We maintain periodic engagements with Board members through regular updates, birthday greetings, new year wishes, and other communications. This helps foster a strong connection with the organization.

The Board today

The Board members come from diverse professions. They are not related to each other. They are united by a strong belief that a robust civil society is essential to strengthening democracy.

They bring in a variety of skills. These include fundraising, program management, and finance. Their roles are divided based on their expertise. For instance, the member with financial expertise approves the organizational balance sheet before it is filed with the Income Tax Department. The program management expert provides inputs on proposals and offers training when required.

During Board meetings, the CEO and senior leadership team are present to discuss organizational issues and programs. Board members also provide support in areas such as compliance, changes in tax regulations, and in filing the necessary forms. Additionally, they are available to meet with funders upon request. All of this helps in ensuring a cohesive and well-supported organizational framework.

The new FCRA regulations require stringent declarations, giving undertakings under Foreign Money regulations, completing KYC, and declaring various personal details to the concerned Ministry and Departments. Our Board members have been forthcoming. They have supported us in meeting these requirements. A key advantage of having an engaged yet independent Board is that it provides an outsider’s perspective to the organization. This can bring in a bird’s eye view. It is invaluable to a grassroots organization often entangled in day-to-day struggles.