This section offers practical information and sample policies regarding governance, human resources and employment issues, and managing legal risks.
Board Governance
- National Council of Nonprofits Explanation of Board Roles
- Executive Leadership Training: Board Governance Webinar (Terrill Thompson and Monique Meadows via INN, 2018 video)
- Conflict of Interest Policy Sample
- Executive Transitions: Critical Guidance for Boards and Executives webinar, with related column, Should the New and the Old CEO Ever Overlap? (Nonprofit Quarterly)
Editorial and Business Ethics
- Editorial Independence Policy
- Donor Transparency Policy
- Journalism Ethics Policies
Sample policies provided by INN members (2020)
Ethics and News Nonprofits (INN, 2020)
Ethical Guidelines for the Nonprofit Journalism Organization (2011) - Frequent Advocacy Questions: What Nonprofits Need to Know about Advocacy During Election Season (M+R, 2018). Also: IRS Fact Sheet on Election Year Activities
Human Resources Responsibilities
- Staffing Strategy
Hiring and Paying Freelancers (INN, 2020) - Creating a Job Description*
- Recruiting Strategy
INN Index 2020: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion pages 8-12 address recruiting and staffing - Managing a Distributed Staff
Distributed Newsroom Playbook (Fathm Limited, 2020)
Remote Workers and Telecommuting Practices for Nonprofits (National Council of Nonprofits, 2020)
- Time Management Online Course (video) Part 1 and Part 2
- Tax Issues with Staff and Contractors*
- Links to Resources
The National Council of Nonprofits
Compensation Study (Survey of 91 INN members, 2020)
Breaking Down Your Nonprofit’s Obligation to Pay Overtime (National Council of Nonprofits, 2020)
The Legal Difference Between Employees and Volunteers (from Nonprofit Risk Management Center)
Constant Training – New Normal or Missed Opportunity? (2014 Poynter-Knight Foundation report on what training journalists want and need)
Internal Investigations for the Media Employer (Media Law Resource Center, 2019)
Managing Legal Risk
- Legal Support
INN Friends Presents: The Dos and Don’ts of Charity Registration (2018 video)
How to Work with a Media Lawyer (2015)
Terms & Conditions: Staying on Top of Your Legal Obligations (2012)
Legal FAQs for Nonprofit Journalism Organizations (2011)
A Lawyer’s View: Bulletproofing your Tweets (2011) - Sample Policies
Website/Apps Terms of Use and Privacy Policies
Contracts*
Freelancer Agreements*
Miscellaneous Documents*
Publication Agreements*
* Check back later for this section.