WabiSabi Board Committee Descriptions

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee meets more frequently than the full board. It is comprised of the board officers. The Executive Committee serves as the personnel committee.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee tasks are:
• To review budgets initially prepared by staff, to help develop appropriate procedures for budget preparations, and to ensure consistency between the budget and and WabiSabi's plans
• To report to the board any financial irregularities, concerns, opportunities
• To recommend financial guidelines to the board (such as to establish a reserve fund or to obtain a line of credit for a specified amount)
• To work with staff to design financial reports and ensure that reports are accurate and timely
• To oversee short and long-term investments, unless there is a separate investments committee
• To recommend selection of the auditor and work with the auditor, unless there is a separate audit committee, and
• To advise the executive director and other appropriate staff on financial priorities and information systems, depending on committee member expertise.

Temporary Committees (As Needed)

Some committees are convened on a temporary basis to address a specific, single event or issue. Often called ad hoc committees, they meet for a few months and then disband once their task is completed. Commonly used temporary committees and their designated tasks include:
• Site Committee: To work with staff to evaluate the existing location and consider a move to a different location, to review a new lease, or to weigh the feasibility of purchasing a building.
• Special Event Committee: To coordinate the board's assignments on a particular event, such as a one-time fund-raising event.
• Planning Committee: To lead a strategic planning endeavor (the planning committee may consist of both board and staff members).
• Special Issue Committee: To investigate an unusual problem or opportunity, such as negative publicity in the newspaper, deep staff resentment against the executive director, an unusual grant opportunity or a possible joint project with another organization. Setting up a Special Issue Committee to research the situation and report back to the board ensures that decisions are based on adequate information.