Board Of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the activities of a nonprofit organization, ranging from huge foundations to small local charities. A Board of Trustees usually has between five and 20 members. Many members of a Board of Trustees hold other, external positions; but the Board of Trustees may also include senior management of the nonprofit. A Board of Trustees often has similar duties of oversight and management as the Board of Directors has in a for-profit corporation. Indeed, one large mutual funds group has a Board of Directors, while each of its funds has a Board of Trustees. A Board of Trustees that has responsibility for managing funds can have an powerful impact on the investing environment. For example, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is a multibillion-dollar pension fund administered by a 13-member Board of Trustees. The CalPERS Board of Trustees has been notably active in areas such as corporate governance. The Board of Trustees of some other institutions, however, confine themselves to ensuring high returns for their members.