Writing Effective Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures serve many purposes within an organization. Therefore, it’s important to understand the difference between the two and differentiate between a board policy and a management policy. It is also imperative to understand when policies and procedures are needed and how to develop and communicate clear policies and procedures. This course is designed to help you do just that.

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish when a situation requires a policy or a procedure – and when neither are appropriate.
• Explain the common components of a policy and of a procedure.
• Differentiate between a board policy and management policy.
• Write and communicate clear policies and procedures which encourage compliance.

Course Curriculum

• Part 1: Defining Policies & Procedures
• Part 2: When to Develop Policies & Procedures
• Part 3: Creating Policies & Procedures
• Part 4: Ensuring Policies & Procedures are User-Friendly and Accessible
• Part 5: Communicating and Implementing Policies & Procedures

Links and Additional Resources

• 5 downloadable resources and course transcript
• 3 online references to resources and books

Course Access & Duration 

This course is on-demand, meaning that you can take it anytime, at your own pace. The course will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete from start to finish. You have one year (365 days) to complete the course from the date of purchase before it will automatically expire in your account. However, once you open a course for the very first time, you will have unlimited access to complete the course within 3 months. You can choose to take the course in one sitting or in smaller bites. Either way, the course is entirely flexible and up to you how fast you complete it within the 3-month time frame!

Course Level/Prerequisites/Certification Credits

Introductory level, no prerequisites

Final Exam –Take the optional final exam at the end of the course. If you pass with 70% or higher, please contact help@charityvillage.com with your exam score to receive your course certificate.

This training may be used to meet the requirements for renewing the Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) credential. One Professional Development Unit (PDU) is awarded for each 50-60 minute session or contact hour in topics related to volunteer resources management. For more details about the CVA program and renewal requirements, visit www.CVAcert.org or email info@cvacert.org.

Continuing education certification may be eligible through the Professional Administrators of Volunteer Resources – Ontario (PAVRO). For more information, please email pavro@pavro.on.ca.

About the Course Author

Dr. Sharilyn Hale partners with those who want to make the world better. As President of Watermark Philanthropic Counsel, she supports philanthropists, generous families, and social purpose organizations across Canada and the Caribbean, resulting in them having greater confidence and clarity. With a passion for great governance, she works with boards of charities and nonprofits, as well as private and public foundations, to help them improve their governance performance. An experienced board director herself with a leadership career spanning the social profit sector, Sharilyn is a Chartered Director (C.Dir.) and a governance advisor and trainer with BoardSource. She holds a doctorate degree in leadership where her research focused on governance and philanthropy. Committed to the leadership development of the nonprofit sector, Sharilyn serves on the Advisory Council for the Masters in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) program at Carleton University, where she teaches the Governance & Leadership graduate course.