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Performance, Simplified Carry Over, Scheduling & Cancelling meetings, Lite mode and API Integration

August 23, 2022 Product Updates

At Process PA, we are committed to providing the best possible experience for our users. We understand that the needs and demands of our customers are constantly evolving, and we are dedicated to continuously updating our platform to meet these changing requirements. Whether it’s adding new features, improving existing ones, or fixing bugs and issues, we are always working to make our product the best it can be. Our goal is to provide a platform that is easy to use, reliable, and most importantly, effective in helping our users achieve their goals. By constantly updating and improving our product, we...

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Circular Motions, Sub Committee Access and Signed Status

August 20, 2020 Product Updates

We’re constantly working to bring product updates to you to help make your administration easier, keep your directors up to date and connected, and improve transparency. At Process PA we’ve always had the message, Move your board online, however in light of the current forced remote work around the world, we have adjusted our road map to deliver functionality to help your board connect remotely even better.

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Common Meeting Mistakes to Avoid

June 03, 2020 Tips Meetings

Having regular board meetings is crucial to the success of most companies. It helps to keep projects on pace, simplifies the introduction of new initiatives, and generally keeps people on the same page. As many benefits as there are to regular meetings though, they can also bring about some bad habits. Here, we’ll identify some common meeting mistakes to avoid so that you can ensure these valuable segments of board members’ time are as productive and helpful as they ought to be.

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Discuss, Add Notes, Sign Online & More Process PA Improvements

May 04, 2020 Product Updates

We’re constantly working to bring product updates to you to help make your administration easier, keep your directors up to date and connected, and improve transparency. At Process PA we’ve always had the message, Move your board online, however in light of the current forced remote work around the world, we have adjusted our road map to deliver functionality to help your board connect remotely even better.

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The Four Models of Governance

April 29, 2020 Governance Management

When building an organisation from the ground up, there will come a time when you can’t go at it alone anymore. You’ll need advice, direction, and a few pairs of hands. It’s at this point where most founders will put together a board of directors. Now, not all boards work the same - some are distant, some are hands-on, most are somewhere in-between.

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Out of the Office: Tips on Managing Your Governance From Home

March 25, 2020 Governance Management

Working from home has never been more in vogue. Though the practice has been around for decades, the current global health crisis has forced most organisations to take a look at what their workers can achieve from the comfort of their homes. It’s a jarring transition to make, and one that can be demotivating if it isn’t handled carefully.

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Good Governance vs. Bad Governance

March 25, 2020 Governance Management

What they look like, and how to be sure you’re on the right track.

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The Four Ps of Corporate Governance

March 11, 2020 Governance Management

Corporate governance is a complex beast. Even those of us who have built their careers in fields where governance is a necessity might not fully understand everything it encompasses.

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The Due Diligence of Selecting Board Members

February 26, 2020 Governance Management

You’ve probably heard the phrase “due diligence” thrown around various business situations in your time. It’s one of those pieces of jargon that nobody perfectly understands, and everybody jams into discussions when they mean something else entirely. So what does it actually mean?

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Advisory vs. Governing Boards - What’s the Difference?

February 12, 2020 Governance Management

So you’ve worked away for years, done the hard yards, and become a respected professional in your field, when someone approaches you and asks you to sit on their nonprofit’s board. So you prepare, research, find out all the correct governance procedures you need to take and become familiar with everything the law requires the company to do.

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New Year, New Look

February 11, 2020 Product Updates

The year 2020 brings the picture of clear vision. A new decade full of possibilities. With that we are ready to take Process PA to the next level. Our goal is to give your board a clear view of all resources they need for good governance.

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Creating Accountability in Your Meetings

January 22, 2020 Governance Management

Accountability is one of those buzzwords that we’ve all heard thrown around that nobody seems exactly sure of the meaning of. So let’s clear it up. Accountability is the network of trust and support that motivates those working with your organisation to deliver on their commitments and take responsibility for their actions.

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What To Do in Your First Board Meeting

January 08, 2020 Governance Management

Whether you’ve come up through the ranks and know the whole board like your oldest friends, or you’re kicking off a startup with just you, a co-founder, and a lawyer, being a first-time chairperson is daunting. Some people make guiding a board’s discussion look easy, but now you’re in the perfect position to learn just how tough it can be. So here’s a few quick tips to keep in mind that’ll help make running that room go just a little smoother.

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How to Close for the Holidays

December 24, 2019 Governance Management

Here in Australia, it’s starting to get sweaty. The air conditioner’s not really cutting it anymore, frozen water bottles are your new best friend, and you’re feeling tempted to wear shorts to work.

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The Governance of Shuttering Your Organisation

December 11, 2019 Governance Management

Whether for-profit or not, no organisation will last forever. There will come a time when your board will need to face the reality of closing the doors once and for all.

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What Should Good Minutes Look Like?

November 27, 2019 Governance Management

Minutes are the written record of everything that happens during every meeting that your organisation holds. They’re important for a number of reasons: anyone who couldn’t attend the meeting can read them to catch up; all decisions made during the meetings can be tracked; any future decisions can be cross-referenced with prior discussions to fully inform the decision-makers.

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How Many Members Should Your Board Have?

November 13, 2019 Governance Management

When you first launch your startup, it’s just going to be you and, if you’re lucky, a couple of other founders. No volunteers, no management staff, no board of directors except yourselves. We’ve written before about the many ways to go about taking the next steps and finding the perfect members for your board - but how will you know when you have the right amount?

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What is a Board’s Most Important Function?

October 23, 2019 Governance Management

There’s a simple answer to this question. The most important function of a board of directors is strategic direction; to analyse the recommendations made by the business’s management for furthering that business’s goals. The board will either approve these recommendations or send them back for further development. Frustratingly, many boards don’t do this.

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What Happens if a Whole Board Resigns?

October 09, 2019 Governance Management

Sitting on a board is an intensive, often stressful experience - of course, the rewards will outweigh the negatives for most, but there will always be some people who aren’t able to commit the resources to being a board member. And that’s ok.

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How are Boards Chosen?

September 25, 2019 Governance Management General

The process of establishing a board can be an arcane mystery to those who haven’t had much experience with the business or non-profit worlds. What do they do? Why do companies need them? How are people chosen to sit on them?

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What Are The Three Primary Functions of a Board of Directors?

September 11, 2019 Governance Management General

When you sit on a board or committee, the amount of work can be daunting.  That’s why some boards can have members into the double digits, because there’s so much for them to get done.

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How Do You Form a Board or Committee?

August 28, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

Forming a governing body is a big step for any startup. It involves careful planning, vetting of potential candidates, and a good amount of trust. Once all that’s done, though, how do you actually put your board in place? Let’s take a look at a few things to think about when establishing your board of directors.

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Does a Startup Need a Board of Directors?

August 21, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

Creating a startup is a complicated process. Organising investment rounds, product, liaising with customers, it can all be overwhelming and you can be tempted to look for outside help. And you should! Running a startup solo is next to impossible, and a board can be a good way to keep the organisation on track.

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The Many Different Types of Board of Directors

August 14, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

By now, you probably have a pretty good understanding of what a Board isand does - and if you don’t, that’s ok! Because when it comes down to it, everyboard or committee works a little differently. Some much more differently thanothers. You might find that some of our advice in past articles hasn’t made sensebecause your board doesn’t do things that way. Here’s a quick overview of all thedifferent ways a board can function so you can figure out how best to go aboutyour governance.

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What You Can Do About Burnout

August 07, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

Feeling “burnt out” is something almost everyone has been through at one point or another. Burnout is a serious problem, and has been linked to a number of serious mental health conditions, as well as fatigue, antisocial behaviour, and decreased work performance. Volunteering on a board or committee while also maintaining a career and home life can quickly lead to becoming overworked and burning out. Here’s a few things to think about in your day-to-day that can help hold these problems at bay.

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6 Ways People Waste Unnecessary Time In Meetings

July 31, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

Given how poorly they’re often put together, it’s easy to forget that meetings are supposed to be useful. Instead, they can feel like matters of obligation — wearying efforts to tick some bureaucratic boxes and keep management happy. Just think about how many hours are wasted in meetings across the globe on a daily basis, and how that time could be used effectively.

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Five Tips on Being a Better Board Member

July 24, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

Sitting on a committee is something that can be incredibly rewarding, both in terms of what you can do for the community and what you can learn from the experience. But, like the cliche says, you only get out what you put in. So why not put in your best? Here’s five ways to be the best board member you could possibly be.

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Building A Dynamic Team Environment

July 17, 2019 Governance Tips Volunteering

The Board of Directors is an old tool created by traditional businesses in order to have an oversight for their practices, and to ensure the company is run by the most qualified and experienced workers possible. They therefore typically operate under traditional team structures: 9-5 work days, vertical power structures, strictly rules-oriented. But there is a steadily growing movement to adapt the traditional team into the more free-flowing style of the digital age - widely known as the dynamic team.

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A Quick Guide to Writing Good Minutes

July 10, 2019 Governance Tips

Minutes are one of those things that often get dismissed as pointless, and it’s easy to see why. I mean, you just talked about this stuff, you know it now - why bother writing it down? But keeping effective records of the discussions that happen in your meetings will save you time, stress, and who knows when you might need to double-check something that was decided a year ago? Here’s a few tips that’ll help make taking minutes as quick and painless as possible.

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6 Tips for Writing a Great Agenda

July 03, 2019 Governance Tips

Heading up a meeting of any kind without a pre-prepared agenda is like hearing an announcement to please keep your hands inside the vehicle and then just sticking as many limbs out the window as you can. You’re asking for something to go wrong - and it probably will. Organising an effective agenda doesn’t take long, and it can be a huge help in making your meetings run effectively and efficiently. Here’s a few quick tips to use next time you write a meeting agenda.

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Last Modified, Email Attachments & More Process PA Improvements

June 28, 2019 Product Updates

Product updates are deployed frequently and available for all users next time you login. We have been hearing your great feedback and ideas. If there is something you want to see in Process PA, please vote and add your ideas. If something is not working correctly, please let us know at support@processpa.com.

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What Happens When a Board Member Steps Down

June 26, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Sitting on a committee is a big responsibility. Being asked to put yourself in that position, though, can feel like an honour, and if you’re like most of us you’ll do everything you can to rise to the expectations. But sometimes it doesn’t work out - and that’s ok. Maybe your life outside the organisation has become more important. Maybe you disagree with the organisation’s choices.

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The Future of Board Meetings

June 19, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Board meetings are a long, bureaucratic process, filled with reports, stats, minutes, and just so much paper. If the average person wants to see what’s going on in a particular board meeting, there’s no way to know until some kind of announcement is released. But these are problems that many companies around the world are working to fix, using the wealth of technological advancements available to us. Here’s a few of the broad movements in the world of committee technologies.

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What to Look For in Prospective Board Members

June 12, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Your organisation means a lot to you, and running it successfully isn’t easy. Sooner or later you’ll be looking for some help, and eventually you’ll need a committee to oversee much of the company’s growth and direction. You, as the founder, will need to choose these people - and that’s difficult!

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Of course you vote when you're on a board...

June 05, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

As board members, it is your responsibility to address all the critical matters of the organization. Most of the time, a decision will come down to a vote. Each board member has the right to vote on any decision that is being made by the board.

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What are some people thinking in your meetings?

May 29, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Meetings, meetings, meetings! Board meetings are one of the most crucial things for your organization, as they are essential for your overall strategy, accountability, and some might argue morale. Every member of the board should be hand-picked to represent the company in all aspects. In any meeting, you might have some on from accounting, HR, sales, or the Tech teams.

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Setting up your board...

May 22, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

And how good governance can help.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Presenting to a Committee

May 15, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Public speaking is never easy. High school taught us that much, at the least. Giving a presentation takes a lot of prep time and a lot of practice, and if it goes wrong it can feel like a waste - and if it goes catastrophically it can be an embarrassment. Here’s a few quick tips you can use to avoid that dreaded scenario.

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How to Write Effective Board Papers

May 08, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Issues arising from ineffective board papers are one of the biggest sources of conflict between boards and management teams. The management feel like they can’t figure out what the board really wants, while boards get frustrated when they can’t get the information they need. Condensing and clarifying board papers is a key step to remember when writing them, and it’ll go a long way to keeping everybody in your organisation happy. Here are some tips on how to do exactly that.

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Three Things to Remember When Preparing for your First Board Meeting

April 24, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

You’ve done it! You’ve finally gotten your company out of your bedroom and into the great wide world. It wasn’t easy, and you deserve congratulations. But there’s still a lot of milestones you’ll need to get through before you’re off the ground, and one of the most daunting ones is your first board meeting.

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The 3 Major Steps to Building an Effective Committee

April 24, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

Building a committee from the ground up is incredibly daunting. You’ll need to find enough people who know what they’re doing that the organisation will stay afloat; people who properly represent the demographics you serve; people of diverse backgrounds and diverse viewpoints so you can tackle issues from all angles; people who are keen-minded enough to communicate properly with people of different backgrounds. It’s a lot, and as chairperson you’ll need to keep this board in line and on task. Here are three broad steps to think on when building an effective committee.

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How To Chair a Board Meeting

April 11, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

So you’ve just been elected as Chair for a small local committee. Maybe you were in another role in the committee for a while and did a great job, or maybe you’re entirely new to committees and have no idea what’s going on (hopefully that didn’t happen, but hey, the world’s a crazy place). What do you do? Are you in charge now? The answers are simple, but there’s some nuance. Let’s get into it.

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The Secretary is the Most Important Role in Any Committee

April 03, 2019 Meetings Governance Management

In any organisation, there’s someone whose job is to grab everything that falls through the cracks. To keep everyone else on track. For a sports team, it’s the Coach. In a restaurant, it’s the Head Chef. On a board of directors, it’s not the Chair. Not even the Treasurer. While those are important roles, they couldn’t do their jobs without the most key piece to the committee puzzle: the Secretary.

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Close & Finalised, Combine PDF Improvements, Export Actions & More Process PA Improvements

March 31, 2019 Product Updates

Product updates are deployed frequently and available for all users next time you login. We have been hearing your great feedback and ideas. If there is something you want to see in Process PA, please vote and add your ideas. If something is not working correctly, please let us know at support@processpa.com.

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3 Ways to Declutter Your Reports

March 27, 2019 Management Governance Meetings

Your reports are chock-full of data, have a positive, personable voice, and you made sure to use extra industry jargon so everyone knows exactly what you’re talking about. And it’s not like this is high school - no maximum word count means extra room to explore the topic. So… they’re perfect, right?

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The Big 3 Documents You Need to Have in Your Meetings

March 20, 2019 Governance Tips

When it comes to meetings, you need to understand what occurred, what needs to be done from the meeting, and in general how well the meeting went. This is where documents come in to play.

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Board Meetings Are a Waste of Time

March 13, 2019 Governance Meetings Marketing

But you can fix them.

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How a dysfunctional committee can affect your organisation.

March 06, 2019 Governance Management Tips

Let’s Not Fight in Front of the Kids

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Is Succession Planning Right for You?

February 27, 2019 Tips Governance Management Succession

So here’s a tough question: you’re now sitting on the board, but how long do you plan to stay at the helm?

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Report Options, Time Limits & More Process PA Improvements

November 30, 2018 Product Updates

Product updates are deployed frequently and available for all users next time you login. We have been hearing your great feedback and ideas. If there is something you want to see in Process PA, please vote and add your ideas. If something is not working correctly, please let us know at support@processpa.com.

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5 Must-Have Reports to Good Governance

October 10, 2018 Governance General Management Process Tips

Boards have a strategic role looking after the long-term interests of the organisation. Starting off with well-oiled systems and processes will take out the stress from the task of governing and help execute their responsibilities with effect.

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Email Attachments & Robustness, Exports & More Process PA Improvements

October 08, 2018 Product Updates

Product updates are deployed frequently and available for all users next time you login. We have been hearing your great feedback and ideas. If there is something you want to see in Process PA, please vote and add your ideas. If something is not working correctly, please let us know at support@processpa.com.

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What are the primary duties of your non-profit board?

May 09, 2018 Management Tips Meeting Meetings

Not all organisations are the same. Different not-for-profit organisations serve different community needs, therefore their management boards and type of responsibilities they undertake can vary enormously. Essentially though there are certain basic tasks most boards need to undertake if they wish to be successful. There are certain fiduciary duties that all directors must uphold. 

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Top tips for effective meeting minutes

May 09, 2018 Management Tips Meeting Meetings

Meeting minutes are imperative. Yet, actually taking those meeting minutes isn’t as easy as it may seem. How do you take effective, succinct and professional meeting minutes? Take a look below for our top tips on how to take effective meeting minutes.

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Creating Good Online Governance

May 09, 2018 Management Tips Meeting Meetings

“Why should I move my board documents online?”

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Team building exercises for dynamic teams

May 03, 2018 Management General Tips

We think the concept of having a ‘dynamic team’ is both interesting and important when running an organisation in the digital age. Last week we published a blog exploring the difference between dynamic and traditional teams. As such, we thought it important to further explore the elements that make up a dynamic team. The first element is that of team building.

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Dynamic vs Traditional Teams

April 26, 2018 Process Management General

Your team structure matters.

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Who is responsible for the meeting minutes?

April 19, 2018 Governance Meeting Tips

If ever there was a gap between a job’s glamour and its importance, such is the case for the person responsible for board meeting minutes. Meeting minutes serve as a record of what was discussed and decided in a meeting, what actions must be taken, who must take them and when. So, being of such great importance, who is responsible for the minutes?

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Membership Details, Enterprise Security and More Process PA Improvements

December 12, 2017 Product Updates

Improvements are constantly deployed and available to all users when you next login. Below is a summary of a few things that have been added over the last couple of months.

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What I heard from an Association President...do you experience the same?

August 07, 2017 Governance Management

Today I had a frank discussion with the president of a P&C with a combined turnover of circa $500k from it’s after school care, canteen and uniform activities. Like many P&C’s, they have had their fair share of challenges in managing the P&C’s activities, volunteers and in reporting efficiently, concisely and appropriately.

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Quick Status, View Online, Email Members and more Process PA updates

June 19, 2017 Product Updates

Over the last few weeks the updates below have been made as we continue to improve the platform to bring you a better governance experience. Being an online service you don’t have to do anything to update as they are available to all subscribers available now on your next login.

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Assign to Many Actions, Custom Numbering, Time Limits and More Process PA Updates

May 02, 2017 Product Updates

This update brings a handful of top requests which bring a better configurability and control for administrators.

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Utilize Enterprise-grade Office 365 with best practice setup for your small Nonprofit organization

March 02, 2017 Office 365

Now that you have Office 365 at Free or greatly reduced cost, it is time to setup it up in a way to get the most benefit out of it. All don’t need to be done at the same time. Change is hard. Take one at a time and as you and your staff and volunteers become comfortable try taking on the next step.

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TechSoup Validation Token in Australia with Connecting Up for small Nonprofit Organizations such as Kindergartens and P&Cs

March 01, 2017 Office 365

The TechSoup Validation token is required to utilize Nonprofit pricing on service like Microsoft Office 365. Connecting Up is the organization in Australia responsible for verifying eligibility and issuing token. Connecting Up provides other technology discounts and donations that are worth investigating for your organization.

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Registering Office 365 with Nonprofit pricing for small Nonprofit Organizations such as Kindergartens and P&Cs in Australia

February 28, 2017 Office 365

There are a few steps and parts of the process have to wait on others to be complete. It is best to have a quick review over the steps before getting started to see if you need to get some other things sorted first (like a domain name).

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How to Set Up FREE Office 365 for small Nonprofit Organizations such as Kindergartens and P&Cs in Australia

February 28, 2017 Office 365

Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription service giving you access to the Office application and productivity tools and services from Microsoft at a much lower price than buying outright, while always being up to date and containing supporting cloud services. The great news for Nonprofit Organizations is that Microsoft have a technology donation program which allows you to subscribe to Office 365 for free or at a greatly reduced price.

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New to a committee? Found it a mess? Here's the first 4 things you need to do!

February 09, 2017 Governance Tips

There is probably nothing more mortifying than entering a dysfunctional committee in charge of an organization. It is a reflection of the organization. A quick look at how the committee is would give you a good idea of how the whole organization runs. If you are new to a committee that has devolved into a mess, then this is an advantage.

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Summary Tables, Configurable Roles, Tutorials and more Process PA updates

February 02, 2017 Product Updates

We’re focused on reducing effort with cloud automation, reducing paperwork with digital efficiencies, reducing continuity risk with one place and one process for your important records and reducing compliance risk by providing transparency, accessibility and good governance. Here are a few of the features we’ve put in place towards that mission.

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Responsibilities of a Secretary on an Incorporated Association in Queensland

January 10, 2017 Governance

An association secretary is not to be confused with the office secretarial work. An office secretary is someone who is employed to assist with correspondence, keep records, make appointments and carry out confidential or similar tasks. The word itself was derived from the Latin word “secretaries” which means “confidential officer”. When talking about a association secretary we are referring to the duties like a company secretary which in essence is making sure records are correct for the company.

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How to Measure Meeting Effectiveness

January 09, 2017 Meetings

Meetings are essential to any organization especially to associations and not-for-profit management committee and boards. This is the breeding ground for innovation and decision making. They consume a significant amount of time as well which is why improving how it is done is equally important. Measuring the effectiveness of a meeting is a powerful way to make sound decisions and wise use of time. It is also a useful tool in improving the meeting experience for the benefit of the organization and for its members.

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Paper is not as reliable as you think!

January 09, 2017 Process

We cannot deny that the digital era is here to conquer and stay. There is a major proliferation of smart gadgets like phones, tablets and cameras that makes everything easier for you with just one click. This is especially true for those who have a ton of documents to file and wants to do it efficiently.

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Difference Between Managing Paid Workers and Non-Paid Workers (Volunteers)

January 07, 2017 Management Volunteering

Not for profit organizations are comprised of a wide variety of people in order to carry out its mission and vision. Naturally, some work to get paid while others do it as volunteer work or for charitable purposes. It is important to understand the difference between those two categories before planning your management program or strategy.

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7 Ways To Keep Your Volunteers Happy

January 06, 2017 Volunteering Tips

Volunteerism has changed and evolved over the course of time. Some non-profit organizations were able to keep up with these changes while others have not. Now is the perfect time to check on your current volunteer program and assess whether they’re at par with industry practices or not.

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Do All Motions Need To Be Moved And Seconded?

January 05, 2017 Process Governance

The question of “do all motions need to be moved and seconded?” is quite common. The answer is not absolute for all. The reality is that it is customary to move and second motions. But then again it will all depend on the governing rules and regulations of your organization.

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Top 3 Reasons to Join a Management Committee

January 04, 2017 Tips

Every incorporated association has a select group of people who are tasked to manage the organization and ensure that everything is in its proper order. This functions in much the same way as a Board does on a company. Often larger organizations will opt to use the term Board but still has the same responsibilities.

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How to Start an Incorporated Association in Queensland

December 17, 2016 Governance Process

An incorporated association is basically a group of people that is regarded as a person. It is because it has the same responsibilities and benefits like a person does. It is a legal entity that does not change even if its members do.

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What makes good meeting minutes?

December 16, 2016 Meeting Governance

Taking good meeting minutes contributes greatly in making a meeting effective. It is an important source of information about what transpired during the meeting, especially for those who were not able to attend. Aside from the fact that for many associations, they are legally required to keep minutes of the management committee or board, there are three basic reasons why keeping meeting minutes is important:

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How To Market Your Committees Achievements

December 15, 2016 Marketing Tips

Promoting the accomplishments of your committee is important in building the image of the group to continue having the support of your donors and volunteers. However, this is always an overlooked aspect because most of the time, the resources of the group is allotted to other areas like operations or fundraising.

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What Millennials want from a Not-for-profit

December 14, 2016 Tips Volunteering

Every wise not-for-profit leader knows that Millennials are a force to reckon with in the non-profit industry. They have emerged as donors, volunteers, employees and leaders.

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Volunteering rates on decline, but what can you do?

December 13, 2016 Volunteering

It is a given fact that donors pump life into non-profit organizations. Their money fuels the activities needed to carry out the mission and vision of the organization.

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4 Ways to Increase Attendance in Meetings

December 12, 2016 Tips Meetings

The rate of attendance of members and volunteers in a meeting is crucial to a not-for-profit organization. Attendance is essentially optional as it can’t be mandated, however, they are ways you can increase attendance. Unfortunately, for some organizations, achieving this is a real challenge.

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When to Motion a report - 3 simple guidelines to follow!

December 01, 2016 Meeting Governance

Committee reports are handled differently depending on their content. Motions that relate to reports are often used indiscriminately like motions to adopt or to accept. However, that is often unnecessary.

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What is the Difference Between a Motion and a Resolution?

November 30, 2016 Governance Meetings

The words “motion” and “resolution” are often used and heard of in the meetings of the board of directors of an organization. These are annual meetings that serve as platforms in proposing actions and mounting decisions. Both terms are often used simultaneously and are sometimes used interchangeably which brings about unnecessary confusions and misunderstandings.

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Benefits of going digital for your committee

November 29, 2016 Tips

The world is constantly changing and organizations need to step their game up a notch to keep up. Along with it is the evolution of digital technology which made keeping up much tougher. Digital transformation has been an essential part of our everyday lives most especially to that of organizations.

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How Do Good Meetings Increase Volunteer Participation?

November 28, 2016 Meetings Volunteers

Meetings are channels of communication. It is one of the oldest yet most effective way to engage people into civil, creative and intellectual discussions. If a meeting is done correctly, it can make members feel relevant thus increasing their participation. A successful organization is always backed up by an effective and efficient meetings.

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How Healthy is Your Committee? 20 Questions for A Quick Health Check

November 25, 2016 Governance

Everyone wants to run a productive committee and is deemed a major hurdle for most. When it comes to your committee, you want to make sure that everybody and everything is running smoothly. Nobody wants an unhealthy committee.

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How to evaluate a not-for-profit organization before you join the board

November 17, 2016 Governance

Regular organizational health check is considered as one of the most effective ways in improving a group’s performance and organizational management. It improves the following key areas:

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Meeting Conflicts? Don't Panic!

November 14, 2016 Meetings

Do you experience conflicts during meetings? Don’t panic and don’t worry. This is a normal situation. It is actually healthy when there are conflicts in a meeting, this just means that ideas are being generated.

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Committee Health Check

November 11, 2016 Governance

Most of us regularly visit the doctor to check on the status of our health. As they say, prevention is better than cure. If an illness is present already, then putting a stop to it as early as possible through health check-ups is better than treating it late.

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5 Tips on How to Attract Volunteers

November 07, 2016 Volunteering Tips

Volunteers really do make the world of non-profit organizations go round. They are the driving force behind the success of many causes today. However, volunteers do not miraculously grow on trees. Some don’t even know they have what it takes until they are properly tapped. Inviting the correct volunteers doesn’t also happen overnight. It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, persistence, careful planning and resources.

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Recognizing Your Volunteers

November 04, 2016 Volunteering

Volunteers are not paid to do work for organizations and getting them to stay and appreciate their contribution does not require monetary resources as well. It is essential to develop a continuous process to thank and recognize the efforts of your volunteers to help them stay fulfilled and committed to the organization’s cause.

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5 Tips to Effectively Chair a Meeting

October 31, 2016 Meeting Tips

A leader is essential in any group, project or organization. This is to ensure that everyone stays on track in achieving the groups target or goals. The same is true with meetings, there is a leader as well to guide the flow of the agenda. In a meeting, this person is referred to as the “chairperson” or simply the “chair”.

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Principals View On P&Cs

June 08, 2016 P&C

See the results. Do you see the situation improving? Do School Councils make the roles more confusing?

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Volunteers week and P&C Day

May 10, 2016 P&C

Australia celebrates national volunteer week from Monday 9-15 May 2016. The theme is Give Happy, Live Happy.

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2016 Queensland P&C Constitution changes

March 07, 2016 P&C

Our March AGMs this year we have yet another constitution to adopt. You can find it on the Education Queensland web site or directly download it here.

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Are you ready to take a break?

October 27, 2015 P&C

November is almost upon us and many P&Cs are having their last meeting for the year next month. Have you considered if anyone in your executive is finishing up this year? There are a number of reasons people won’t be continuing. Without getting into the why, let’s be prepared for what needs to be done.

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5 Ways to Run a Better Meeting

October 14, 2015 General Meetings

With Term 4 now in full swing we only have a few more meetings to finish out the year. Now is a good time to have a refresher to keep going strong and have effective meetings. So here they are, 5 ways to run a better meeting.

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Spring is here - Adopt a Farmer

August 27, 2015 General P&C

Earlier this year at the P&Cs Qld Metropolitan East training day we had an absolutely delightful and inspiring talk by Ann Boon from Seven Hills State School in Brisbane. Her story of bringing a garden into the school was featured on Gardening Australia in a segment you can watch here: The Barefoot Farmer.

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Find the volunteer talent within your school community

June 23, 2015 P&C

From the discussion on the survey results many people where asking for Volunteer form template that helps gauge how the broad school community can help. A big thank you to Janet from Highland Reserve State School who raised the idea and has shared the form they have used.

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Feedback and Feelings

May 27, 2015 General P&C

April 2015. After the AGM. I felt blindsided by the work I needed to do, tracking everything down to get prepared for the meeting. I thought my volunteering job was supposed to be easy. Send out an agenda and take minutes at meetings. That’s what I was told. That was my handover. I can help out the school and be involved with staff and parents to improve the outcomes for our children. So why was I up at 11pm tracking down paperwork for the AGM.

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