Staff & Board

The Board President fulfills a two-year term and serves as the head of the Governance Committee throughout the two year-term. The President-elect serves through the course of the President’s second term and attends all Governance meetings. The position of President-elect shall  serve a one (1) year term in the capacity of President-elect before assuming the  position of President for a two (2) year term. The position of President-elect shall be elected on odd years. 

Essential Skills and Expectations 

• Strategic planning
• Meeting management 
• Commitment to the organization’s mission and familiarity with the structure and history of NSA 
• Cultivate deep knowledge of the organization’s records and governing documents.  
• Comfortable using or learning email, Zoom meeting technology, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel 

Essential Functions 

• Facilitate regular and ad hoc board meetings.
• Create a purposeful agenda in collaboration with the Executive Director. 
• Lead an engaging meeting, seeking out contributions from each board member and managing time effectively. 
• Call for votes and confirm direction of votes for meeting minutes.
• Prepare and deliver the President's and Governance Committee report.
• Schedule and facilitate quarterly governance meetings. 
• Develop meeting agendas. Meetings focus on board education, recruitment and internal policies. 
• Upload meeting agenda and meeting minutes into SharePoint files. 

Board leadership  

• The President and President-elect are points of contact for board member issues and questions.  

Recruitment and coaching 

• Work with committee heads on developing and elevating board members without a leadership role into leadership positions.  
• Promote the board at organization events (e.g. plant sales, lecture series, awards). 
• Facilitate annual board retreat. 
• Outline goals for annual retreat; work collaboratively with committee heads on establishing annual goals.  
• Coordinate planning, develop exercises and establish a date and location. 

Approval of organization operating agreements 

• Approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 
• Review and grant permission to begin annual audit.
• Review and approve all contracts of $1,000 or above or grant approving permission. 
• Research and provide education opportunities to board members.

Review and conduct board orientation with the President-elect and Secretary.

Maintain regular communication with the Executive Director. 

The Board Secretary fulfills a two-year term and is elected on even years. Board members are volunteers, serving two three-year terms with an option to extend a final year.  

Essential Skills and Expectations

• Structural and detailed, highly organized.
• Familiarity with the nonprofit’s structure and strategic mission 
• Cultivate deep knowledge of the organization’s records and governing documents.  
• Comfortable using or learning email, Zoom meeting technology, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Word  

Essential Functions

• Record and distribute board meeting minutes. 
• Key information includes: board actions, rationale, elections of new officers, committee report, officer reports. 
• Promptly proofread, gain board chair approval and distribute to invitees.  

Maintain accurate records

• The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum maintains documents over Microsoft SharePoint.  
• Ensure all critical documents are organized, safely stored and readily accessible.  
• Schedule quarterly board meetings and ad hoc meetings as required.  
• Distribute agenda created by Board President and Executive Director. 
• Ensure board member information is up-to-date.
• Update contact information and terms on an annual basis. 
• Note preferred contact methods.
• Hold members accountable. 
• Notate attendance in quarterly board meetings and work with board leadership to address attendance issues.  

Support new board member orientation.

The Treasurer serves a two-year term, elected on the off-year of the Secretary’s term. The Treasurer is the head of the Finance Committee.  

Essential Skills and Expectations

• Must have a background in business or non-profit accounting. 
• Familiarity with the nonprofit’s structure and strategic mission 
• Cultivate deep knowledge of the organization’s records and governing documents.  
• Comfortable using or learning email, Zoom meeting technology, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Word  

Essential Functions

• Schedule and facilitate quarterly/as needed Finance Committee Meetings.  
• Develop and distribute meeting agendas.   
• Upload meeting agenda and meeting minutes into SharePoint files.  
• Prepare and deliver Finance Committee reports for quarterly board meetings.   
• Help develop and review annual budget.  
• Be prepared to answer questions and make recommendations to the board about the budget. 
• Review annual audit and tax forms.  
• Review and approve request to release funds for non-budgeted projects.  
• Serve as a point of contact for questions related to organization finances.   
• Coordinate with the Development Committee to ensure successful fundraising activities. 
• Keep a calendar of important dates including filing deadlines. 
• Review procedures, internal controls and financial reporting annually.  
• Make recommendations if needed to Director.
• Help develop systems to ensure organization's solvency.
• Provide education to the board on understanding financial statements. 
• Do succession planning for this position. 
• Nominate qualified new board members.  
• Mentor finance committee members toward leadership positions. The Treasurer serves a two-year term, elected on the off-year of the Secretary’s term. The Treasurer is the head of the Finance Committee.  

Essential Skills and Expectations

• Must have a background in business or non-profit accounting. 
• Familiarity with the nonprofit’s structure and strategic mission 
• Cultivate deep knowledge of the organization’s records and governing documents.  
• Comfortable using or learning email, Zoom meeting technology, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Word  
• Essential Functions 
• Schedule and facilitate quarterly/as needed Finance Committee Meetings.  
• Develop and distribute meeting agendas.   
• Upload meeting agenda and meeting minutes into SharePoint files.  
• Prepare and deliver Finance Committee reports for quarterly board meetings.   
• Help develop and review annual budget.  
• Be prepared to answer questions and make recommendations to the board about the budget. 
• Review annual audit and tax forms.  
• Review and approve request to release funds for non-budgeted projects.  
• Serve as a point of contact for questions related to organization finances.   
• Coordinate with the Development Committee to ensure successful fundraising activities. 
• Keep a calendar of important dates including filing deadlines. 
• Review procedures, internal controls and financial reporting annually.  
• Make recommendations if needed to Director.
• Help develop systems to ensure organization's solvency.
• Provide education to the board on understanding financial statements. 
• Do succession planning for this position. 
• Nominate qualified new board members.  
• Mentor finance committee members toward leadership positions.