Are NFP Board Meetings open to the Public

[Guest Michele]

I've read the answer about whether committees (If the term committees and board meetings are being used interchangeably, I apologize)are open to the public but have not read whether a not-for-profit Board meeting is open to the uninvited public. Our by-laws are silent on whether our meetings are opened or closed. Thanks!

[hmtcastle]

I've read the answer about whether committees (If the term committees and board meetings are being used interchangeably, I apologize)are open to the public but have not read whether a not-for-profit Board meeting is open to the uninvited public.

As far as RONR is concerned, only members (of the body that is meeting) have a right to attend. All others may be invited or excluded as the assembly (the members present) wishes. So, at a board meeting, only board members have a right to attend.

Your rules may vary.

[Tim Wynn]

I've read the answer about whether committees (If the term committees and board meetings are being used interchangeably, I apologize)are open to the public but have not read whether a not-for-profit Board meeting is open to the uninvited public. Our by-laws are silent on whether our meetings are opened or closed. Thanks!

According to RONR, only members of the board have a right to attend board meetings. Nonmembers of the board may be excluded at any time.

[Robert B Fish]

According to RONR, only members of the board have a right to attend board meetings. Nonmembers of the board may be excluded at any time.

Most likely you can meet in executive session any time you wish to do so. If you want a more definitive statement you can contact the office of the secretary of state in your state of residence. Or you can contact an attorney. the former suggestion is less expensive.

-Bob

[David A Foulkes]

One possible wrinkle you might see about ironing out is where does the funding for the NFP come from? At least one NPF in our town (I used to work for them) gets some of its funding from municipal and state grants, and to a certain extent that makes it a public entity of a sort, a little bit. I'm being specifically vague and obtuse because I'm not sure that necessarily means the meetings are open to the public. There was a legal issue involving the possible right of the NFP to refuse entry to a former employee, and the questionable nature of whether the store front business was a public property due to its funding sources came up.

So, I'm just offering that (source of funding and its relevance) as something that might be worth checking into.

[Rob Elsman]

One possible wrinkle you might see about ironing out is where does the funding for the NFP come from? At least one NPF in our town (I used to work for them) gets some of its funding from municipal and state grants, and to a certain extent that makes it a public entity of a sort, a little bit. I'm being specifically vague and obtuse because I'm not sure that necessarily means the meetings are open to the public. There was a legal issue involving the possible right of the NFP to refuse entry to a former employee, and the questionable nature of whether the store front business was a public property due to its funding sources came up.

So, I'm just offering that (source of funding) as something that might be worth checking into.

Well, we can go on all evening long about wrinkles that have nothing to do with parliamentary procedure. The fact is, no rule in RONR prevents a board or committee from excluding non-members from its meetings.

[Josh Martin]

One possible wrinkle you might see about ironing out is where does the funding for the NFP come from? At least one NPF in our town (I used to work for them) gets some of its funding from municipal and state grants, and to a certain extent that makes it a public entity of a sort, a little bit. I'm being specifically vague and obtuse because I'm not sure that necessarily means the meetings are open to the public. There was a legal issue involving the possible right of the NFP to refuse entry to a former employee, and the questionable nature of whether the store front business was a public property due to its funding sources came up.

So, I'm just offering that (source of funding and its relevance) as something that might be worth checking into.

I think that if applicable law is a concern, the poster should just follow Mr. Fish's advice and talk to the professionals rather than having us speculate about all the factors that might be involved.