• Members of a Board of Trustees govern nonprofit activities and one another.team image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
  
  Online resource Investor Glossary defines a "Board of Trustees" as a group of individuals responsible for overseeing the operation of a nonprofit organization. Every nonprofit, from local public libraries to large public universities and hospital districts, has a board of trustees. These boards are composed of volunteer members who are elected for limited terms. Boards are responsible for a number of things, each of which is described in that organization's board of trustees bylaws.
  
  

Meeting Bylaws

• The Board of Trustees at the Alexander Public Library in Alexander, Iowa, has bylaws describing meeting procedures. As per these bylaws, meetings must be held each month at a date and time set by the board. Board members will attend each meeting. In accordance with Iowa's Open Meetings law, bylaws stipulate that a copy of each meeting's agenda will be posted at least 24 hours preceding the meeting. At least three board members must be present at any given meeting in order to approve any business transactions. Bylaws provide that minutes will be recorded for each meeting and made available to the general public.
  
  

Staff Bylaws

• The Board of Trustees of the Teton County Hospital District in Wyoming has a series of bylaws pertaining to the maintenance of medical staff in the district. As per these bylaws, the Board is responsible for appointing all medical staff, including doctors and other qualified professionals. The bylaws go on to stipulate that only practitioners who meet qualification standards and have medical staff membership are eligible to admit patients. The board is responsible for reviewing medical staff performance and taking necessary disciplinary measures should the need arise.
  
  

Property Bylaws

• The Trustee Board of Little Rock Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, provides bylaws pertaining to property holdings of the church. These bylaws stipulate that the board will hold these properties in trust and provide for their upkeep, protection and management. The board will decide which extra or secular activities may or may not be held in any church building. However, bylaws forbid the board from interfering with the pastor of the church when holding sermons or meetings in any church property.
  
  

Officer Bylaws

• Article IV of the Indiana State University Board of Trustee bylaws provides for the election of officers and protocol for said officers' behavior. As per the bylaws, the board will elect a president, vice president, secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer at each annual meeting, for a term of one year. The president is responsible for presiding at all monthly board meetings and performing all duties required of a presiding officer. The vice president is charged with filling in for the president, should the president be unable to attend a meeting. The treasurer will act as custodian of all funds, and the secretary will keep a record of all meetings. The assistant secretary will perform secretarial duties in the absences of the secretary.