What term refers to a governance document that defines the organization’s rules and the board’s authority?

What term refers to a governance document that defines the organization’s rules and the board’s authority?

• A. Articles of Incorporation
• B. Minutes
• C. Policies
• D. Bylaws

Answer: (D)

Bylaws define how an organization is run and specify the board’s authority. They lay out the internal rules for governance—things like how meetings are conducted, what constitutes a quorum, how officers and directors are elected or appointed, how committees are formed, and how the bylaws themselves can be amended. While Articles of Incorporation create the legal existence of the organization and broad purposes, they don’t spell out the day-to-day governance rules. Minutes are the official record of what happened at meetings, not a rulebook, and policies provide operational guidance rather than the formal framework for governance.

Bylaws define how an organization is run and specify the board’s authority. They lay out the internal rules for governance—things like how meetings are conducted, what constitutes a quorum, how officers and directors are elected or appointed, how committees are formed, and how the bylaws themselves can be amended. While Articles of Incorporation create the legal existence of the organization and broad purposes, they don’t spell out the day-to-day governance rules. Minutes are the official record of what happened at meetings, not a rulebook, and policies provide operational guidance rather than the formal framework for governance.