What is a standing committee?

• A. A temporary group formed for a single purpose.
• B. A permanent committee established in the bylaws to perform ongoing work.
• C. A committee that handles only ceremonial duties.
• D. A committee that can be disbanded at any meeting.

Answer: (B)

A standing committee is a permanent body created by the organization’s bylaws to handle ongoing, recurring work. Because it’s built into the rules, it persists from year to year and has continuing authority to oversee areas like finance, governance, or programs, with a designated chair and regular meetings. This enduring, rule-based nature is what makes it the best fit for ongoing tasks, rather than a one-time project. In contrast, a group formed for a single purpose is temporary and dissolves after its task is finished; a committee that handles only ceremonial duties may exist, but that doesn’t define the permanent, ongoing work typical of a standing committee; and a committee that can be disbanded at any meeting lacks the stability and formal basis provided by the bylaws.