Though the Secretary of State’s recent audit of state boards and commissions was limited to those created by the state, the current problems of Oregon RISE, also known as the Oregon Parent Information and Training Center, should concern Oregonians more.

The center is a private nonprofit organization charged with helping the families of children with disabilities navigate the maze of laws and rules that guide the way schools, in particular, serve their children. Though not an agency of the federal government, the center is one of some 106 around the country that rely on federal grants doled out by the states as their basic source of funding.

Oregon RISE has had more than its share of problems in recent weeks. Its executive director, who was paid more than $127,000 last year, resigned in June, and the chairwoman of its board of directors, as well as the entire executive committee, soon followed suit. Monday, the office was locked and phones went unanswered, according to The Oregonian, and monthly state payments to it were delayed.

The agency’s full operating budget is about $700,000 annually, and there apparently have been questions about how some of that money has been spent. Board members are refusing to talk, The Oregonian reported, though a tax form indicated the director had borrowed at least $6,000 from the agency without prior approval.

Without talking to board members, it is difficult to know just what happened, but one thing seems likely. The board of directors failed to pay the sort of attention to Oregon RISE finances that their job requires. In well-run nonprofits, the executive director may well control finances, but the board of directors pays close attention to how money is handled.

We don’t believe the state should place expensive new mandates on the nonprofits with which it works. At the same time, strongly encouraging those who govern the agencies to understand their responsibilities is hardly intrusive. The Nonprofit Association of Oregon puts on a steady stream of educational seminars, for one thing, and there are books and articles aplenty on the topic.