The relationship between a nonprofit board and the CEO/executive director is frequently referred to as a partnership. Most governance literature cites that the board and executive partnership is a goal where there is a clear distinction between the roles and a relationship that is equal and balanced.
Mike Burns
Boards may improve their understanding of and effectiveness as a body by developing their own board totem pole process.
Numbers are a dominant question when it comes to designing an effective board. This list highlights the challenges that come to mind.
Throughout the nonprofit sector, there is significant activity around building a board that is inclusive and reflects the constituency of each nonprofit. The end result: more effective services. But recruitment is just the first step in achieving these outcomes. One tool that can help: The Theory of Change.
A new executive, and hopefully every nonprofit employee, often consumes a large part of their first day of employment in the human resources office being onboarded to the proper processes and rules of the organization. But what if, for CEOs in particular, a bit more ritual was added?
While nonprofit board management is complicated, some of the complications can be addressed through basic common sense. Here are a number of common sense and tested suggestions that may reduce at least some of the complications that can affect achieving nonprofit board success.
Did you know that it is possible to have a nonprofit board committee that has more power and authority than the full board? No, I’m not making this up. This is most often in the form of a standing executive committee described in the by-laws.
During the meeting — and this may be the only activity that happens at the meeting — there will be reports. Sometimes it feels like one report after another with an occasional question thrown-in and some member moving, and then the board votes to accept the report. And then, the meeting is over. Is this what you really signed up for?
Are board members' expectations fair and realistic about what is involved with the board treasurer job and who should take on this role? Here are four of the most commonly shared myths about nonprofit board treasurers.
The board is the nonprofit’s caretaker and does its work on behalf of the public. Nonprofit execs have the task of understanding and executing how best to achieve the mission as defined by the board. Let's explore the factors that can affect and strategies that can address challenges to fully engaging board members...
Fiduciary duties: compliance, risk management and strategy are the day-to-day focus of nonprofit board members. In my 40-plus years as a governance consultant, I have observed that the board’s success in fulfilling these duties is to varying degrees affected by, if not dependent upon, the type of relationships experienced by and with each member, and equally, if not more importantly, between each member and the executive director...
Board meetings are relational and transactional affairs. The optimal results are achieved through processes guided by Consensus, Roberta or Robert’s rules that result in fully informed decisions that in turn further an organization’s mission while providing guidance to the executive director/CEO. But it really isn’t that simple, is it? Board decisions benefit best from comprehensive, accurate, timely and meaningful reports — be it from key staff or board standing committees or task forces...
Robert’s and Roberta’s Rules of Order both offer that committees of a board are structural vehicles for preparing a board.
What might be indicators that a nonprofit board of directors should sit up, take notice and act?
Governance committees are becoming the center of board member recruitment and officer selection.
