Board Governance

Committees help facilitate board's work; prepare board members for informed decision making; provide a mechanism to use all available skill and expertise; and offer hands-on opportunities to serve the organization. Committee members do not have the same liabilities as full-fledged board members. Their role is that of an advisor. They are chosen for the position because of their special interests or capabilities. How could others who are not full board members benefit the organization by serving on committees?

Minutes of board meetings sometimes seem so routine that people underestimate their importance. This article includes what many consider important elements for board minutes.

Key Transition Decisions to Consider and to Avoid (Raffa, formerly TransitionGuides) is a checklist to minimizing the risk and upheaval of a leadership transition and increasing organizational capacity and effectiveness.

This workbook is designed as a guide for boards of directors who are in the process of hiring a new executive director and/or providing the executive director with a performance appraisal. The workbook is divided into four parts:

Do you ever get the feeling that the behavior of your board is cyclical? Miriam Wood asked the same question nearly 20 years ago, and answered, "Yes." In this archival classic from the Spring 2011 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly, Julia Classen digs in to see to see if Wood's assertion holds true despite the exponential growth, increased professionalism, and an explosion in academic research in the sector. (Nonprofit Quarterly, 2018)

These articles address the tough decision of the Board of Directors needing to fire an Executive Director.

Before Acting

Everyone agrees – well-led organizations do more good in the world than organizations that aren't well-led. But what about leadership change, how does that fit into the picture? Executive Transition: Trauma or Transformation? (©2011 Common Ground, North Carolina Center for Nonprofits) will give you practices that reduce risk and boost positive change, even transformation, during transition.

A small collection of sample job descriptions for defining the Executive Director position. See also this Bridgespan toolkit for further samples and this Free Management Library resource for an overview of roles and responsibilities.

The evaluation of the Executive Director is the responsibility of a nonprofit's Board of Directors, as stipulated by the bylaws. These resources will guide the Board through the policies and procedures necessary to conduct an annual review.

This article from the Nonprofit Risk Management Center discusses the damage that "bad actor" board members can cause--ranging from short-term "fixable" issues to lasting harm that proves difficult to repair. In all cases, the solution is preventing bad behavior or poor performance wherever possible, and addressing it in a timely and effective manner when it occurs.