The article, Rediagnosing “Founder’s Syndrome”: Moving Beyond Stereotypes to Improve Nonprofit Performance, from Nonprofit Quarterly diagnoses founder's syndrome and its four "symptoms", and explores how boards of directors can address and remedy symptoms for a mission-driven focus and approach.
Outside Resource
Increasingly, nonprofits are turning to more flexible strategic frameworks instead of formal strategic plans to guide their board and staff. BoardSource's infographic, Nonprofit Strategy and Planning by the Numbers, outlines this evolution and describes different strategy and planning options, key qualities of strategic frameworks, and tips on how boards can monitor their progress towards organizational goals.
Effective Board Meetings for Good Governance: A compliation of resources to help you set the stage for meetings that are strategic, outcome-oriented, and productive. (National Council of Nonprofits)
Conducting Meetings
Has your board asked itself: What does it say in the bylaws? Does anyone have a copy of the bylaws? I know I got one when I started on the board but...Here's an idea from Blue Avocado's Board Cafe: a Bylaws Cheat Sheet.
The workplace is constantly changing and employers are seeking to diversify their workforce. The following provides an in-depth look at diversity and how best you can adapt. (Free Management Library)
Diversity Appreciation, Training, and Management
Does a nonprofit really need to purchase directors and officers liability insurance? The short answer is "yes." Find out why in this article from Nonprofit Quarterly.
Considerations on Crowdfunding for Nonprofits and how your nonprofit can go about fundraising through this method, as outlined by the National Council of Nonprofits.
(Recursos disponibles en español.)
One of the most effective and cost efficient ways to prevent intellectual, emotional, creative, and even physical burnout is the sabbatical. Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building & Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector reviews findings based on surveys of 61 sabbatical awardees and 30 interim leaders, interviews with program staff and awardees, and interviews with consultants and evaluators who support these programs.
Creating Nonprofit Policies - Policies are the operational guidelines for an organization. The purpose of the policies is to protect and steer the staff and the board as they fulfill the mission of the organization. They are a reference tool for appropriate action, ethical decision making, and for dealing with potential or actual conflicts. Policies can paraphrase a law, explain a procedure, clarify a principle, or express a desired goal.
Creating an efficient meeting agenda is an issue with which many chairs and chief executives struggle. Standard, repetitive items often eat up the agenda and not enough time is left to focus on serious deliberation. Consent agendas are one way of liberating the allotted meeting time to important issues requiring careful discussion. (BoardSource)