Anatomy of an Effective Board Meeting

Good board meetings don’t just happen—they’re planned, purposeful, and facilitated. Here’s a practical, listicle-style guide to running meetings that actually deliver results. 1. Clearly Define the Meeting’s Purpose 2. Carefully Prepare Agenda & Tools to...

8 Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Governance

Board members should not feel like “docile mushrooms—warm and in the dark.” – McFarlan and Epstein’s Nonprofit Boards: A Guide.  This phrase is a vivid reminder that strong governance depends on transparency, engagement, and shared leadership. Effective boards...

The Role of the Board: 7 Basic Responsibilities

There’s a meaningful difference between sitting on a board and serving on one. Sitting implies attendance while serving implies stewardship. The most effective board members understand that their role is not ceremonial. Board members are the backbone of nonprofit...

Evaluating the Nonprofit Chief Executive

A Guide for Nonprofit Boards A strong chief executive can take your mission further, faster—but only if your board is actively supporting, assessing, and guiding their leadership. One of the most important (and often overlooked) responsibilities of a nonprofit board...

3 Board Assessments That Strengthen Governance

Strong nonprofit boards don’t just check boxes. They reflect, learn, and adapt. One of the most effective ways to improve board performance isn’t a new policy or a retreat, but pausing to ask a few simple questions: How are we doing as individual board members? How am...