by Sara Lom | Oct 24, 2025
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...
by Sara Lom | Oct 24, 2025
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...
by Sara Lom | Sep 5, 2025
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...
by Sara Lom | Sep 5, 2025
How to Gear Up Your Governance Committee If you’ve ever served on a nonprofit board, you know the difference between one that’s just “getting by” and one that’s really leading. Strong boards ask tough questions, hold themselves accountable, and stay focused on what...
by Sara Lom | Sep 3, 2025
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...
by Sara Lom | Oct 8, 2024
In BVU’s pulse survey, 76% of nonprofit leaders in Northeast Ohio describe their boards as effective. While 76% is a solid score, it’s average — a “C” grade. Yet many nonprofits still call BVU looking for ways to improve board engagement. Times are...
