board of directors

Setting Up an Effective Nonprofit Board

Published on: by Gene Takagi 1 Comment

Nonprofit founders and executives rely upon the corporation’s directors (board members) to set the tone and example for the corporation’s operations, vision, and values. Without an effective and supportive board, corporations can become overly reliant on a single leader, which limits how far the corporation can go in advancing its mission. This is why founders […]

10 Ways Nonprofit Boards Get in Trouble

Published on: by Gene Takagi

While the vast majority of charitable nonprofits are led by board members who want to do the right thing and see their organizations flourish in advancing their mission, we too often read about nonprofit boards that fail to lead their organizations out of trouble. Here are 10 ways nonprofit boards get in trouble. Allowing a […]

Independent Sector’s Principles for Good Governance

Published on: by Gene Takagi

The legal duties of a board member go beyond ensuring that the organization complies with applicable law. A board member must act with reasonable care and good faith in the best interests of the organization. The best interests of a 501(3)(3) organization are related to its performance of its charitable, educational, religious or other qualifying exempt purpose. […]

Nonprofit Radio: Board Calendars

Published on: by Gene Takagi

I’ll be on Nonprofit Radio speaking with host Tony Martignetti this Friday at 10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET discussing agenda items nonprofit boards should get on the board calendar at the start of the year. You can tune in to the live feed on Talking Alternative or catch up later on iTunes. We’ll be […]

What Issues Should a Nonprofit Board Consider Annually?

Published on: by Michele Berger 2 Comments

As the end of a year approaches, a nonprofit’s board of directors should begin to reflect on a number of issues involving governance and management of the organization to encourage its growth and success. Among the areas that boards will want to review include corporate formalities, financial oversight, programs and planning, and legal compliance. Typically, […]

Nonprofit Radio: Managing Dissent on Your Boards

Published on: by Gene Takagi

The University of Virginia’s governing body found itself under some heat earlier this year when its proposal to silence board members from publicly voicing their dissent from board actions was made public. Ultimately, the proposed policy was abandoned and with good reason. But the broader issue of how to manage dissent on a board is worthy […]

Better Board Governance: SSIR Webinar

Published on: by Gene Takagi

  The Stanford Social Innovation Review presented a live webinar yesterday on Better Board Governance. In the webinar, William F. Meehan III, Lecturer, Stanford Graduate School of Business, discussed 9 Attributes of Effective Nonprofit Governance: An aspirational mission, with understanding and commitment Explicit goals, strategies, and plans to achieve mission Board’s roles and responsibilities in achieving […]

Executive on the Board: Some Pros and Cons

Published on: by Michele Berger

  The governance structure in a corporation, whether nonprofit or for-profit, consists of an executive who reports to a board of directors. The executive and the board have distinct responsibilities: management and governance, respectively. But there are areas in which those responsibilities blur, and that can result in tension and potential conflict. This dynamic can […]