The Leadership Blog

Nonprofit leadership requires a healthy partnership between the board and its chief executive. Organizations benefit from active, engaged board leadership coupled with a chief executive with strong leadership skills. Too often, however, the leadership in nonprofit organizations is unbalanced. On one end of the spectrum, a board may limit the power of its chief executive by creating policies and procedures that treat the role more like the board’s administrative support staff. On the other... Read More →

I frequently hear concerns from board leaders and nonprofit executives about lack of board member engagement in their organizations. Details range from poor meeting attendance to failure to participate in committee work, events, or fundraising. While every board faces its specific engagement challenges, here are some general ideas to consider as you work to improve board member engagement in the upcoming year. Five simple ways to improve board member engagement Provide all members with a... Read More →

The executive session, a meeting of the board without staff present, provides the opportunity for the board to have frank, confidential discussions and exercise its independence from staff. It’s a powerful tool to strengthen the board’s sense of itself as a governing body, but most nonprofit boards only meet in full executive session for an annual discussion about the chief executive’s performance review. There are additional topics that benefit from discussion limited to board members:... Read More →

The majority of people on nonprofit boards serve because of the organization’s programs, its role in the community, or a personal involvement or connection to the organization’s mission or cause. Few come to the board table with a burning desire to understand the organization’s finances and business model and help it do a better job in these areas. Yet, maintaining financial accountability is one of primary responsibilities of board of directors. While it’s great to have a strong board... Read More →

It’s finally beginning to feel like fall.  Kids have settled into their school routines,  we can get pumpkin spice in everything, and with each day, the sun rises a little later and sets a little earlier. For most nonprofit organizations, fall is a time of events, year-end fundraising, board recruitment, budget development, and planning and preparation for the upcoming year. Whether or not your organization’s fiscal year ends with the calendar year, there are things that your board... Read More →

For some, thinking about changes in financial reporting standards for nonprofit organizations can make sleepy summer days even sleepier; for the first time in twenty-four years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has released a major update to nonprofit accounting standards. These changes only technically apply to financial statements prepared in accordance to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)—typically your organization’s audited statements. However, in reality,... Read More →

We depend upon nonprofit organizations to be part of the community building equation. From addressing challenging issues like hunger and affordable housing to providing activities such as arts festivals and youth sports, we turn to the nonprofit sector to contribute to our quality of life. Therefore, it’s important that nonprofits participate in community policy discussions and decisions. Nonprofit organizations have the ability to give voice to those who might not otherwise be heard and... Read More →

I’m frequently asked if nonprofit board members need to do fundraising.  My short answer is always, “yes,” which often elicits a look of horror or resignation from the person asking. Fundraising is challenging. Few people have a natural affinity for it, and yet, it is a necessity for most of our nonprofit organizations. Why do board members have to do fundraising? Ensuring adequate resources for the organization is a fundamental board responsibility and funding is one of those... Read More →

Our seven county Creative Corridor is home to over three thousand registered nonprofit organizations. Most of these are small and rely upon volunteers, rather than paid staff, to manage the organizations. Some intend to remain all-volunteer organizations; others are seeking to grow to a point at which they can hire staff. No matter their intentions for the future, the boards of all volunteer organizations face unique governance and management challenges. Boards for these types of... Read More →