Good governance is essential to the success and sustainability of nonprofits. Not all nonprofit boards are well-run. In fact, a poorly-managed board can cause the company to fail. It doesn’t matter if your organization is beginning its journey or has been around for a while, making sure your board’s effective functioning can help it face challenges and ensure long-term success.
The primary function of a board member for a non-profit organization is to establish a strategic plan. Nonprofits should select board members who are willing to put in the time and effort to accomplish this mission. This requires a thorough selection process to determine the perfect mix of diverse backgrounds, skills and experience. It’s also crucial to ensure that both new and veteran board members receive the proper training and support as they work together to make decisions at the highest level for the non-profit.
When the board prioritizes strategic tasks the board should be able to trust the executive director to oversee the day-to-day operations of the nonprofit. Nonprofits shouldn’t rely entirely on board committees to perform operational tasks, as this can result in an absence of accountability and inefficient decision making.
When a nonprofit board doesn’t have an official CEO, it is often operating under the Cooperative Government Model. This is a democratized model that shares power equally among the board members. It is recommended that the board members demonstrate equal commitment to https://mindboardroom.com/how-to-host-successful-online-board-meetings/ an organization and are willing to be accountable for their actions. To minimize conflicts of interests the nonprofit must develop an appropriate policy regarding conflicts of interest, and then discuss it with board members on a regular basis.