NGO Board Reckoning
A focused look at the work in front of current nonprofit boards
If your board is operating essentially the same way it did five years ago, something is likely wrong. The nonprofit world is in significant upheaval, and this is particularly true for U.S. NGOs. Many boards are lagging. Different conversations, different board committees and different ways of engaging staff and donors are required. We need boards that can help their executives lead through challenging times.
To survive and thrive, nonprofits themselves need to be increasingly sophisticated, and their boards should co-lead this charge. Boards, stuck in traditional management models, can commit self-sabotage by having the wrong focus, measuring the incorrect standards for success and prioritizing yesterday’s work. While tasked with shepherding the nonprofit to success and stability, boards can ultimately impede mission delivery.