The Nonprofit Governance Blog
The Governance Blog is for people who serve on nonprofit boards. It discusses the role of nonprofit directors, reviews the expectations placed on them by state and federal law and answers the questions most frequently asked by volunteer directors about their service.
Should Board Members attend the Annual Conference?
For nonprofit directors, attending the annual meeting of their national trade association can be an excellent way to expand their knowledge and better prepare them to lead their board.
The Abusive CEO
"Our CEO may be an SOB"Most nonprofit board leaders want their organizations to run as they were designed, operating smoothly, focused on their mission and free of any “extraneous” problems and distractions. Unfortunately, unexpected problems can come calling. Even...
Nonprofit Governance Basics
Nonprofit Governance – The Basics Occasionally, it’s helpful to pause and revisit the fundamental principles of nonprofit governance. In this blog, we’ll walk through some of the most frequently asked questions about how nonprofit organizations are governed—starting...
2026 To-Do Lists for Nonprofit Boards and their Directors
While most New Year’s resolutions die an untimely death by mid-February, they do serve an important role by giving us a moment of self-reflection and an opportunity to identify areas of our lives that need attention. Organizations can use this same technique to assess...
Director Compensation
It’s a question that is often whispered when nonprofit directors assemble:“Shouldn’t nonprofit directors receive compensation?” After all, it's an important job; nonprofit directors are fiduciaries of agencies with annual budgets in the millions, employing thousands...
Sex and the CEO, Part Two
DisclaimerThe following blog addresses a subject not typically discussed in nonprofit governance forums – sex in the workplace. The fictitious situations presented are actually not uncommon and a board is wise to consider the implications of these situations in...
Sex and the CEO Part One
Disclaimer: The following blog addresses a subject not typically discussed in nonprofit governance forums – sex in the workplace. The fictitious situations presented are actually not uncommon and a board is wise to consider the implications of these situations in...
Preparing for the Crisis at Hand
Regardless of your politics or perspective, we can agree that thousands of our nation’s nonprofit organizations will be facing an existential crisis in the next year or two. The curtailment of federal grants and programs is only one of several challenges that...
Nonprofit Governance: The 28-hour Governance Makeover
If I hadn’t done it myself, I would not have believed it possible. When nonprofit boards undertake to improve their governance, it is typically a lengthy process, requiring a year or more of conversations, committee debates and board actions. But what if the...
