BoardSource

Join us for an inspiring fireside chat on Purpose-Driven Board Leadership!

On November 15, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM ET, join BoardSource President & CEO Monika Kalra Varma and David Onek, CEO of SV2 - Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund, for a fireside chat on operationalizing the principles of purpose-driven board leadership.

Learn about the purpose-driven board leadership framework and hear insights and takeaways from David's experience engaging his board in a purpose-driven leadership approach. Whether you are a chief executive, serve on a board, or are an emerging leader, we hope this conversation will inspire you and provide practical insights to enhance your organization’s impact in the communities you serve.

Secure your spot today! https://hubs.ly/Q02Ww6RT0

Unlock the power of purpose-driven board leadership.
By prioritizing purpose, promoting equity, and empowering communities, your board can increase its impact and act as a catalyst in the wider ecosystem.

Purpose-Driven Leadership | 4 Principles For Nonprofit Boards Purpose-Driven Board Leadership centers on four key principles that BoardSource believes should drive nonprofit board leadership and thinking.

Lobbying and political activity are easily confused but it is critical for public charities to know the difference.

Learn more about the different types of political activity and what you need to know to avoid missteps.

Political Activity and Public Charities - BoardSource Charities are prohibited from participating in certain kinds of political activity, electioneering is prohibited but nonpartisan voter education is not.

Board meetings are crucial for strategic, action-oriented, and results-driven discussions. Ensure its effectiveness with preparation, a clear agenda, strong facilitation, and wise time management. Leverage leaders' expertise. Make the time count.

Preparing for More Effective, Focused, and Strategic Board Meetings - BoardSource A commitment to having strategic meetings means providing your board members opportunities to connect to the organization's work.

Board Mentoring boosts engagement and commitment, streamlines onboarding, supports leadership growth and strengthens decision-making.
Learn how to create a mentoring culture that builds strong, cohesive boards and meaningful relationships.

Mentor Your Way to Board Development - BoardSource A board mentoring program can have powerful results. Use this resource to help orient new board members effectively.

Staff, and some board members, may not be clear on the appropriate boundaries between board and staff. It is not always obvious.

Find out what's acceptable in board-staff interaction in our downloadable resource.

Board-Staff Interaction: What’s Acceptable, What’s Not? You Ask, We Answer - BoardSource Anyone new to working at a nonprofit may find themselves wondering what his or her role is in relationship to the board — that entity that has ultimate responsibility for the organization. This compilation of FAQs helps explain the intricacies (and the benefits) of board–staff interaction.

Having a structured board recruitment process in place allows you to build a skilled and diverse board, and to quickly respond to board vacancies.
Our resource outlines the board recruitment process.

Board Recruitment Process - BoardSource Having an organized recruitment process in place makes it possible to fill vacancies on a board in an effective and speedy manner.

Are you about to become your organization’s board chair? Congratulations!

With this new role comes a lot of responsibility. Set a course for success by doing these six things:

Board Chair Prep - BoardSource Are you about to become your organization’s board chair? Here are eight things you need to do now to prepare for this key role.

All boards need documentation of their activities, internal rules, and processes.

From articles of incorporation to job descriptions, these must-have documents are the backbone of a nonprofit's governance..

Nonprofit Board Must-Have Documents — BoardSource Even the most responsible board needs to document its activities and rules. Here are the various must-have documents for any nonprofit board

Advisory councils are a group of individuals who advise and support governance work or management tasks. Read our resource on the nine keys to a successful advisory council.

Advisory Councils: Nine Keys to Success - BoardSource Many nonprofits have advisory councils, a group that supports the work of the board. This resource unlocks the keys to a successful advisory council.

Strategic planning often unfolds in a series of five phases, with each phase building on the one that came before.

Download our resource for the five steps to employ while strategic planning, from planning to plan to monitoring your progress.

5 Phases of Strategic Planning - BoardSource This resource includes the five phases to follow while strategic planning, from planning to plan to monitoring your progress.

In deciding whether to merge nonprofits, there is a lot to consider. Is it for financial reasons, logistical challenges, or could a merger increase the organization's impact?

Learn about both the challenges and opportunities associated with each reason.

Choosing to Merge - BoardSource Nonprofit mergers: Why a nonprofit may choose to merge, when not to merge, and other alternatives to merging.

BoardSource is excited to announce two new Board members, Sarah L. Kastelic and George Suttles.

Dr. Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq) is an enrolled citizen of the Native Village of Ouzinkie and has served as the Executive Director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) since January 2015. George Suttles serves as the Executive Director of the Commonfund Institute, leading Commonfund's educational, thought partnership, and professional development activities.

We are honored to have them join our board, and we hope you'll take a moment to learn more about our board and their work on our website here: https://hubs.ly/Q02Sr18v0

From tax forms to periodic assessments, there are a number of tasks that boards should take on a scheduled basis.

Our resource helps you take a holistic approach to planning and timing of necessary board activities so you maximize board performance.

Annual Board Actions - BoardSource Creating a calendar can help ensure that annual board actions, including legal, financial, and other tasks, get accomplished in a timely manner.

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The foundation of a knowledgeable and effective board is orientation and education.

As such, organizations should have an easy-to-use manual that board members can use throughout their terms. Our resource can be used as a template for developing your own:

What Goes Into a Board Manual? - BoardSource As an essential companion to orientation and education, every organization should have a thorough, easy-to-use manual for board members.

Unlock the power of purpose-driven board leadership.

By prioritizing purpose, promoting equity, and empowering communities, your board can increase its impact and act as a catalyst in the wider ecosystem.

Purpose-Driven Leadership | 4 Principles For Nonprofit Boards Purpose-Driven Board Leadership centers on four key principles that BoardSource believes should drive nonprofit board leadership and thinking.

Dashboards can be valuable tools for presenting information to board members, tracking progress toward goals, identifying patterns, and more.

Our resource details 10 common ways that dashboard reporting can be valuable.

Dashboard reports: 10 common benefits for nonprofit boards Is your board utilizing dashboard reports? Here are 10 common benefits that nonprofit boards see when using them correctly.

Are your board members comfortable talking to potential donors for the organization?

Fundraising is a key board responsibility, but success requires the right tools. Download our fundraising toolkit for board members and build their capacity today.

Fundraising Communications Toolkit for Nonprofit Board Members This fundraising toolkit helps board members communicate with potential donors by providing concise, easily-digestible information about the organization.

Having a structured board recruitment process in place allows you to build a skilled and diverse board, and to quickly respond to board vacancies.

Our resource outlines the board recruitment process.

Board Recruitment Process - BoardSource Having an organized recruitment process in place makes it possible to fill vacancies on a board in an effective and speedy manner.

Our resource, "Awareness to Action: A Guide for Boards and Chief Executives on a Racial Equity Journey," offers practical steps and three starting points to help leaders assess and identify where their board is in its racial equity journey.

Download the Guide:

A Guide for Boards and Chief Executives on a Racial Equity Journey BoardSource provides a guide with three starting points for meeting boards where they are in their racial equity journey.

How well do you think employees at your organization understand the role of your board?

It’s important for employees to understand why the board exists in the first place. Not sure where to start this conversation? Check out our resource below:

Why Do Nonprofits Need a Board? - BoardSource Why do nonprofits need a board? Discover the importance of board of directors and the critical role it plays in a nonprofit organization.

In the event of a crisis, it is crucial that your organization is prepared. Identifying, analyzing, and managing possible risks will proactively and strategically protect your nonprofit’s reputation and operations.

Check out our resource to start:

Risk Management - BoardSource Risk comes in many forms — and its effects can be potentially devastating to an organization. However, risk can also create unanticipated opportunities.