Leadership/Governance

“Becoming a More Effective Nonprofit Board,” Bridgestar, 2006. This article focuses on board oversight in light of Sarbanes-Oxley, strategic direction, fundraising, community support, and governance process.

“Daring to Lead 2006: A National Study of Nonprofit Executive Leadership,” Jeanne Bell, Richard Moyers, and Tim Wolfred, study funded by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and The Meyer Foundation. This study is the result of a national survey of nonprofit executives and outlines in detail contributors to executive burnout, retention, and recruitment. It concludes with recommendations to help executive directors, board members, and grant makers strengthen and support current executive directors, build a pipeline of future leaders, and increase their overall understanding of the strengths and challenges of a group of leaders whose work is essential to changing lives and transforming communities. This excerpt is reprinted with permission from Daring to Lead: 2006 published by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, 731 Market St., Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103; 415.541.9000; info@compasspoint.org; http://www.compasspoint.org

“Engagement Governance for System-Wide Decision Making,” Judy Freiwirth, Psy.D., Nonprofit Quarterly, Summer, 2007. This article defines an expanded notion of governance that is built on participatory principles and moves beyond the board of directors as the sole locus of governance. This framework views governance as shared amongst an organization’s key sectors. www.NPQmag.org

“Five Questions Every Board Should Ask,” Sam Pettway, Boardwalk Consulting, October 2006. The five questions outlined in this article offer guidance to any board and will engage a board in forward-looking, proactive dialogue.

“Good Governance Practices for 501(c)(3) Organizations,” Internal Revenue Service. This paper outlines information in the following areas: mission statement, code of ethics, due diligence, duty of loyalty, transparency, fundraising policy, financial audits, compensation practices, and document retention policy.

“Governing for What Matters: A Model for Community-Driven Governance,” Hildy Gottlieb, Community Driven Institute at Help 4 Non Profits, 2005. This article outlines a model of governance akin to Policy Governance that first revisits the definition of a board and to whom and for what it is accountable. It discusses both ends and means and the need for community engagement. It offers a quick performance measurement scale to see how your board measures up, in addition to a link to an online board effectiveness quiz. This model is very forward-looking and outcomes-oriented.

“The Leadership Deficit,” Thomas J. Tierney, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer, 2006. This article discusses the crisis looming for nonprofits as baby boom executives retire and offers creative ways of finding and recruiting new leaders from a wide range of groups, including business, the military, and the growing pool of retirees.

“Saline Schools: Sustainable Structures, Sustainable Results,” April Flanagan, Sandra Nadig, and Gerard Pound, Systems Thinker Newsletter, Dec. ‘00/Jan. ’01. This article explores how the Saline School District in Saline, Michigan, transformed itself from a troubled and contentious atmosphere to one of efficiency and harmony by defining a new form of governance based on a collaborative bargaining process and respectful conversation.

“Why Boards Micro-Manage and How to Get Them to Stop,” Hildy Gottlieb, Help 4 Nonprofits and Tribes Institute, 2001. This article lists specific reasons why boards micro-manage and steps for helping them govern more effectively.