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Nonprofit Boards

Resources for new boards, existing boards, and boards that have yet to be created.

Is Your Board Ready for a Self Assessment?

If your board is asking, "How can we do this better?", then considering a board self-assessment may be the next step. A board self-assessment is not to evaluate staff or the executive director, rather it is an assessment for the board to look at itself.

From, Starboard Leadership Consulting, here is a list of what a board self-assessment can and cannot do:

Can

  • Tell you how the board thinks it is doing at this particular point in time.
  • Provide a summary of responses that can serve as a baseline from which to work in your governance improvement efforts.
  • Help you begin the essential conversation with your board about its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Provide a format for discussing some ongoing issues and concerns (term limits, lack of board support for fundraising, recruitment, etc.).
  • Serve as a launching pad for an ongoing governance committee, the development of a governance agenda, and a continuing effort to strengthen your board.

Cannot

  • Take the place of an organizational assessment or serve as a vehicle to evaluate the work of the executive director.
  • Solve your problems with that "difficult" board member.
  • Miraculously transform the board overnight. 

Board Self Assessments

If your board is looking to conduct an independent self-assessment, finding free options can be difficult. Many companies will guide your board through a self-assessment for a fee. Those companies can provide valuable data and guidance but many small nonprofits do not have the budget for a fee-based assessment. For those nonprofits, the following resources can be beneficial.