What do you do if your nonprofit board of directors is not fulfilling their key responsibilities?

I served on the board of a reputable nonprofit but struggled to meet the attendance requirements. The board Chair and the CEO arranged a lunch meeting with me after noticing a decline in my initial enthusiasm. The main issue was my overwhelming doctoral studies. The meeting was meant for open discussion to understand my challenges and determine how they could support me. I explained my timeline for completing my doctoral workload and requested to skip some meetings for a few months before fully participating again. In all, the meeting was one in which the board chair acted with empathy rather than displaying a lack of sensitivity.

When I do 1:1 consultations with nonprofit board members, the thing I hear most often is "I want to be useful, but I don't know how." Role clarity is so, so important for board members. And many (most?) organizations don't provide this to volunteers. Here is what I would assess role clarity for board members: - they know what their role is, in a broad sense - they know why their role is important to the organization - they know when and where they'll carry out that role (meeting dates, time expectations) - for core functions, they know specifically what to do and how to do it - they know how to assess if they're doing a good job - they know who to ask or where to go with questions

As a previous chair of a NFP, consistent engagement with non executive volunteers on the board was often difficult given many worked full time and had families. While their contributions were always impactful, time management to perform in sub committees and strategic goals was often hard. Volunteering is an amazing experience, sometimes a small payment for the enormous time and energy given creates additional rewards for the level of commitment needed.

When a nonprofit's board isn't fulfilling its duties, consider these steps: Assessment: Identify specific areas where the board is falling short, such as attendance, decision-making, or financial oversight. Communication: Open up a dialogue to discuss challenges openly and transparently, encouraging board members to share perspectives and ideas. Action: Take proactive steps to address issues, including clarifying roles, providing development opportunities, and considering leadership changes if necessary. In my experience, It's important to address these issues with sensitivity and diplomacy to maintain a positive and productive relationship with board members while ensuring the effective governance of the organization.

If your nonprofit board of directors is not fulfilling their key responsibilities, it is crucial to address the issue promptly and effectively. Steps to take include identifying the problem, communicating expectations, providing training and support, facilitating open communication, holding members accountable, considering board restructuring, and seeking external guidance if needed. Addressing shortcomings proactively is essential for effective governance and long-term success. By following these steps, you can improve board accountability, effectiveness, and overall impact on the organization’s mission and goals.

Meeting in several brainstorming sessions with elders not only helped the board define roles and goals but helped the executive team determine their goals and roles within the organization. We needed to make sure that there wasn't overlap in function and that the board was fulfilling what we determined, after the initial assessment, their roles to be.

We set expectations by documenting and clearly outlining the responsibilities of the board and the executive team. This is something that is subject to change year to year.

A Governance or Board Charter is a useful policy document for all boards, outlining roles, responsibilities and the ways in which the board operates and individual directors are expected to behave and participate. This should be a living document that is fundamental for induction but also reviewed and signed off by all directors annually.

Its important that Board Members understand the commitment required - during the recruitment and acceptance phase, explain to the candidate the time and effort expected. On acceptance, signing a contract/onboarding agreement or checklist that reflects the commitment is another opportunity to provide clarity of expectations. During Board Mtgs remind Board Members of the Terms of Reference, minimum attendance required. Open and honest dialogue is always the best way to address such challenges.

It is critical for everyone to have a clear understanding of the expectations of board members, committees, and individual board roles. As chair of a nonprofit board, I recently led the development of a comprehensive Board Handbook. This document not only provides information about the organization that is critical to understanding its mission and fulfilling the role of a board member but also clearly defines the responsibilities and expectations for board and committee members. This handbook has proven invaluable, both for providing clarity and for improving our onboarding process.

Sometimes expectations are not clear. When we align with each person on expectations as an individual and then together as a board we will be able to find the motivation that sometimes so missing. Don’t overlook the power of communication- it is literally the key to making changes and encouraging motivation. Over communicate if you have to- with clear and respectful guidance, words and direction.

As an auditor to many Nonprofit organizations, I feel a responsibility to provide training for boards in both financial literacy and good governance. Even for the most experienced board members it’s good to get a refresher in understanding and fulfilling their core responsibilities as a board member. As a fellow board member, I try to share good examples in real time

In my experience as a Nonprofit Executive, I've found that it is common for Nonprofit Board Members to join because of their commitment to the mission without truly understanding the skills and responsibilities required to contribute in impactful ways. Ideally, the Board members should be champions for the Nonprofit when it comes to effective governance, fundraising, visibility, financial management for profitability--essentially, those roles and responsibilities that lead to Nonprofit resilience and sustainability. Investment in Board Training can help individual Board Members build capacity in the disciplines required to serve in ways that create exponential impact for the Nonprofit and the community it serves.

On-going training and development is absolutely crucial - the landscape is changing with increasing regulation and compliance....

Many board members are talented leaders in their field, but they don't have specific experience on a nonprofit board. As a nonprofit leader, you can leverage your expertise to provide tailored training for your board members if they're not fulfilling their key responsibilities. For instance, you can organize workshops on governance, fundraising strategies, or financial management to address specific areas where they may need support. Drawing from past experiences, you can design training sessions that resonate with their needs and challenges. By investing in their professional development, you demonstrate your commitment to their success and empower them to effectively contribute to the nonprofit's mission and objectives.

When new board members are chosen, we go over their roles and responsibilities within the board policy. In this way, the board should be trained on their policy just as staff is trained on theirs. This is not only to ensure they fulfill their responsibilities but also so they don't try to engage with staff responsibilities.

Open a dialog addressing concerns of the issues followed up with collaborations. Expressing the importance of the Mission and Vision and future goals for the non-profit organization. Clarifying and conveying the importance to build a concrete self-sustainable foundation.

Serving on a nonprofit board is a significant volunteer commitment that requires a passion for the organization's mission and a willingness to dedicate time and effort. It's essential for both the organization and the board members to feel that their involvement is mutually beneficial. At the same time, it's okay if a member discovers that their interests or life circumstances have changed, making the board no longer a fit. In this situation, stepping down can be the best choice for them and the organization. Additionally, implementing board term limits can reduce burnout and provide a natural off-ramp for board members.

Identify each board members strengths and abilities, this would provide a more engagive outcome that is result orientated and strong.

One of the aspects I value most about the board chair is his commitment to supporting the board members. It goes beyond business matters; he adds a personal, human touch to his interactions before and during meetings. Following each meeting, a performance review is conducted by an assigned individual to evaluate your performance. Additionally, there is an opportunity for you to provide feedback. This practice promotes accountability, improves performance, and fosters continuous growth, learning, and development.

Would you like to know my best advice? Register yourself as a Board Member in other org. I did so in two organizations during 2017 and until 2020. I experienced the level of unclear expectations, the undefined level of responsibilities, and the need to be frequently approached by the organizational staff, to be interviewed and give my own perspective. I will encourage you as a leader in this situation, to thoroughly assess individually, how they feel, what’s their perspective, and define a way to solve this. Use an open and honest two-ways communication, while working on building lasting relationships.

Assess the situation. Ensure that the board of directors responsibilities are read at a meeting for clarity and put it in notes. Continue to assess the situation. Engage with those who might not be fulfilling their role one on one first. If a problem continues, bring it to the board’s attention as a mediator. Also engage in a SWOT analysis of your board. This will enable other to learn more about organizational issue and begin building up more as a team.