Board members are a nonprofit’s strategic innovators. They review information about the organization’s strategies and finances, hear from stakeholders about successes and challenges, and create plans to achieve greater future success.

As you prepare for another year of pursuing your mission, now is the time to assess whether your board is equipped to welcome new members — whether foreseen or not. Without succession plans in place, the transition to a new team can be chaotic even under normal circumstances.

Boards serve the vital role of guiding your organization’s mission, direction, and path to success. What can help the board do that work efficiently and effectively is if they have clearly defined roles and duties and have a very functional relationship with the executive.

When St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton needed guidance on solving some organizational challenges, our Management Consulting team answered the call.

We encourage you to participate in BoardSource's Leading for Impact survey of board practices in the U.S. There are separate links for executives and board chairs:

Unsure what to focus on in 2019? Take our free Five Elements of a Healthy Nonprofit Self-Assessment survey to find out!

The fall weather shift is a reminder to determine your public policy agenda and talk to your board about their role in advocacy. Get your staff and board members in contact with legislators before they head back to Olympia in January.

In early August, 75+ people attended a workshop with Toren Lewis from the Alliance for Justice on the rules governing nonprofits being engaged in advocacy. The big takeaway was simple: Nonprofits and board members can and should advocate for the causes that matter most to them.

Organizations are more resilient when everyone has shared expectations. But this is often not the case with the board of directors and executive.

Board members who need lots of support but do little to advance the organization are a drain on resources. Moreover, boards that have poorly defined governance processes can be a risk to an organization. There is, however, a way to set up your board for success.

An online board portal helps your board better collaborate, communicate, and manage committees, events, and other board work. 501 Commons can work with you to develop a board portal and train your board and staff on how to use it.

If you're trying to accomplish more (and who isn't?), consider the benefits of contracting back office functions to 501 Commons.