Community grantmakers often face challenges in communicating localized impact and financial health to their leadership. Historical data and financial metrics buried in fragmented spreadsheets or bulky legacy systems make it difficult to keep board members informed, which stalls decision-making and isolates leadership from the realities of their investments.

Every nonprofit shares an overarching goal: To create a positive, lasting impact for the betterment of its community or area. However, as the needs of its beneficiaries evolve, nonprofit professionals must work to improve their programs accordingly.

Your board is the foundation governing body of your organization. 501 Commons offers a variety of learning sessions that can be customized specifically for your board and delivered online.

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.