Governance

In order to function at the highest level, nonprofit boards need to ensure that their members represent diverse points of view. And it is not enough to “diversify” a board; boards must be inclusive in their policies and practices, thereby creating a culture that encourages and nurtures diverse expression.

Diversity in Action provides the tools needed to help your board increase its diversity and adopt the inclusive policies and practices that will create the culture needed to sustain your organization’s commitment to diversity.

Free to League members. Register here >>

To register for a Diversity in Action Assessment tool designed for trustees, please click here >> . This tool is available to League members at the discounted price of $99.

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The Board Building Cycle, Second Edition: Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting, and Engaging Nonprofit Board Members
A BoardSource eBook

Good boards do not just happen: they take care, thought, and planning. This bestseller features nine steps for your board to follow through the board development process, including:

Identifying, cultivating, and recruiting prospective board members
Orienting new board members
Encouraging board members to become more active
Educating the board about the organization’s work and context
Rotating out board members to make room for new skills and insights
Engaging the board in a self-evaluation
Celebrating the board’s victories and successes

Included is downloadable content containing forms, worksheets, sample documents, and a PowerPoint® presentation for orienting new board members.

Free to League members. Register here >>

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Governance Partnership: The Chief Executive's Guide to Getting the Best from the Board
A BoardSource eBook

Be the spark that ignites your partnership with your board.

This book offers practical tips and perspectives to help you manage this considerable investment of time and build a partnership with the board that is based on support, trust, honesty, forthrightness, respect, and understanding. Each chapter ends with short essays written by a chief executive and a board chair.

Within its pages, you'll learn how to:

Establish the board culture that is right for your organization
Practice self-management and cultivate relationships
Inform and communicate with the board
Facilitate a balance in roles and responsibilities
Structure the board's work
Plan for transitions

Free to League members. Register here >>

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The Nonprofit Chief Executive’s Ten Basic Responsibilities
A BoardSource eBook

While intended primarily for chief executives, board members also can use this book to better understand the prime responsibilities of the nonprofit chief executive, including supervising staff, overseeing operations, and supporting the board. The 10 sections acknowledge the breadth and complexity of the role and can serve as benchmarks and guideposts for those chief executives, and the boards that support them, who want to explore specific aspects of their responsibilities in greater depth.

Free to League members. Register here >>

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The Governance Series
A BoardSource eBook Series

Board members need more than enthusiasm for a cause, passion for a mission, or good intentions. To be effective, they need to understand and perform all of their governing responsibilities. This updated second edition series will help board members, chief executives, and senior staff understand the fundamental elements of service common to most boards, including board member responsibilities, how to structure the board in the most efficient manner, and how to accomplish governance work in the spirit of the mission of the organization. The revised books are based on the latest legislation, research, and nonprofit trends and are written by experts in the nonprofit sector.

The library includes a total of six books:

Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

This book explores the board’s 10 core responsibilities, and puts them into the context of the governance challenges facing nonprofits today. The book has two appendixes, one covering the individual responsibilities of board members and the other providing a sample self-assessment for individual board members.

Free to League members. Register here >>

Legal Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

Board members have a fiduciary duty over the organization and its resources. This book provides a preliminary understanding of the nonprofit legal landscape delivered in easy-to-understand terms. It discusses the concept of fiduciary responsibility, summarizes strategies for protecting board members from personal liability, and outlines the policies and procedures that are becoming best practices within the sector. It also includes an appendix with several samples of recommended board policies and a glossary of legal terms and concepts.

Free to League members. Register here >>

Financial Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

While nonprofit success is measured in more than just dollars, board members must maintain a close eye on the financial direction of the organization and its economic stability if they are to truly fulfill their fiduciary responsibility. This book uses nontechnical language to help board members gain a basic understanding of their financial oversight responsibilities and gives them a starting point for comprehending key financial data.

Free to League members. Register here >>

Fundraising Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

Board members must ensure that their organization has adequate resources. One way they can do that is by being active in fundraising activities. This book shows board members how to support fundraising efforts, no matter the size of the organization. It explains strategies, offers guidelines for evaluating the results of efforts, and recommends helpful ways that board members can be involved every step of the way.

Free to League members. Register here >>

The Nonprofit Board's Role in Mission, Planning and Evaluation, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

All too often, nonprofit boards look at mission, planning, and evaluation in isolation. This book, however, offers an integrated approach. A regular and consistent planning process helps the board and staff clarify mission and make changes when necessary to keep mission fresh, lively, and relevant. A systematic evaluation process generates information to help formulate goals and provide the framework for measuring those goals against mission.

Free to League members. Register here >>

Structures and Practices of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition
A BoardSource eBook

Nonprofit governance calls for visionary and vigilant leadership, efficient and flexible structures, productive and proven practices, an inquiring and trusting culture, and a shared passion for the mission. This book provides a set of basic guidelines to enable nonprofit boards to meet these challenges and develop board members who are actively engaged in the life of the organization. It discusses how the board is organized (including board size and term limits); who is on the board; the roles of the board chair, chief executive, and committees; and productive ways for board members to work together.

Free to League members. Register here >>

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Ask an Expert: Free Advice-Line for Board Leaders

Need help with tough governance challenges such as board self-evaluation, term-limits, or succession planning? Sign up now for the League’s free phone advice line with governance experts!

Designed for board leaders only, these calls are free, one-time, one-hour, and one-per orchestra consultations. Board leaders from groups 1-4 will speak with Lowell Noteboom, chair of the League of American Orchestras. And Cate Moye, past president, board of directors, Spokane Symphony and current board member, League of American Orchestras, will guide board leaders from groups 5-8.

Cate Moye
Board member, League of American
Orchestras, past president, board of
trustees, Spokane Symphony
Download Bio

Lowell Noteboom
Chair, League of American Orchestras,
former board chair, The Saint Paul
Chamber Orchestra
Download Bio

To register for a time to speak with these governance experts, click here.

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Vlog Series with National Governance Experts

This vlog series makes available video interviews with nationally recognized experts across the full range of critical issues faced by nonprofit boards today. Those who participate in this series may sign up for optional shared online office hours with the experts featured in the series.

The Orchestra Beyond Recession with David Nygren Bio
Founder and Principal, Nygren Consulting, LLC

As part of the governance vlog series from the League, governance expert David Nygren describes the “new normal” for many organizations operating in an environment of restraint and diminished resources. He examines what this means for orchestras in terms of vision, artistic products, investments, relevancy and staffing and identifies some important board opportunities in such an environment.
Watch David Nygren's Video.

Governing Toward the Future Parts I and II by Fred Miller Bio
President, The Chatham Group, Inc.

In this four part series, Governing Toward the Future, organizational consultant Fred Miller describes four critical issues that orchestra boards and management must address.

I. Avoiding the Tyranny of Mission
In this vlog organizational consultant Fred Miller defines the differences between mission, vision and strategy and warns of the consequences of relentlessly pursuing an organizational mission when changes in the external environment require a different approach. Miller argues that the "tyranny of mission" occurs when organizations are driven to pursue plans that are not realistically aligned with evolving public needs, changing markets, competition and resources.

II. The Imperative of Positive Net Financial Margins and Capitalization
Fred discusses the consequences of poorly understood and deficient business models and undercapitalization. He argues that often inadequate cash flow, insufficient positive margin and reserves to fund investment and innovation, limit the capacity of organizations to adapt and invest in the future. Watch Fred Miller's Video.

Governing Toward the Future Parts III and IV by Fred Miller Bio
President, The Chatham Group, Inc.

In this four part series, Governing Toward the Future, organizational consultant Fred Miller describes four critical issues that orchestra boards and management must address.

III. Assessing Organizational Independence with Potential Scale and Impact
In this vlog organizational consultant Fred Miller describes the need for honest assessment of the alignment of vision, mission, programs, and resources in organizations. Such assessment can provoke the asking of critical strategic questions such as: Would an alliance among organizations for collective impact create greater public value? Does the value proposition attract the people, including board, and funding to deliver to scale? Can the market sustain the number of organizations in the environment?

IV. Ensuring the Adaptive Capacity of the Board
In this vlog organizational consultant Fred Miller addresses the topic of adaptive leadership and developing this capacity in board members. When fundamental change is needed effective leaders recognize the adaptations they must make and determine what that means for their organizations. Building adaptive capacity into board assessment is essential if boards are to provide adaptive leadership to govern into the future. Watch Fred Miller's Video.

Avoiding a Governance Deficit by Lowell Noteboom Bio
Chair, League of American Orchestras

I. Avoiding a Governance Deficit: Part 1 by Lowell Noteboom
In this vlog, governance expert, Lowell Noteboom describes some of the essential steps that board members can take to correct any governance deficits that may exist in their orchestras. Based on the work of management guru, Jim Collins, Noteboom describes three critical steps that board members can take to improve governance: 1) Getting the right people on the board bus, with everyone in the right seats; 2) Fostering a culture of discipline, with disciplined leaders, thought and action; and 3) Focusing energy and attention on the stuff that really matters.

II. Avoiding a Governance Deficit: Part 2 by Lowell Noteboom
In this vlog, governance expert, Lowell Noteboom explores four specific tools to help board members keep their orchestras on the right track and avoid a governance deficit. These steps include: 1) Accessing the right information; 2) Understanding the information and its implications for your orchestra; 3) Creating a vision informed by your reality, coupled with a clear, ambitious strategy to realize your vision; and 4) Building the discipline to stick to your strategy and see it through to a successful outcome, regardless of road blocks along the way.
Watch Lowell Noteboom's Video.

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The above ebooks are based on resources in BoardSource’s vast library of governance, material that has shown hundreds of thousands of nonprofit board members and other leaders how to develop sound practices to carry them through the best of times and the worst of times.

In addition to our publications and online resources, our consulting team of governance experts is ready to assist your board and may be reached via email ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or by calling 877 892 6293.

Governance resources are made possible by a generous grant from MetLife Foundation.

Additional support for these resources is made possible by grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Hearst Foundation, Inc., and National Endowment for the Arts, and, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.