Governance & board development
Resolving tension between the board and the executive
There is palpable tension between (parts of) the Board and the Executive, on key matters that need resolving.
What you'll achieve
We help you identify the causes of the tensions and suggest ways to move beyond those points and identify a way to work together.
How a Nonprofit Builder consultant helps
- Diagnose the sources of tension through confidential conversations, facilitate structured dialogue on the issues that matter most, and support both sides to agree healthier ways of working together.
Key deliverables
- Governance tension diagnosis, facilitated board-executive session, clarified roles and expectations, agreed ways-of-working commitments, follow-up recommendations.
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Often paired with
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From the resource library
Free tools and guides to get started
- 3.3C037
A question of balance
A guide for charity chairs and chief executives on building a working relationship. Based on interviews with 22 chairs and chief executives, it weighs different approaches to the chair's part in day-to-day operations, who represents the charity in public, how close the two should be and how to balance challenge and support. It finds no single formula, so it asks both people to be self-aware, invest time and adjust when the relationship is not working.
Start hereClassicKey manual or guideFree - 3.1C028
Boards of Directors and Governance Systems
A practical guide to strengthening NGO boards, first written in Spanish for organisations in Latin America, where board development tools adapted to local culture and language were scarce. The English version followed requests from outside the region. It walks through board roles, structures and governance systems in practical steps, with tools that boards and executive directors can apply to their own organisation.
Start hereClassicKey manual or guideFree
All 13 resources on governance and boards All 7 resources on starting a nonprofit