Boards of directors, comprised of volunteers, have the decision-making authority and power over the direction and finances of nonprofit organizations. Although there are boards that are disappointingly ineffective, I have seen many boards rise to the occasion to lead their organizations to success in service to the community.
The first nonprofit board that asked me to help them with a complete overhaul was a community based nonprofit that served a large immigrant population helping people with language skills, adults with job training and placement, children with after-school care and homework, and families with social services. That was in the 1990's. Since then, I have assisted dozens of nonprofits--regional as well as global--in building stronger boards and establishing the leadership they need to advance strategically and financially to serve the community.
The impetus for change is often financial distress, especially in today's environment with cutbacks in government funding and philanthropy. But some boards and nonprofit executives seek to transform their boards simply because they are proactive. They recognize opportunities for fees for services, collaboration and alliances with other organizations, and innovation in addressing vital matters in education, healthcare, poverty, social justice, the environment, and others areas. They realize that the only way for an organization to advance is to build a strong board with excellent leadership.
How do boards drive change? See continuation here....http://bit.ly/5w6A3U
