Is no function better than dysfunction?

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million registered non-profit organizations in the United States.  Most, if not all, of them, have Boards of Directors.  One of the frequent questions we are asked by our clients is, "What does a good Board of Directors do?".  That answer, of course, is rarely a simple answer.  But it's important for well functioning non-profit organizations to ask the question and be able to answer it for their organization.

One thing every good Board of Directors should do is have a Governance Committee.  In our opinion, behind having a knowledgeable treasurer, a Governance Committee is

Too often NPOs focus too little on governance and find themselves with a Board of Directors that isn't functioning at peak capacity or isn't functioning at all.

So what is better? A Board of Directors that does nothing?  Or a Board of Directors that is dysfunctional?

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About the author

Michael J. Buckley, CFRE is a career fundraising professional and Founder and Managing Partner of The Killoe Group. His firm assists nonprofit organizations increase revenue, exposure and capacity through smart, data driven, successive decisions and effective planning. Mike’s experience and passion for the profession of fundraising have made him a sought-after speaker, consultant and presenter. The Killoe Group’s broad experiences include annual campaign audits and management, capital campaign leadership, feasibility studies, interim program leadership, board governance, strategic planning and capacity building.