Nonprofit Governance: How many is too many

A board development planning session I recently facilitated and a review of who's on the board of the Solar Electric Light Fund has me asking a kind-of Sodom & Gomora question I've yet to resolve: how many nonprofit boards can one individual serve on EFFECTIVELY? On the SELF board, members, many with pretty impressive credentials, serve at minimum on 2 boards. I certainly understand having board members who are well-networked although service on even two boards gives me pause -- what about competing demands? But a nonprofit's ability to reach a number of those who would be supporters necessitates having the types of folk SELF has recruited. But, back to Sodom & Gomora and effective. What is the loss of return-on-investment for the individual in service? Is an individual able to fulfill all of their governing responsibilities when serving on two boards; three boards; four boards? You get the picture, but what is the answer?

Comments

[Claire]

a. it depends on if Board service is their full time job and
b. it depends on the purpose of Board membership for the org and for the individual. (hopefully there is a common agreement about Board commitment.)
c. I expect for some boards, what they are looking for is that interlocking member who can provide some networking.