There's a great article about Farm Aid turning 25 in the October 28, 2010 issue of Rolling Stone. Of course Rolling Stone is covering the topic because some of the icons in folk, country and rock performed at the jam celebrating the event that raised $2 million, bringing the total amount raised by Farm Aid over these past 25 years to $39 million. Yay Willie et al.
So why do I write about Farm Aid? Because throughout the RS article, mention was made of the board of Farm Aid. Well, unlike my reference to the "rock" stars of the nonprofit sector who attended the Independent Sector annual meeting, Farm Aid really has rock stars as board members (well, the stars of their respective genre's which is predominantly folk, country or folk-rock etc.) with Willie Nelson as President and John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Mathews as four of the 11 board members.
So does having big-time musicians as board members of an organization really make for good governance? Please, don't get me wrong -- I believe these board members to be clearly passionate and committed and have demonstrated this through their 25 years of donating their resources of time and money and encouraging other artists to do the same. And these folks are even results-oriented as is described in the RS article.
But, the same members and board president for 25 years? Do you think there's a succession plan or board terms or a strategic plan? Do you think the board clearly knows when to differentiate its role when working with staff such that they know when they serve as volunteers (like the concert) "reporting" to the staff versus when staff reports to them while they overseeing the distribution and accounting for funds? And what do you think committees or task forces must look like? And how exactly did Willie learn how to chair a meeting?
I've so many more questions while thinking about what the literature and some "experts" on nonprofit boards and governing says is "best" practice while at the same time viewing a model of governance where really passionate people have gotten together to get a result that they are making happen.