If I have to say it 1000 times, I will. In her review of her 2022 column for nonprofits in the Tallahassee Democrat, Alyce Le Stansbury offers that a "working" board essentially does the program/hands-on work of the organization. I heartily absolutely disagree. I pose that the work of the board is governance. A working board is the board engaged in governing (policy, planning and evaluation to fulfill its fiduciary duties). Yes, there are stages of development and during these stages boards may fail to govern and lean toward volunteering or doing the hands-on work of the organization (or they might ALSO serve in voluntary hands-on roles).
So, the only WORKING Board is the one that does the governing work of the board. Enough said?
Nonprofits
2022 has been a challenging year for nonprofits in many ways. Here’s a look back at the questions you asked and the issues we discussed.
In January, a reader asked what it meant to be a “working board.” Grassroots and start-up organizations are typically governed by a working board until they secure enough money to hire staff. This topic also bubbles up when established boards are struggling with engagement because some directors mistakenly think their role is advisory when there’s hands-on work to be done.