The Centre for Board Governance Resources
We've done the digging for you and collected the best information for not-for-profit boards from a variety of reputable sources.
Browse the subjects included in our collection here.
Section 0 - General
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Ten Questions Every Board Needs to Ask Itself. Now available on amazon…
Catalytic Questions. Excellent questions to spark discussion. No logic or data is required!
Best Practices Materials for Non-Profit Boards. An excellent place to begin your search for exceptional free resources.
Governance in Crown Corporations & Other Public Enterprises. An excellent introduction to roles and responsibilities from the Government of Canada.
Cut to the Chase: Public Library Governance. Exceptional, succinct summary of leadership by design for Ontario public library boards. A great model too.
Guide to Board Governance in the Digital Age.Five best practices for this new era of digital transformation, remote work and virtual board meetings.
Leading with Intent: BoardSource Index of Nonprofit Board Practices. Roles and oversight practices and how well boards perform.
CDA Not-for-Profit Governance Roadmap. Rethink what you know about governance. A survey of directors in Australia with a plan for improvement.
Board Resourcing and Development. Best practices from the Government of British Columbia.
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Public Library InterLink Board of Directors' Governance Manual. A very good model, with a delineation of roles, structures and executive authority.
Section 1 - Purpose
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Asset-Based Community Development. The four essential elements and what is distinctive about a focus on assets.
What is Community Development? We talk about it but what is it? Here are the foundations of practice in a PowerPoint presentation.
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The Public Library Sector in Ontario. This is more of a model of how to place your board and sector in the context of government and associations.
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Nine Characteristics of a Mission Statement. To foster involvement and motivation, you need a compelling mission statement. Herein, an infographic.
Mind the Gap. Mission Accomplishment Measures. What are yours?
Mission Statement vs Vision Statement. Mission, vision, and values statements are vital and should be distinct yet connected.
Vision Statements: The Ultimate Guide. What it is. Why it is important. Plus examples.
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The Importance of Mission, Vision, Values. These are key elements of your strategic planning and must be approved by the board.
Section 2 - Board/CEO Partnership
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Executive Director Communication to the Board. A sample policy outlining expectations.
Board-Staff Interaction: What’s Acceptable, What’s Not? You Ask, We Answer. When each side wants to sidestep the CEO…
Responsibility Overview: Board & Executive Directors/Staff. A useful one-page chart of what does (or is supposed to do) what.
What is a Board-Oriented CEO?. Herein a bundle of resources of Proven Principles and Practices for Board Chairs and Their CEOs (see page 4).
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Are You Kind or Nice? Nice keeps the peace. Kind builds trust. Here is an infographic with suggestions.
Board Chair and Chief Executive Communications.A FAQ to foster improved communications and handle problems.
Board Chair and Chief Executive Partnership. A handy chart of who does what, and what is shared.
Board Chair and Executive Director Partnership Check-Up. Biggest fans and greatest critics? Here are three markers.
Proven Principles and Practices for Board Chairs and Their CEO. A 29-page bundle of resources to navigate the critical partnership.
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Hiring and Performance Appraisal of the Executive Director. A comprehensive (74-pages!) self-guided workbook.
Hiring the Right Executive Director for Your Organization: One Size Does Not Fit All. Especially useful for the pre-search steps.
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Competencies Profile for Public Library CEO. It is useful for most sectors, And well-organized but somewhat overwhelming. A useful checklist for planning.
Political Presence - Speaking Truth to Power. Creating the environment to be successful politically.
Common Responsibilities for Nonprofit Executive Directors. A one-page infographic of the eight major responsibilities.
10 Things a New Senior Leader Must Know. Useful advice not found in competency lists.
6 Core Competencies of Nonprofit Chief Executives. Includes a brief description of each.
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Board Checklist for Establishing a Chief Executive Compensation Plan. A one-page summary of the key considerations.
Compensation of Employees in the Charitable Sector. Be sure to invest enough if you want to have an impact.
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CEO Performance Evaluation Template. A brief outline providing for self-assessment and feedback.
Evaluating Your Executive Director's Performance. Why, how and what to include.
How to Conduct a Chief Executive Performance Assessment in 10 Steps. A useful focus on board processes for greater success.
Performance Appraisal of the Chief Administrative Officer. A systematic approach for a city manager postion.
CAO Performance Evaluation Toolkit: CAO Guide. A process, not an event, from the perspective of the Chief Administrative Officer, the one being evaluated.
CAO Performance Evaluation Toolkit: Mayor & Council Guide. And this from the perspective of those doing the evaluation.
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Avoiding the Glass Cliff: Advice to Boards of Preparing for and Supporting a New Leader of Color. Some considerations are similar, some not.
Sample Policy: Emergency Executive Director Succession. One of the biggest but less obvious risk management areas.
Emergency Leadership Transition Plan. Includes the need for communications and financial planning.
Executive Transition Timeline. Prepare, pivot, thrive.
Organizational Contingency Inventory Worksheet. Especially useful for the documents to have in place.
Section 3 - Roles & Structure of the Board
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Modes of Governance: Sharing Leadership with the Board. Three models: Fiduciary, Strategic, Generative.
Stages of Board Development. Characteristics of three stages, with indicators and transitions.
The 'Pros' and 'Cons' of Representative Boards. How to improve representative boards, common in associations.
What Kind of Board Are You? Advising? Management? Working? Governance? Policy? Or…?
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Are Your Board Committees Working Well? 12 Questions to Ask. How do you know? Maybe you need to start afresh every few years!
Who Should Serve on Which Committee? What are your criteria? Here are a few suggestions.
Committee Terms of Reference Template. A very straightforward policy on establishing committee terms and procedures.
Board Development: Committees. Types, terms, roles and responsibilities, authority, reporting, role of the committee chair.
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Board Roles and Responsibilities. Governance is different from managing. Here is a detailed breakdown of Board vs. CEO authority and responsibilities.
Checklist of Board Roles and Responsibilities. Succinct and straightforward. Useful for staying on track and in your lane.
Board Development: Roles and Responsibilities of Not-for-Profit Boards. A handy 12-page booklet with types of governance, functions, and accountability.
Consent to Act Form. This is an oath of office statement for signing.
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Board Member Essentials. Questions to ask and how to be effective.
Sample Board Member Job Description. A brief, useful model.
Sample Board Member Job Description. A sample policy.
Developing Job Descriptions for Board Members of Nonprofit Organizations. A detailed workbook for a deep dive, descriptions for every position.
Fulfilling Your Obligations as a Not-for-Profit Director. These are your legal duties.
Primer for Directors of Not-for-Profit Corporations. It is all here — in 100+ pages.
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Board Chair. A sample job description.
Duties of the Chair. A brief outline of your duties.
Refurbishing Your Chair. Chairs welcome feedback. Do you provide it? How?
Facilitating an Engaged Board - The Board Chair's Role. Are you moving forward? Are your meetings engaging and useful?
Effective Organizations Call for Effective Chairs. How to select your chair with checklists for assessing effectiveness.
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Codes of Conduct and Ethics. Your duties of loyalty, care and obedience with sample policies for codes of conduct.
Board Member’s Code of Conduct. This sample policy complements a conflict of interest policy.
Board Ethics and Conduct. Another model policy, this one for post-secondary student governance.
Section 4 - Intentional Practices
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Recommended Governance Practices. You are self-aware, reflective, and partner with your CEO. And here are 20 basic best practices. How many do you have?
Guidelines for Improving the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors of Nonprofit Organizations. Here is a basic text in ten chapters. Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment for every board issue.
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Effective Meetings: Welcome to the Board Room. Now available on amazon…
Board Meeting Preparation 10 Tips for CEOs and Board Chairs. A straighforward FAQ based on extensive experience.
Chairing a Board Meeting. The critcal role and responsibilities for productive meetings.
Effective Team Meetings. You are a team. Right? What to do before, during and after.
Board Meetings that Work. You have limited time so make decisions effectively
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Robert's Rules of Order Cheat Sheet. Give it to each member so the rules are clear.
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A Guide to Great Board Minutes. Simple and straightforward.
In Camera Board Sessions: Careful How You Use Them. Confidentiality vs. Secrecy.
A Planning Guide for Board Meeting Agendas. Useful guide. Required your email address.
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The Consent Agenda: Essential to Board Effectiveness. Our own 4-page guide.
The Unanimous Consent Agenda. Here is a sample and how it works.
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Strategic Planning Blueprint.A comprehensive one-page summary useful for explaining the process from preparation to implementation to review.
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Section 5 - Plan
Section 6 - Ensuring Sustainable Resources
Section 7 - Oversight & Accountability. Measurement.
Section 8 - Oversight & Accountability. Financial & Legal.
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Questions for the Board to Ask About Cybersecurity. A comprehensive set of questions for you to consider, with proposed answers.
A Framework for Board Oversight of Enterprise Risk.A nine-step process to identify, understand and address risks.
It Pays to Manage Payment Risk. Don’t pay more than you need to due to negligence, error or even fraud.
Risk Planning. Plan, manage, monitor, and report risks.
20 Questions Directors of Not-For-Profit Organizations Should Ask About Risk. The “answers”that accompany the questions summarize current thinking.
Human Resources Management & Electronic Monitoring. A sample HR policy related to employee records.
Whistleblower Policy. A sample you might emulate.
Records Retention. A sample policy covering protection, access, storage and disposition.
Emergency Leadership Transition Plan. A common risk. If your CEO/executive director resigns, is fired, or is otherwise unable to lead, you need a plan in place.
Section 9 - Inquiry & Transparency
Section 10 - Board Development & Revitalization
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Board Evaluations and Governance Reviews. Herein an actual board policy on regular reviews and assessments. A helpful sample.
The Four Ws (and an H) of Board Self-Assessment. The Why, When, Who, What and How of Your Annual Review.