Governance and Accountability: A Different Choice for Nonprofits | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Governance and Accountability: A Different Choice for Nonprofits | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Governance is of central concern to nonprofits, yet theories of nonprofit governance are underdeveloped in comparison with corporate governance; and, specifically, it appears that knowledge of governance practices to achieve broadened accountability to multiple and diverse stakeholder groups has lagged. This article aims to expose and question the assumptions and asymmetrical power relations that are often taken for granted in the most normative of the governance theories used by nonprofits. In doing so, I challenge the notion of accountability as a somewhat benign and straightforward governance function, and recast it as a challenging, complex choice."



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Growth Crises and Three Phases of Governance Response - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Growth Crises and Three Phases of Governance Response - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Editors’ note: This article was adapted from “Board/Staff Relationships in a Growth Crisis: Implications for Nonprofit Governance,” originally published online, March 7, 2011, by the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (http://nvs.sagepub.com/content/41/1/82), and subsequently published in NVSQ’s print publication in 2012.1 The authors appreciate Peter Roberts’s extensive editing support for this article.

This article looks at the ways in which board/staff relationships played out in four small cultural organizations—two museums and two performing arts companies— as each passed through three distinct phases of a growth/financial crisis. This research may inform nonprofit boards and managers in a couple of ways:

CharityVillage® Research: Overview of governance models and board types

CharityVillage® Research: Overview of governance models and board types: "Overview of governance models and board types
By Mel Gill, President of Synergy Associates
September 8, 2009

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Operational (primary focus: operations)

The board does the work of the organization and manages as well as governs it. This is typical of a board in the 'founding' stage of an organization and of boards in organizations, such as service clubs, that have no staff and that must rely largely on board members and other volunteers to achieve their aims. Operational boards also have management responsibilities but are distinguished from management boards by their lack of staff support.

Collective (primary focus: operations/inclusive decision-making processes)"

IRS Training Materials - Governance

IRS Training Materials - Governance: "IRS Training Materials - Governance


As part of a continuing professional education program for Exempt Organizations examination agents, determinations specialists, tax law specialists, and managers, the IRS recently conducted a series of two-hour training sessions on governance and tax-exempt organizations. The following materials were used in those programs:"

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Board's Give Or Get More Expensive Now

More than half of nonprofits now require board members to make an annual contribution, with a major share of large ones setting a minimum of $5,000.

That finding, in the new edition of National Board Governance Survey for Not-for-Profit Organizations conducted by the accounting firm Grant Thornton LLP, comes against a backdrop of more and more nonprofits reshaping board of directors practices and policies to fit the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Just as more public companies expect their directors own stock, nonprofits expect an investment as well."

Editorial: Defining roles, responsibilities | Hutchinson Leader

Editorial: Defining roles, responsibilities | Hutchinson Leader: "The focus will be Policy Governance, a registered and trademarked term that defines a set of concepts and principles by which a governing board carries out its activities. The person credited with creating it is John Carver, who has written more than 200 articles and six books on the subject, including “Boards that Make a Difference” and “Reinventing Your Board.”"

A Tug-of-War at Habitat for Humanity

A Tug-of-War at Habitat for Humanity: "Two years into the job, Habitat for Humanity International Chief Executive Jonathan T.M. Reckford is priming the homebuilding charity for a growth spurt. For more than three decades, Habitat has relied on a sparse, three-page document to outline its relationship with affiliates. But now it's putting the final touches on a 26-page agreement that Reckford says will protect the Habitat brand, create uniform standards and consistency among affiliates, and assure financial accountability to donors."

To survive, non-profits must manage governance -- themorningcall.com

To survive, non-profits must manage governance -- themorningcall.com:

"We could dwell on the rancor and recriminations that accompany this tragic loss, which will remain a painful wound for years to come. But, more productively, we can analyze this sad episode as a case study and identify lessons that can be applied in the future not only to other local arts organizations, some of which are clearly struggling with similar issues, but to any non-profit board, as well. Term limits, term limits, term limits. I cannot stress it enough. Even the most devoted, well-meaning board members get tired or run out of ideas. Reasonable term limits require the organization to find new board members with fresh ideas, people not tied to the ''same old-same old.'' No board member is indispensable. If he or she is, then the board is dysfunctional. If it can't attract new board members, then it had better go back and check whether the organization is viable."

Controversial CEO to Leave Smithsonian Business Ventures - washingtonpost.com

Controversial CEO to Leave Smithsonian Business Ventures - washingtonpost.com: "Controversial CEO to Leave Smithsonian Business Ventures

By James V. Grimaldi and Jacqueline Trescott
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 17, 2007; Page A01

Gary M. Beer, the founding chief executive of the Smithsonian's business unit and architect of a controversial deal with Showtime Networks Inc., has announced plans to leave amid internal and congressional inquiries into his management, expense account and promotions of a female subordinate."