Guidelines for Improving the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors of Nonprofit Organizations

Reviewed by Crystal Trull, Adjunct Faculty, University of San Diego on 4/30/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This text is somewhat comprehensive in that it covers the different aspects of board service, however more could be added in terms of the legal requirements. This might be difficult because of varying regulations and laws in each country. While fundraising is included, more could be included about the nuts and bolts of financial responsibilities (i.e. how to interpret financial statements, unrelated business tax considerations, etc.). In terms of an index or glossary, there isn't either, but there are resources included in each chapter.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

For the most part, this book is accurate. No glaring errors were noted. And, while it is fairly unbiased, there is a bias toward the authors' "Board Check Up" resources and research.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This text is high level in nature, so it would remain relevant for quite some time. However, it might need updating as the funding environment changes (i.e. government administration policies, economic changes, COVID, etc.) and as new ways of governing become more accepted (i.e. shared leadership, co-directorship, etc.)

Clarity rating: 5

This text is very accessible for the practitioner. It is easy to read and follow. Good use of bullets and section outlines with the Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment approach.

Consistency rating: 5

Overall, this text is consistent in format, language, and flow.

Modularity rating: 3

This text could be broken up into smaller sections, however not by chapter. The material would benefit from grouping similar topics into smaller units. For example, Chapter 6: Structure and Operating Procedures could be combined with Chapter 7: Board Meetings.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Overall, the organization is easy to follow. Some of the resources could be combined in the back as an appendix.

Interface rating: 5

The interface worked well. Each section was accessible and had multiple formats to use (i.e. pdf, download, hyperlink). Downloading the book was also easy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There were no noticeable grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

This text would benefit from more depth around cultural awareness since it uses a Western perspective. This can be useful, but would be helpful to state that up front. While there was discussion around board culture, how the board operates as a unit, more could be included about how race, national culture, and socio economic status is represented on boards. Additionally, incorporate culturally relevant resources and use gender neutral pronouns for greater inclusion.

Comments

Recommend including case studies to bring home the need for boards to understand their role and purpose. By reading about a real-life example, board members could relate to some of the questions and processes included in the text itself. Also, in terms of the resources, it would be helpful to provide some direction about the actual resources themselves: why they are useful and what specifically to look for. Finally, at times, the "Board Check Up" model was mentioned in a way that could seem like marketing. It might be helpful to include the actual assessment tool in the text itself rather than going to an external site.

Reviewed by Dawn Martin, Assistant Professor, Pittsburg State University on 3/31/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The authors utilized a medical check-up model and applied it to the effectiveness of non-profit boards. Based on responses to their research-based, "Board Check-up" instrument, they identify "symptoms" of a problem area, a "diagnosis" (potential factors causing the "illness"), and then propose "treatment(s)" to remedy the problem. The book is organized into chapters for each of 9 "dimensions of governance effectiveness" identified by the authors' research, which comprehensively describe the problematic issues which boards potentially encounter. Links to additional websites, books, and articles are provided at the end of each chapter for additional study and include perspectives from multiple countries.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I reviewed this textbook both from my experience serving as a member and Board Chair of a nonprofit agency, and from my experience working with a volunteer board as the CEO (Superintendent) of a school district. I found myself agreeing with many of the statements included in the Board Check-Up, as well as with the authors' proposed diagnoses and treatments. The authors cite multiple sources which provide support for their conclusions.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The information and materials are timely and can be applied to a variety of non-profit boards ("governance-only," "working boards", or "mixed-model boards"). The materials are free, easy to access, and user-friendly. The authors provide suggestions for structures and procedures which boards can use to address any issues that are identified as a result of the "check-up." Non-profit boards wishing to increase their effectiveness should find this a valuable tool.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is comprehensive, yet brief enough to be used without overwhelming busy volunteer board members. The authors provide sufficient definition and explanation to allow common understanding of terms and concepts.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework and terminology used throughout the text are consistent. Each chapter begins with sample statements from the check-up instrument that identify the symptoms indicative of a problem in that area, followed by the diagnosis and treatment recommendations. The chapter concludes with a table of additional resources.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter of the text is devoted to one of the nine dimensions of governance effectiveness. Thus, it is easy for boards to prioritize and focus on those areas of most concern (based on the check-up results). The tables at the end of each chapter provide quick access to addition resources for each area.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization of the book is clear. Each chapter describes an area of board effectiveness and begins with sample statements from the check-up instrument that identify the symptoms indicative of a problem in that area, followed by the diagnosis and treatment recommendations. The chapter concludes with a table of additional resources.

Interface rating: 5

Charts, tables and links are clear and easily navigated.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is easy to read and well-organized, and free from grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The importance of board diversity is highlighted; especially in Chapter 8, which deals with board member recruitment. A sample Board Member Recruitment Tool is provided (p. 51-52) which identifies multiple diversity considerations. The authors call attention to conscious and unconscious dysfunctions boards may experience as a result of the existing culture of the board.

Comments

This text, and the instrument upon which it is based, are founded on solid research (and experience). The authors invite readers to participate in their research, to take the associated course (for free or for credit), or to join a peer learning group. Kudos to the authors for making this resource free and easily accessible!

Reviewed by Velda Arnaud, Department Chair, Instructor, and Advisor, Blue Mountain Community College on 1/5/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

As a board member for one organization and the executive director for another, I was pleased to read and review this book. Having attended many meetings about nonprofit organizations and the roles and responsibilities of board members, I see all components are included within this book. Additionally, external resources are provided to give much more depth as the readers may need.

There is a table of contents; however, there is neither a glossary nor an index. A glossary, either in each chapter or at the end, would have been useful for terminology. That's something that can be added.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

When I took the demo assessment, I wondered if there was a research study on the responses, and I was pleased that they stated the fact in the introduction and conclusion in the book. The only bias that I found was specific references to the areas where the two authors are located—different states have different requirements.

The only errors that I found were a few typos and outdated web links.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

With so many URLs, there are bound to be problems. I did find some websites that no longer existed, and there were some wording that should be updated to properly reflect the company and the information provided.

Some information is included in multiple sections, and if anything changes, the editor would need to search for other content to update. That could be time consuming.

State-specific rules and regulations would need to be added to make sure that all of the board member's responsibilities are covered.

Clarity rating: 5

The language is very readable, and I appreciate the resources that are provided. The one about the importance of bylaws will be shared with coworkers and board members because many people do not realize that lawsuits may arise when bylaws are not followed.

As stated previously, a glossary for terminology would be helpful. That could be a resource that is developed when someone else modifies the book.

Consistency rating: 5

The content is consistent, although, at times, it is difficult to read. There needs to be more white space for readability. Also, there is only one figure in the introduction. In several areas, a figure or graphic could help demonstrate how concepts are connected. Tables are included, but those are not as visual.

Modularity rating: 4

The chapters are organized and divided neatly; however, there is too much content within each chapter to be used with an active board. The content could likely be used "as is" within a course. There are subheadings such as symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, but board members would be overwhelmed with so much content.

Strategies or game plans for activities and discussions would help implementing new ideas. Once again, a glossary with definitions would help begin discussions with board members. For example, in chapter 2, the roles of board members (decision-maker, advisor, or implementer) would need to be described with examples in order to prompt a discussion about the current state of the board before discussion about the desired state.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Overall, the structure is very well done. There is a nice flow between the chapters. The first chapter outlines the organization of the book and how to use it. The final chapter includes next steps and ideas for moving forward.

As stated previously, more figures would help the visual learner better understand the concepts.

Interface rating: 4

The different fonts and font sizes bothered me, somewhat. The tables were awkward to read, and I would have preferred a different format than the banded rows. It is unclear what writing format is being used. Also, the fact that the tables bleed into the margin makes it difficult when printing and binding the document.

Some of the spacing is tight, which decreases readability. Personally, I would have eliminated the hyphenation because that also decreases readability.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found a few typos in the text, but otherwise, there was nothing horribly wrong with the grammar. As mentioned previously, there are a few broken web links, but those would need to be reviewed annually anyway.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

There is nothing culturally offensive in this book. In fact, they clearly state that a board should represent the diversity within the community, which many boards do not. In several sections the culture of the organization and board are mentioned, and those are important to remember as board membership changes.

Comments

I will be using parts of this book with my fellow board members, and I will create glossary definitions for the items we will use.

Reviewed by Anne Douds, Assistant Professor, Gettysburg College on 2/23/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This very practical book is more of a practice guide than a textbook, which is quite useful for teaching policy analysis. The authors present the content in clean, accessible language and cover all key aspects of nonprofit board management. I will use this book for students studying nonprofit policy and/or conducting program evaluations in nonprofit organizations.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book will have a long shelf life because it presents general principles that endure. It can be supplemented with case studies to keep it fresh.

Clarity rating: 5

Clean, clear language.

Consistency rating: 5

Internally consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

Well divided with logical sebsections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Very well organized.

Interface rating: 5

I did not have any problems navigating through the book.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

No issues.

Reviewed by Uzma Khan, Professor , MOBIUS on 1/13/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book provides a detailed overview of nonprofit board assessment. Each chapter deals with an important aspect of board effectiveness, and analyzes it in detail. The approach used for analysis is made easier to understand by using an approach used in medicine; clarify symptoms, diagnose the condition and then formulate the treatment. Each chapter follows the same format and has a table giving additional resources. This book may be helpful to students , as well as to people who are starting, or have started small nonprofits and want to increase effectiveness of the board. The book has a complementary website boardcheck.com. however, even without using it the book provides detailed information. There is some repetition, but by doing that each chapter gives complete information about the topic independently, which may help someone trying to get an answer quickly by reading the specific chapter.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The information is accurate and unbiased. The authors have identified that different countries have different rules, and encouraged use of country specific resources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The information is relevant, and each chapter has links to country specific resources that are up to date.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is written well, in a conversational manner. In each chapter, there are simple questions to ask to clarify the symptoms, and then the possible answers are reviewed before the treatment section. This format is easy to follow, and may also be helpful in a classroom setting. The book favors use of text heavily, more tables, and possibly some flow charts may be helpful.

Consistency rating: 5

The easy to follow " health check up" format is clarified in the beginning by the authors, and is followed consistently in each chapter. This is very helpful for the reader who may not have a background in leadership or management.

Modularity rating: 4

The book has 11 chapters, with the first chapter describing the authors approach, and the last a short conclusion. Chapters 2 to 10 address a different aspect of the nonprofit board and can be used as a textbook, or as separate chapters for reference. The book deals with nonprofit boards, but the principles can be applied to other scenarios and boards as well, especially the chapters dealing with meetings, vculture and leadership.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is well organized, and each chapter leads into the next chapter easily. Some more well designed tables and a few flow charts may improve the organization of each chapter.

Interface rating: 4

The book has no interface issues or distortion. There are some places where the paragraphs are too long, and a separate paragraph would make it easier to read.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are no grammatical errors in the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. The authors have provided general examples relatable to a wide audience, and have provided references applicable to different countries.

Comments

This bok would be a good resource for students , and may also be helpful for people who do not have a background in management but want to participate in boards or leadership activities.

Reviewed by Julianne Gassman, Associate Professor, University of Northern Iowa on 2/8/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook does a nice job of describing the basic roles and responsibilities of a board of directors for nonprofit organizations. All of the basic roles and responsibilities of most boards are discussed. The authors outline a conceptual framework that illustrates how contextual factors influence the governance process and organization’s effectiveness. It is also helpful at the end of each chapter there are additional resources outlined for each topic. However, this text fails in outlining the three basic duties of board members. While these duties are not specific, and do not align with a specific topic, such as planning or fundraising, it is important that board members understand their duty of care, duty of obedience and duty of loyalty. The authors do outline the limitations of this textbook, but it would still be helpful to briefly describe the duties of board members.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The information in the textbook is accurate. I did not note any bias and the information appears to be current and error-free.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The understanding by board of directors of their roles and responsibilities is vitally important to the success and effectives of an organization. This textbook is certainly relevant and the information is current. I will emphasize that this textbook is basic and does not (although maybe not intended to) encourage board members to “think outside the box”. I think being entrepreneurial in the nonprofit sector is more and more important and updates should include the board’s role in learning entrepreneurial initiatives.

Clarity rating: 5

The information in the textbook is clear, understandable, and describes well any content unique to the nonprofit sector.

Consistency rating: 4

The information in the text is consistent. The authors clearly explain that the information is outlined in a systems, diagnosis, and treatment format and this is done consistently throughout the text. One matter of concern regarding consistency is the beginning of each chapter. The best start to chapters is when the authors first describe the symptoms, provide a checklist of items to consider and then summarize by themes the items. This is not done in each chapter and those chapters that do, are a bit more thorough.

Modularity rating: 5

The modularity of the textbook is great. Each chapter and even sections within chapters can be understood in smaller reading sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization, structure and flow of this textbook and logical and clear. Each chapter follows in a consistent order. The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment framework was followed for each topic, making the organization and flow easy for the reader.

Interface rating: 5

Visually the book was appealing. The imagines and charts were easy to read. In a few places a space could be inserted between image and start of the content. Overall, well done.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook is extremely relevant. The work of nonprofit organizations is vitally important to the health and well-being of communities and the governance of organizations sets the stage for the effectiveness of the organization. Many community members are asked to sit on boards without a clear understanding of what they are agreeing to do. In addition, I also don’t necessarily think executive directors know all the work of board members should be doing. Developing resources and various frameworks to assist board chairs and executive directors in developing their board members is beneficial. This textbook provides a framework that is parallel to health checkups for individuals. This provides a method for doing a health checkup for the board of directors which directly relates to the mission, strategic planning and financial well-being of organizations.

Comments

The purpose of this book is to help a board of director improve their performance. I support of this textbook, an online board self-assessment tool can be found at www.boardcheckup.com. This took is easily accessible and straight forward to complete. It seems that to be most effective having a board of directors complete the survey and use this textbook to understand the symptoms, diagnosis problems, and most importantly treat the problems of a board of directors.