Nonprofit Management Blog
Turning Your SWOT Into a Strategic Plan
Many nonprofit boards and leadership teams complete a SWOT analysis at some point in their organizational journey. It often appears during strategic planning retreats, board development conversations, or early-stage grant readiness work. The exercise is familiar, accessible, and relatively easy to facilitate.
The problem is that many organizations stop there.
From Working Board to Governing Board: Signs It’s Time
Nonprofits often begin with a working board. In the early days, board members aren’t just setting direction; they are helping deliver programs, planning events, managing logistics, and filling whatever gaps the organization cannot yet afford to staff.
That model makes sense in the startup phase. Passionate leaders step in where they are needed, and the board becomes an extension of the organization’s operational capacity.
The Nonprofit Board Evaluation Checklist: 10 Questions Every Board Should Ask Each Year
Strong nonprofit boards rarely become effective by accident. Most boards include thoughtful, committed people who care deeply about the mission. Yet many organizations still experience uneven engagement, unclear roles, and meetings that feel more operational than strategic.
Top 10 KPIs Every Nonprofit Board Should Track
Nonprofit board meetings often include lengthy program updates, financial reports, and committee discussions. Yet many boards still struggle to answer a basic governance question: How do we know if our organization is truly healthy and making progress?
Governance vs. Management: Where Boards Get Confused
If I had a dollar for every time an Executive Director told me their board is “frustrating” (the polite version) or “a nightmare” (the honest version) to work with, I’d have a second funding stream.
Here’s the thing: most boards aren’t trying to overstep. They’re not trying to make an Executive Director’s job harder. In fact, they usually care deeply about the mission and genuinely want to help, but somewhere between good intentions and real-world complexity, the lines between governance and management can blur. And when that happens, even strong organizations start to experience tension, confusion, and burnout.