Survey: Shaping Stronger Boards

Led by Laura Hennighausen, Director of Strategic Philanthropy

In our work with nonprofit organizations, we often see how challenging it can be to keep board members engaged and make the best use of their skills. While boards have important legal responsibilities, do they really meet the needs of staff and organizations? Are expectations for boards too high, or are we just missing the mark in how we collaborate? Could other structures serve nonprofits and their missions better?

Our goal is to explore when and why boards of directors are successful by examining the conditions, structures, and relationships that enable them to meaningfully support mission-driven organizations.

This project will explore questions and highlight leading practices to guide stronger governance. Later this year, Purpose Possible will share what we’ve learned and how we can better support nonprofit boards and the organizations they serve.

We have launched two surveys: one for board members and one for nonprofit staff who work closely with them. If you’re both, we would love to hear from you twice! Your honest insights will help us understand what’s working, what’s challenging, and what nonprofits truly need from their board of directors. Click an option below to take the survey.

This survey is for people who are currently serving, or have previously served, on a nonprofit board of directors. The goal is to better understand what makes a board effective, what challenges can make it unproductive, and what governance structures best support nonprofit staff in their work.

This survey is for nonprofit staff leaders who work closely with their boards of directors. Our goal is to better understand how boards support, or sometimes hinder, organizational success, and what governance structures best empower nonprofit leadership and mission impact.

Would you like to receive the board survey data?
Complete the form below, to get updates when the findings are released.