Some of us just can’t get enough of the Wounded Warrior Project scandal, and that includes me. In the same way that people get hooked on a scintillating TV series or book, I’ve been captivated by the onslaught of articles taking aim at WWP. These stories are a constant reminder that the public is...

Based on our most recent field study and national nonprofit index, Leading with Intent, 95 percent of nonprofit organizations have conflict-of-interest policies in place. So, right now, you are asking yourself, “Then why should I read this? I am busy!” The answer is simple: Because many nonprofit...

Which general areas do you think will, or should, concern nonprofit boards the most in 2016? In a “pulse” survey recently conducted by BoardSource and the Nonprofit Quarterly, “General economic uncertainty, increased volatility, and shocks” was identified as the main concern. This issue was one of...

BoardSource’s director of research and evaluation suggests how nonprofit research newcomers and students can best wrestle this beast to the ground and extract value (without too many scars that you wouldn’t want to show around the office).

Staying relevant in a world that is constantly changing is challenging for many nonprofits. To plan for the future and the risks that come with change, best practices direct boards to be inquisitive, think strategically, and remain relevant and connected to their communities. But how can boards,...

I am a millennial. I am a black man. I am a fundraiser. I am a board member (and soon board chair). These are some of the ways I describe myself. Yet, as my experience in the nonprofit sector has deepened, I have discovered that many board leaders describe me a different way:

I am a unicorn.

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Like many nonprofits, BoardSource strives to keep up with the rapidly-evolving world of Big Data, both to increase our own data-based decision-making for continuous improvement internally and to deliver more value to our external community. Recently, this ongoing process has resulted in me becoming...

This past December marked my seven-year anniversary as a member of BoardSource’s leadership team. I came on board in December of 2008, just after we had adopted a new strategic plan — one that focused us on thinking big about the future of board leadership and governance. It adopted some very lofty...

“It really matters who’s in charge.” James Carville spoke these words at the 2015 BoardSource Leadership Forum (BLF), held last November in New Orleans. I attended the conference as a Judith O’Connor Scholar. Even though it’s been several months since the conference took place, I cannot shake the...

In 2014, GuideStar and BoardSource partnered to create a vehicle for nonprofits to share information about how their organizations are governed on the GuideStar Exchange. To date, nearly 11,000 organizations have done so. “Strong governance is vital to a nonprofit’s success,” says Jacob Harold,...