Knowledge
Governance
Governance of nonprofit organisations is in the midst of a long term transformation which includes:
- A clearer distinction between the roles of management and governance
- Increased accountability for the work of the organisation
- Recognition of the importance of excellent relationships between Chairs and Chief Executives
- Focussed recruitment to meet the specific skills and experiences required by the board
- Committees that focus on governance issues, rather than mirroring the management structure
- Improved induction, training and support for board members.
Organisations are consequently putting much greater effort into governance and expecting higher value from their boards.
There is a huge literature in the UK and the USA on increasing board effectiveness and a great deal of information available from the web. We have only included a small selection of the best materials in the sections below.
More on Governance
Recent Developments in Governance.
Compass Board Audit.
Learning from Governance Projects.
Choosing Board Membership.
Magazines on Governance
Governance, Plaza Publishing
www.charitygovernance.co.uk
An excellent magazine full of advice, practical experirnce and latest developments
It sets out board responsibilities, describes the processes required to
support an effective board and includes examples of role descriptions and
board policies.
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Books on Governance
The Good Trustee Guide
NCVO, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-7199-1767-7
This book contains practical information on many aspects of
trustees’s roles including legal, management and financial
responsibilities. It also gives guidance on developing an effective
board.
Governance as Leadership
Richard P Chait, William P Ryan, Barbara E Taylor, BoardSource and Wiley, New Jersey 2005
ISBN: 0471684201
In this book these three US academics / consultants reframe the purpose and practice of governance by drawing on leadership and organisation framework theories.
They describe three modes of governance - fiduciary, strategic, and generative. Their focus is on the last, which they argue is too often missing and which involves
creating the framework within which issues will be viewed, creating meaning, and sense-making. They offer directions as to how to pursue this generative mode at board level.
Websites on Governance
BoardSource (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards)
www.boardsource.org
This is the site of the nonprofit organisation in the US that works
exclusively to support the development of good governance. It has a
great deal of material that is applicable in most countries.
Go to the BoardSource website...
Reports on Governance
Good Governance
A code for the Voluntary and Community Sector, October 2010
The widely respected code setting out principles and what organisations need to do to meet them.
Chief Executives on Governance
ACEVO 2007
The report of the Commissioning Inquiry including recommendations for chairs and chief executives, the sector and its umbrella bodies and for regulators.
Trustee Recruitment, Selection and Induction
Charity Commission Regulatory Study, 2002
Research undertaken by the Commission combined with experience from
charities that run into difficulties leads to a rich source of and advice
from the Charity Commission.
This free 45 page report is valuable fro anyone wanting to delve into
recruitment, selection and induction of trustees.
Download from the Charity Commission...
Chapters on Governance
Managing Without Profit
Mike Hudson, Directory of Social Change, 2009
Theory and practical examples on the governance of medium sized and larger
organisations.
Chapter 2 Establishing appropriate governance structures
Chapter 3 Clarifying the roles of governance
Chapter 4 Making governance processes work effectively
Managing at the Leading Edge
Mike Hudson, Directory of Social Change, 2003
Chapter 7 Strengthening governance
Latest learning from Mike’s research in the US is set out in a
chapter entitled ‘Strengthening Governance’.