I’m about to step into a new board role. Like most in the nonprofit sector, it’s unpaid.
I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity and grateful for a strong start: a comprehensive onboarding pack, clear calls, and thoughtful preparation. But I also know this is not the norm.
Across the nonprofit sector, boards hold enormous responsibility. They approve strategy, hire (and fire) CEOs, safeguard finances, and ultimately steward the mission. Done well, they should be an organisation’s greatest asset.
And yet, too often, boards are underutilised or worse, underperforming.
What CEOs Need from Their Boards
The worst thing for a CEO is a board that just nods.
Good governance isn’t about rubber-stamping decisions. It’s about balance: being both supportive and challenging. The best boards:
- Push leaders to think differently.
- Bring fresh perspectives.
- Hold them accountable.
But it cuts both ways. As Holden Karnofsky wrote in
“Boards are weird. They don’t work the way most other institutions work, but they play a crucial role in making sure nonprofits are accountable and well-run.”
When boards only agree, leaders miss out on critical challenge. When boards only challenge, they erode trust. The art is in doing both.
The Commitment Question
Most non-profit boards are unpaid, rooted in volunteerism and mission-driven service. But commitment must mean more than lending your name to a letterhead.
Ask yourself:
- Have you read the board pack?
- Do you attend meetings consistently - especially when dates were shared months in advance?
- Do you understand your fiduciary responsibilities - knowing when to probe, dig deeper, or test financials rather than just accept the narrative?
When board members don’t show up fully prepared, the entire organisation loses.
A number of CEOs and board members I’ve spoken with wonder whether boards should be paid - even a small amount. Would compensation, however modest, create stronger accountability? I know from my own experience on a for-profit board that I showed up differently when I was being paid. I felt a greater responsibility to add value, not just participate.
Boards Must Evolve as Organisations Evolve
One of the biggest mistakes I see? Boards that stay the same while their organisations change.
The skills and experiences needed for a startup NGO are not the same as those required for an organisation at scale. Governance must look forward to the organisation’s future, not just its past.
That means:
- Refreshing board composition to bring in needed expertise (digital, policy, finance, fundraising).
- Introducing term limits or renewal processes.
- Actively seeking diversity of thought, background, and lived experience.
An organisation that evolves without an evolving board is running with one hand tied behind its back.
Where We’re Falling Short
Compensation is only one piece of the puzzle. Paid or not, the real question is: are we setting boards up to succeed?
Too often, the answer is no.
- Too little investment in onboarding, renewal cycles, or ongoing learning.
- Lack of clarity on when to guide, when to challenge, and when to step back.
- Rarely asking whether the volunteer model limits diversity, accountability, or calibre of oversight.
COVID taught us that so much can be done remotely and it can. During that period, I moved from four in-person board meetings (far too many) to two. And even now, I realise two is still a lot in the NGO sector.
But while in-person costs more, you get far more out of it. Not just the formal meetings, but the side conversations, the deeper understanding of the work, and the chance for strategic sessions with wider team members. In-person isn’t an expense - it’s an investment that pays.
Why It Matters
Boards aren’t ceremonial. They hold the ultimate responsibility for an organisation’s mission, health, and future. Done well, they can be the strongest lever for impact. Done poorly, they become the quietest liability.
It’s time to ask ourselves as a sector:
- Are we optimising governance, or just maintaining tradition?
- Does the current model enable the oversight NGOs truly need in today’s environment?
- If not, what must change - support structures, expectations, or even compensation?
Finally
5 Questions Every Board Member Should Ask Before a Meeting
- Have I read and understood the board pack fully?
- Do I understand the financials beyond the narrative being presented?
- Where might I need to challenge constructively, not just nod along?
- What fresh perspective or experience can I bring to stretch the team’s thinking?
- Am I clear on my fiduciary role and prepared to uphold it?
5 Questions Every CEO Should Ask About Their Board
- Do I have the right board for where the organisation is heading, not just where it’s been?
- Am I investing enough time in building relationships with board members individually and collectively?
- Is the board focused on looking ahead strategically, rather than getting stuck in the weeds of operations?
- Do I have a growth mindset that welcomes constructive challenge as a way to become a better leader?
- Am I transparent enough - sharing not just successes but also struggles - so the board can truly partner with me?
My mantra as a new board member: show up prepared, be curious, challenge constructively, and support the CEOs (it’s a co-CEO model) as a true partner.
That also means actively brainstorming with the CEOs not just on the formal agenda, but where my strengths align with their needs. I see the CEO/Board Chair/Board relationship as a co-model: side-by-side, navigating together.
I don’t have all the answers. But if we truly believe in impact, we can’t afford to treat boards as an afterthought.
👉 I’d love to hear from you:
What’s worked (or not worked) in your experience of boards?
And what changes would make them the asset they’re meant to be?
Warmly,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Based in Kenya, available globally
