by Dave Monaco, moss+ross Partner
Through our work with hundreds of nonprofits and thousands of board leaders, we’ve seen that nonprofit boards are filled with committed people. Yet many boards still struggle with the clarity, engagement, and strategic focus needed to govern effectively and maximize organizational impact.
To support our experience-based observations with data, moss+ross has recently conducted qualitative and quantitative research on nonprofit board effectiveness, drawing insights from board members, nonprofit executives, and funders (who often experience both sides of board leadership). At the heart of this targeted inquiry are questions such as:
- In today’s environment, what are the most important competencies for board effectiveness?
- In what areas are volunteer and staff leaders aligned, and where are they not?
- What type of outcome-directed learning would help address gaps?
As service to our clients and the nonprofit sector, we’ve captured several of the most important insights in a short brief along with a set of questions we are continuing to pursue. A summary follows, based on:
- A moss+ross survey of 150+ nonprofit leaders – Executive Directors/CEOs and board members in roughly equal proportion – to better understand governance needs, board member readiness, and current recruitment practices;
- Structured input from 10 funder partners to identify ways to support nonprofit board partnerships among individuals and organizations;
- Benchmarks against six leading board training programs;
- Credentials in nonprofit leadership earned by many on the moss+ross team, including my own Certificate for Nonprofit Board Consulting from BoardSource.
Board members, nonprofit executives, and funders are aligned on the greatest needs. The key themes are all related to governance: fundraising, accountability, role clarity, strategy, and financial stewardship.
A preparation story, not a deficit story. What has emerged is a capacity-building story for board members who bring skills, networks, and a desire to serve. The opportunity is in bridging gaps in how boards are formed and how they are prepared and engaged so their strengths become a reliable path into governance action. In the survey, board members emphasized needs for readiness and onboarding; ED/CEOs named need for contribution, both in fundraising and engagement.
Strong Board and ED/CEO partnerships matter. A strong board helps a nonprofit become more effective, sustainable, and mission-focused. Respondents are focused on shared outcomes that clarify roles and foster a culture of engagement among the nonprofit’s volunteer and staff leadership.
Our Next Step: BoardReady, Coming Soon
Based on these findings, and in partnership with our 10 North Carolina funders, moss+ross is developing the BoardReady program, a multi-session, cohort-based learning experience to prepare individuals and organizations for effective board service. The program will begin as a pilot with an invited cohort in Fall 2026 and be open for applications in 2027. This new approach to practical learning and application combines virtual and in-person learning and will strengthen the ability of board members and nonprofit executives to lead with greater impact.
The strength of the BoardReady program is in the voices of participants in our data collection and pilot program, and in the perspectives and support provided by our funding partners: Triangle Community Foundation; Margaret Bratton; United Way Greater Triangle; Ward and Smith; A.J. Fletcher Foundation; North Carolina Community Foundation; Lonni & Carole Poole Family Foundation; TowneBank; Phil and Gretchen Kowalczyk; The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.
We will continue to share our research and results from the pilot program in the moss+ross newsletter. If you know of others who would be interested in the BoardReady program, please encourage them to sign up for the email newsletter so they can be notified as well.