The Nonprofit Board President: Partner, Leader, and Team Builder
Congratulations! You have been entrusted with the role of nonprofit board president—a position that requires leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to the organization’s mission. Your fellow board members have placed their confidence in your ability to guide, mediate, and advance the organization’s goals. But what does it take to be an effective board president? The answer begins with your partnership with the CEO.
The Board President & CEO Partnership: A Team, Not a Hierarchy
One of the most crucial aspects of a board president’s role is working in tandem with the CEO. In a well-functioning nonprofit, the board president is not the CEO’s boss but rather an advisor, collaborator, and teammate. Together, you shape the organization’s governance, ensuring alignment between strategy and execution while maintaining clear distinctions between governance and management.
A successful board president-CEO relationship is built on trust, mutual respect, and open communication. The CEO is responsible for managing day-to-day operations, while the board president ensures that the board governs effectively. Regular check-ins, shared problem-solving, and a common vision for the organization strengthen this partnership and create a stable foundation for success.
Set the Agenda: Strategy, Governance, and Management
As board president, you play a key role in shaping board meetings to ensure they are strategic, productive, and focused. Setting the agenda in collaboration with the CEO ensures that discussions remain mission-driven and that board members engage in meaningful governance work rather than operational details.
When determining what makes it onto the agenda, ask:
Does this issue align with the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic plan?
Is board-level decision-making required, or is this an operational issue better suited for staff?
Has the CEO or executive team requested board guidance on a high-impact decision?
By thoughtfully curating board agendas, you ensure meetings focus on high-level governance matters rather than getting lost in administrative minutiae.
Run Effective Board Meetings
Board meetings are where strategy and performance is monitored, accountability is reinforced, and collective decision-making happens. As board president, you are responsible for setting the tone and ensuring meetings are efficient, inclusive, and mission-focused.
Create a Culture of Respect: Encourage all board members to come prepared, listen actively, and engage constructively.
Stick to the Agenda: Avoid going down rabbit holes on operational issues. If discussions veer off course, be prepared to speak up and refocus the conversation.
Balance Open Dialogue with Decisiveness: While all voices should be heard, decision-making must remain timely and structured. Help facilitate the group to ensure opinions can be voiced, including those newer or more reluctant to speak up.
Foster a Culture of Learning: Encourage board members to ask questions—and model asking questions yourself! Point folks to resources online, members of staff (where appropriate), and other avenues for deeper learning where deeper discussion is not possible.
Meetings should be a time for meaningful discussion, strategic decision-making, and reinforcing the organization’s purpose.
Navigate Difficult Board Dynamics
Every board encounters challenges, including dissenting voices, difficult personalities, and governance disagreements. As board president, your role is to mediate conflict, ensure respect among members, and uphold the integrity of board discussions.
Address Disruptive Behavior Privately: If a board member consistently disrupts meetings or challenges decisions unproductively, address concerns in a one-on-one conversation rather than in front of the entire board when possible.
Set Expectations Early: Establish clear guidelines for board conduct and reinforce them as needed. This should start in recruitment, be affirmed through through written and signed board agreements, reviewed / reflected on in self assessment annually, and reinforced through modelling and feedbac.
Focus on the Mission: When disagreements arise, redirect discussions to what is best for the organization rather than individual opinions.
An effective board president fosters a culture where diverse perspectives are valued but where decisions are ultimately made in the best interest of the nonprofit.
Serving as the Board Spokesperson
As board president, you may be called upon to speak on behalf of the board, particularly in times of organizational change or crisis. Your role is to provide a unified and transparent message that reflects the board’s collective stance, not just your personal perspective.
Collaborate on Messaging: Work with the CEO and executive team to ensure consistency in external communications. Create space for board input, and ensure other members of the board are aware of messaging.
Be Transparent but Strategic: While honesty builds trust, sensitive information should be handled with discretion.
Stay on Message: Avoid speculation, personal opinions, or off-the-record remarks that could create confusion or misrepresentation. Ensure other board members are trained to point inquiries to you, when appropriate.
By maintaining a composed, professional, and mission-driven approach, you reinforce the credibility of the organization and the board.
Final Thoughts: Leadership for Impact
Being a nonprofit board president is an opportunity to serve as a steward of the organization’s mission, ensuring strong governance, effective leadership, and strategic oversight. By fostering a collaborative partnership with the CEO, running productive meetings, managing board dynamics, and serving as a thoughtful public representative, you can lead with impact and help your nonprofit thrive.
At its core, the role of board president is about teamwork, integrity, and commitment to advancing the organization’s mission. Your leadership sets the stage for a board that is engaged, effective, and fully equipped to drive meaningful change in the nonprofit sector.