Every new non-profit reaches an age where the founders realize they need additional hands, advice and more direction. This is when many set up a board of directors. Not all boards are exactly the same. In fact, there is a wide spectrum of governance models that can be used to ensure your charitable organization is properly run and meets its stated goals.
One of the most popular models of governance for nonprofits is an advisory model. This allows the executive director to talk with a group of advisors regularly to get suggestions on how to run a nonprofit. The governing board could be different or the same from the advisory board based on the guidelines agreed on. The cooperative governance model is another common model. This is a highly democratic system which distributes power evenly among all board members. It is ideal for organizations who are not legally required to have an executive director.
The Policy Board Model is also very popular. The model for governance was devised by John Carver and is a excellent tool for creating guidelines that management and the board have to follow.
While all of these are great models, they may not be the perfect option for your nonprofit. It is typical for nonprofits to employ one central governance model and develop additional models to meet the needs of their organizations. This mix of systems can help your organization to grow and achieve its goals.