The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process from Coursera

The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary. Nevertheless,it is our hope that much of the course content will still be of value to those in other parts of the world.

To learn more about this course, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://goo.gl/aAMIfl.

Keywords: Nonprofit; Nonprofit Sector; Voluntary Sector; Nonprofit Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Volunteer Organizations, Leadership, Management, Governance, Board, Board of Directors, Performance, Effectiveness

Course 3 Overview:

Week 1: This week's questions: What factors influence the effectiveness of board meetings? What are the formal procedures and structures within the board that impact its performance? What can a board do to intentionally improve the way it structures itself and runs its decision making meetings?

Week 2: This week's questions: What do we mean by board composition and development and why is it important? Why is it difficult to change the composition of the board? How do you design the ideal mix of board members? How do you locate, recruit and develop board members?

Week 3: This week's questions: What do we mean by the "culture" of the board and why is it important? How do boards develop and pass along culture? Can board cultures be intentionally changed? What is the role of leadership in shaping board culture? What do effective nonprofit leaders involved in governance do? How can leadership be managed for higher performance?

Week 4: At this stage, you are asked to review the course content, submit a written assignment (known lightheartedly as a BEAR (Board Effectiveness Readiness Assessment), and take two multiple choice Readiness Assurance Tests (known similarly as RATs). One RAT will assess knowledge and reading comprehension and the other will test application of knowledge within a practical case.

Week 5: We will encourage you to discuss the RATs in the discussion forums and take them again should you wish to change any of your answers based on the information exchanged.

What's inside

Syllabus

Board Operating Procedures, Structures, and Meetings

Hello and welcome to Course 3 in the series of courses on Improving Leadership and Governance in Nonprofit Organizations! The focus of this course is on the often unrecognized influences on how well a board carries out its governance role and responsibilities. The goal of the first week is to address several important questions related to two key influences on board behavior: the board’s operating procedures and structures and board meetings. Some of the key questions we will explore this week are: What factors influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors? What are board procedures and structures and why are they important? What issues challenge the effectiveness of board meetings? What can be done to increase governance effectiveness? These questions form the basis of the video lecture and content in Chapters 6 and 7 of our SUNY Open Textbook, Guidelines for Improving the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors of Nonprofit Organizations. We look forward to helping you learn more about some of the factors that influence leadership and governance effectiveness this week!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines specific leadership problems faced by nonprofit board members

Explores the mechanics and structures of nonprofit board meetings

Provides guidance on the best board member selection processes

Evaluates beneficial professional development paths for board members

Explores the role of leadership in shaping board culture

Teaches theoretical models that shape board cultures

Reviews summary

Factors for effective nonprofit boards

According to learners, this course offers a highly relevant and well-structured exploration of key factors influencing the effectiveness of nonprofit boards. Students particularly valued the content on board procedures, composition, and culture, finding it provided actionable insights applicable to real-world governance challenges. While the assessment methods (RATs and BEARs) were sometimes mentioned as requiring adjustment, the overall consensus indicates a valuable learning experience, especially for those involved in or aspiring to roles on nonprofit boards. Many appreciate the depth of coverage provided by the course materials and lectures.

RATs and BEAR assignments are notable.

"The RATs and BEAR assignments were interesting ways to test knowledge."

"Found the BEAR assignment helpful for reflecting on my own board."

"The Readiness Assurance Tests (RATs) required careful attention to detail."

"Some found the assessment format challenging initially."

Tailored specifically for nonprofit boards.

"Excellent course specifically designed for those in the nonprofit sector."

"Highly recommend for anyone serving on or working with a nonprofit board."

"The context is clearly set within nonprofit governance."

"Acknowledged the North American context but still valuable globally."

Clear and organized learning modules.

"The course is well-structured and easy to follow week by week..."

"Appreciated the clear organization of topics and materials."

"The flow from one week to the next made sense and built understanding."

Insights directly applicable to board work.

"The information provided was highly relevant to my work on a nonprofit board..."

"I found the content very applicable to the governance issues our organization faces."

"This course gave me practical tools and strategies I could apply immediately."

"Gained valuable insights into improving board performance."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process with these activities:

Review Course Syllabus

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Familiarize yourself with the course structure, goals, and expectations to prepare for the upcoming learning journey.

Browse courses on Board Effectiveness

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Read the course syllabus
Identify the key topics and learning objectives
Plan your study schedule

Compile a Resource Guide on Board Best Practices

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Enhance your knowledge and stay updated on current board best practices by compiling a comprehensive resource guide.

Browse courses on Board Effectiveness

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Research and identify credible sources of information
Summarize and organize key findings
Create a structured resource guide

Write a Board Culture Assessment

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Gain practical experience in assessing the culture of a nonprofit board and identify areas for improvement.

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Research best practices in board culture assessment
Conduct interviews and surveys with board members
Analyze the data and identify key findings
Write a comprehensive report outlining your assessment and recommendations

Two other activities

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Show all five activities

Participate in a Nonprofit Board Internship

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Gain hands-on experience in the functioning of nonprofit boards and contribute to the organization's mission.

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Identify nonprofit organizations that align with your interests
Inquire about internship opportunities
Attend board meetings and participate in discussions
Contribute to board-related projects and initiatives

Facilitate a Board Simulation

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Develop your leadership skills by facilitating a simulated board meeting and guiding participants through discussions on common governance challenges.

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Prepare a scenario and discussion points
Recruit and brief participants
Facilitate the simulation
Lead a debriefing session

Career center

Learners who complete The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Board Chair

Board Chairs lead the rest of the board, and set the tone of the board's meetings. They are responsible for ensuring that meetings are focused and productive, and move smoothly along. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you learn how to be an effective Board Chair by improving the way you structure meetings and manage the people on your board.

See salaries and explore the career path for Board Chair

Board Member

Board Members fulfill a critical role of governance within their organizations, and they must exercise due dilligence to ensure that their organization is run properly. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you to be an effective board member by giving you the tools and techniques needed to improve the board's structure and practices.

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Nonprofit Executive Director

Nonprofit Executive Directors serve as the CEO of their organizations, and are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, and the implementation of the board's policies. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you to understand your role as a Nonprofit Executive Director by providing you with a framework to improve the effectiveness of your board, and by extension, your entire organization.

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Nonprofit Program Manager

Nonprofit Program Managers may oversee large portions of their organization's operations, and they are responsible for working with the board, and implementing the policies and procedures of the organization. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you become a more effective Nonprofit Program Manager by strengthening your ability to interact with the board, and to build you skills in governance.

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Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers are responsible for overseeing some of the day-to-day operations of an organization, and they must be familiar with the policies and procedures of their organization, and the role of the board of directors. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you become a more effective manager by understanding how you can improve the board's efficiency, and thereby improve the overall performance of the organization.

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Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator

Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinators must be able to work with the board and staff of their organization to facilitate the participation of volunteers. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process can help you to be a more effective Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator by improving your understanding of the role of the board, and by giving you better tools to communicate with the board.

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Fundraiser

Fundraisers help nonprofit organizations to raise money. They work closely with the board, and must understand the organization's mission and goals. The course may help you work more effectively with boards, and to increase your fundraising skills.

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Grant Writer

Grant Writers help nonprofit organizations to secure funding from foundations and government agencies. They must be able to understand the organization's mission and goals, and to write persuasive grant proposals. The course may be helpful to provide you with tools and techniques that can help you better work with boards and to strengthen your skills for grant writing.

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Nonprofit Consultant

Nonprofit Consultants provide advice and support to nonprofit organizations. They must be able to understand the organization's mission and goals, and to help the organization improve its operations. The course may help you to be a more effective consultant by providing you with a framework to improve the effectiveness of boards, and by extension, your entire organization.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts research and analyze public policy issues. They may work for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or private companies. The course can help in this career by teaching about how to work effectively with boards and stake holders, as well as to improve governance practices.

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Program Evaluator

Program Evaluators assess the effectiveness of programs and services. They may work for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or private companies. The course can help in this career by providing the knowledge of governance practices, which can be applied to the evaluation of programs and services.

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Researcher

Researchers conduct research on a variety of topics. They may work for universities, government agencies, or private companies. The course can help in this career by providing a foundation in governance and leadership.

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Social Worker

Social Workers help people to overcome social and economic problems. They may work for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or private companies. The course may be useful to help build leadership and governance skills, which can be applied to working with clients and advocating for social change.

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Teacher

Teachers educate students in a variety of subjects. They may work for public schools, private schools, or colleges and universities. The course may be useful to help develop leadership and governance skills that can be applied to the classroom and to improving the school or district.

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Writer

Writers create written content for a variety of purposes. They may work for newspapers, magazines, websites, or other organizations. The course may be useful to help you develop leadership and governance skills that can be applied to writing about these topics.

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