Pondering risk should inspire confidence and excitement about the possibilities, not excessive handwringing. Here are some practical ways to turn your risk worries into confidence-building conversations.[…]

Dissenting Board Members often get labeled as problematic, when in reality they are an asset. An open exhange of ideas and thoughts makes for a healthy nonprofit. Read this article by Joan Harrington and Ann Skeet of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner, to encourage an array of diverging outlooks in your organization. […]

Recruitment is only the first step in effective board diversity. Organizations must then actively facilitate inclusive conditions to allow for open communication in board meetings. Read this article by Anita Varma of Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner, to learn practices that establish an environment of diverse perspectives. […]

There is more to running an ethical, accountable, and transparent nonprofit than just legal and accounting requirements. Boards of directors can set the tone for the organization by conducting regular reviews of core governing and operating policies and procedures. Check out these four things your board of directors can do to embrace ethical, accountable, and transparent values in the new year.[…]

Ron Barrett, COGENCY GLOBAL's Vice President of Nonprofit Services, reflects on his experience participating in the 2018 Standards for Excellence Institute Licensed Consultant Training.[…]

The Standards for Excellence Institute, an initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations operate more ethically and accountably, announces its 2018 Class of Licensed Consultants. […]

A long-tenured executive director is uncertain about how much longer he intends to stay with his organization and has talked with a few members of the staff about the possibility of leaving. He has not spoken to the board or stated a clear intention, and the board is hesitant to address the issue out of respect. How can this board and executive director act ethically? Read this article from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner based in Santa Clara, CA, to find out.   […]

Disengaged board members fail to meet their ethical obligations to nonprofit organizations. If the executive director believes their nonprofit could raise more funds and serve more people, but the board's lack of engagement is impacting growth, what options are there? Read this article from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner based in Santa Clara, CA, to find out. […]

Boards have an ethical duty to understand and fulfill their responsibilities to a nonprofit, including rigorous financial oversight. If a nonprofit loses $900,000 over eight years due to theft by the executive director, was the board acting unethically?  Check out this article from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Santa Clara, California-based Replication Partner,  to find out.[…]

The Standards for Excellence Institute has been following a news story in Baton Rouge that raises important questions related to best practices in governance and management of nonprofit charitable resources, and provides a sharp example of the importance of embracing best practices, as articulated in the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.[…]