For many giving families, the effectiveness of their foundation directly correlates with the skills and traits of the foundation’s board chair.

Successful family foundation board chairs are able to both drive action and manage egos — and are often the difference between a foundation deftly navigating challenging situations and being tripped up by them. It’s a role that needs careful consideration. Those serving in this capacity need the leadership skills needed to run smooth, productive board meetings.

Many of the most thoughtful giving families create a formalized process for choosing a chair. They create a selection process to be used by the Nominating Committee and invite prospective candidates to apply.

To do that, many foundations take the extra step of creating job descriptions that clearly spell out the responsibilities and traits needed to succeed in the role. How you structure that job description will likely depend on the culture of your organization. But there are a number of common responsibilities that you will likely choose to spell out.

Read the full article about finding your board chair from National Center for Family Philanthropy