What’s Acceptable, What’s Not? You Ask, We Answer

Anyone new to working at a nonprofit may find themselves wondering what his or her role is in relationship to the board — that entity that has ultimate responsibility for the organization.

  • Can you expect to occasionally see board members around the office and, if so, how should you interact with them?
  • Will you be expected to take direction from them?
  • To collaborate with them on projects?
  • Or are there invisible lines drawn somewhere that delineate the board’s role and the staff’s role — lines that should not be crossed?

Since its founding, BoardSource has fielded hundreds of questions related to the board–staff partnership. While most center on the board–chief executive partnership, many touch on the relationship between the board and staff. Some of the questions are general in nature; others address specific issues and can be quite thorny. In an effort to help those who work at a nonprofit determine what role they play in the board–staff partnership, we present a few of those questions here.

Read more about the Board-Staff Interaction resource at BoardSource.