Many small nonprofit organizations use board committees to drive operational work, causing problems for both governance and operations. We see it all the time. Boards have fundraising committees, event planning committees, marketing committees, program committees—but few of these committees are actually effective, and all the while the board is neglecting key governance responsibilities.
There are two main motivations that lead organizations into the trap of driving operational work with board committees. The first is an attempt to “engage” board directors. Board engagement is important, but it should always focus on governance matters; volunteers who would rather be “hands on” should find roles outside the board.
The second driver of operational board committees is a desire to boost staff capacity. An organization with a small staff (or no staff) may feel that leveraging volunteer labour is an important part of functioning and growing. In many cases, organizations would be better served by hiring additional staff, or simply scaling operations to fit their existing capacity. But if volunteer labour is truly needed, it’s best to create operational volunteer roles separate from board volunteer roles.
A helpful principle to follow is that the board should not be directly involved in any area covered by a staff job description. Keeping board roles separate from staff-led operations has many benefits for an organization’s capacity. First and foremost, managing the scope of the board role will help prevent burnout for board directors; volunteers who must manage all of an organization’s governance and do additional operational work will end up stretched too thin.
Building your operational capacity outside of the board also allows an organization to recruit the right volunteers for the right roles. The reality is that those who are well-suited for board work may not be the best fit for marketing, and those who have the expertise to fulfill an operational role may not have the time or interest to serve on the board.
Don’t make it awkward
Moving away from operational board committees will also position your organization for more sustainable growth. We often see new staff roles that “report to” rather than replace operational board committees. These staff have to navigate awkward power dynamics and unnecessary bottlenecks, while committee volunteers feel disengaged and unsure of their role. An operational committee or volunteer role can more naturally transition into (or become a resource for) a staff role, with the staff providing leadership to the volunteers, rather than the other way around.
Although it’s tempting to focus on the board as the hub of organizational growth, relying on board committees to drive operational work creates a capacity trap that is difficult to escape. A decentralized approach that separates board and operational work will both strengthen governance and contribute to a more resilient and effective operational structure.
Nic Gagliardi is your go-to governance nerd with 18 years of experience creating impact and building capacity within the nonprofit sector. As a consultant, Nic provides strategy, governance and HR support to nonprofit organizations that want a new model for success.
email: nicole@riseandrun.co, www.riseandrun.co
