Leading with Intent 2017 reveals a problem with board composition

• Date: 01 November 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ban.30558
• Published date: 01 November 2017

Editor: Jeff Stratton

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View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com • DOI: 10.1002/ban

Diversity on the decline on boards

In a webinar titled “The Declining Diversity of

Nonprofit Boards and What to Do About It,” three

nonprofit experts shared why board diversity mat-

ters and how to improve diversity on your board.

BoardSource’s biennial survey drew about

1,800 responses. 1,400 from CEOs and about 400

from board chairs.

President and CEO Anne Wallestad of Board-

Source said board composition is 84 percent Cau-

casian, with 90 percent of CEOs and chairs white.

That is little changed from the previous survey

two years ago and from the first survey in 1994 as

well, she said.

Wallestad said results showed 65 percent of

CEOs are dissatisfied with the racial makeup of

Leading with Intent 2017 reveals a problem

with board composition

BoardSource’s Leading with Intent: 2017 Na-

tional Index of Nonprofit Board Practices identified

several key findings, including “that two particu-

lar board characteristics matter most: the board’s

understanding of its roles and responsibilities, and

the board’s ability to work as a collaborative team

toward shared goals.”

BoardSource President and CEO Ann Wallestad

wrote in a recent blog post about a call to action

for the nonprofit sector based on some troubling

news for boards from Leading with Intent:

“While there are some encouraging trends

worth highlighting—most notably, a significant

expansion of board engagement in advocacy—

the study also laid bare some disturbing truths

about board attitudes and actions regarding

racial diversity.”

Wallestad wrote more on this topic in a Nonprof-

it Quarterly article: “What comes next will vary for

different organizations. What we’re looking for here

is no mere surface-level diversity, [but] an actual

identity change through an expansion of mindset.”

BoardSource found the following in Leading

with Intent 2017:

• With current recruitment practices and pri-

orities, the lack of diversity on boards is unlikely

to change.

• Boards are beginning to embrace their roles

as advocates for their missions.

• Strong understanding of programs is linked

to stronger engagement, strategy and external

leadership—including fundraising.

• Boards that regularly assess their perfor-

mance do better on core responsibilities.

To download Leading with Intent 2017, go to

http://goo.gl/2GvaL2. ■

November 2017 Vol. 34, No. 3 Editor: Jeff Stratton

continued on page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Diversity on the decline on boards 1

Executive Continuity File—Excerpted 6

Review mission, values and strategic

priorities during new-member orientation 8