Webinar on smarter financial oversight, ways to use custom fields, and more

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What's the secret to smarter boards? It's strong oversight.

Financial and risk oversight isn’t just a responsibility — it’s the foundation that lets nonprofit boards seize opportunities, weather challenges and deliver on their promise to their communities.

This month, check out our financial oversight guide and accompanying cheat sheet. From budgeting and audits to risk management and compliance, these resources break down complex topics into actionable steps, helping board members understand their fiduciary responsibilities to monitor financial health and other risks with confidence.

Patrick Downes of Governance Ireland challenges boards to broaden their view on risk — from financial oversight to reputational resilience. In his guest blog post, he explores how risk can be a strategic tool, not just a defensive one. “It’s not just about what could go wrong.”

Fine-tune board access with BoardEffect’s permission controls

BoardEffect’s permission controls allow administrators to manage who can view, edit or share specific content. This ensures sensitive board materials are only accessible to authorized users, enhancing security and confidentiality.

With features like Restricted Reviewers, administrators can assign access to specific agenda items and set deadlines for feedback. These controls streamline workflows while maintaining oversight and accountability.

Supporting young women: Margaret Tucker Hostel’s governance journey with BoardEffect

The Margaret Tucker Hostel for Girls adopted BoardEffect to improve board efficiency and governance. With streamlined access to meeting materials and secure communication, board members now stay more organized and focused on strategic priorities.

BoardEffect has helped the hostel enhance transparency and engagement, supporting its mission to empower young Aboriginal women. Intuitive tools make board collaboration smoother and more impactful.

“I have enjoyed working in the platform for the past almost 12 months. I find it easy to move around in and there is help in the platform when I need that. I was able to use the help library a lot after my first training to further familiarize myself with the functions that I need to find out more about.” — Worrelle Blow, Manager, Margaret Tucker Hostel for Girls

Read the whole case study here.

News and Events

[Webinar] Beyond the budget: Smarter financial and risk oversight

September 16, 2025, 9:30 AM EDT

Strong financial oversight is essential — but for many boards, managing budgets is just one piece of a much larger risk picture. From outdated data to staffing gaps, from cybersecurity threats to donor confidence, the risks that surround your board’s financial decisions are more complex than ever.

In this panel discussion, experts will share how boards are approaching financial oversight more holistically — simplifying data, closing visibility gaps, strengthening accountability and equipping members to manage risk in real time.

Whether you’re a board chair, executive or administrator, you’ll leave with practical strategies to help your board feel more prepared, more aligned and more confident in its financial oversight role.

Register now to save your spot — even if you can't attend, we'll email you the recording!

Catch up on recent webinars, available to watch on demand:

• Getting your nonprofit board on the same page: Strategies for alignment, communication & collaboration
• Developing high-impact boards: Skills, strategies & tools you need
• Navigating AI risks & governance: What your nonprofit board should know

More nonprofit events for your calendar for the rest of the year.

Upcoming seasonal events to celebrate with your board

• September is Intergenerational Month with the goal to connect generations. Your organization could join in their celebration by bringing volunteers of different ages together to work on a project. You could also describe how generations are already working together within your nonprofit to become friends and learn from one another while supporting the community.
• September is also National Insider Threat Awareness Month , a good time to educate staff and board members about the danger of insider threats and how to handle sensitive information.
• 6 September: International Day of Charity commemorates the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who dedicated her life to improving life for the poor. The goal of this event is to encourage people to set the day aside to do some good. Your organization may decide to encourage people to give of their time or money as a way of celebrating this event.
• 15 September-15 October: Hispanic Heritage Month. Storytelling can be a powerful medium. Consider interviewing your Latino staff and volunteers, members, and donors, and with their permission, tell the stories of how they contribute to the work of your mission.

More special events to celebrate this year here and download the full seasonal calendar for free here to share with your board.

Celebrating our Community Champions

Congratulations to Mary Figueredo, Senior Executive Assistant to the General Secretary at Wespath Benefits and Investments! Mary is being recognized this month as one of our Community Champions. Would you like to nominate someone for our Diligent Community Champions? Nominate your champion here!

People of Purpose: Meet Pia Roper

This month, we’re proud to highlight a team member whose genuine passion for client success and building strong connections inspires us every day.

Pia Roper is a Customer Success Manager for BoardEffect, and her journey with Diligent spans nearly a decade. Find out what drives Pia in her role and what she likes to do outside of work!

What's trending

Our pick of the newest and most popular items on our blog this month:

1. Make admin work easier with BoardEffect’s custom fields
2. Optimizing board engagement: Leveraging collaboration solutions for nonprofit success
3. 10 reasons you know you’re a nonprofit board administrator

Give your feedback and win!

We love to hear what leaders think about issues and key topics that affect mission-driven organizations. Please take a moment to fill out our latest quick survey on the topic of community engagement for the chance to win a $50 gift card!