Is your board ready for the unexpected, customisable reporting has arrived and more.

Listen to our "Leading with purpose" podcast episodes all about board development here.

Smarter planning beyond budgets

Boards often focus on what's in the budget — but what about the important stuff that isn’t? Things like leadership changes, crisis planning or new regulations can generate unexpected costs that quickly add up.

Need help getting started? Check out our tips for why planning for non-budget items is just as important as managing the numbers. And we have a comprehensive guide for the steps to take to spot and plan for these often-overlooked priorities. It’s a great way to keep your board ready for whatever comes next.

Build smarter reports that reflect what matters most

BoardEffect’s Customisable Reporting gives administrators the flexibility to build reports that reflect the unique needs and strategic priorities of their organization. With this feature, you can Create custom reports using the metrics and fields that matter most to your board.

Use the customisable reporting feature to create your own custom reports and access real-time data that can lead to more effective strategic planning and decision-making. Get detailed insights on board member engagement, term tracking and more, all in one easy-to-use dashboard.

Starfish Family Services sees board involvement soar with a centralized solution 

Starfish Family Services, serving over 3,000 children, struggled with manual board book preparation, inefficient meeting logistics and difficulty tracking participation for their 21-member board.

Implementing BoardEffect has centralized their resources, streamlined board meetings and improved compliance reporting. Another huge outcome? Increased board member engagement.Thesoftware’s meeting features facilitating holding hybrid meetings have seen a big rise in attendance while easy access materials and communication through BoardEffecthas improved board member accountability.

“I use BoardEffect every day because there's always something going on with our board and it allows us to keep our board members engaged because they don't have to wait for the material they need." - Susan Bovair, Executive Assistant to the CEO and Board Liaison, Starfish Family Services

Find out more.

News and Events

Catch up on some of our 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

Upcoming seasonal events to celebrate with your board

Here are 3 ideas for celebrating International Youth Day taking place on August 12th:

1. Youth voices media takeover: Empower young people to take charge of your charity’s digital platforms for the day. Invite youth ambassadors or beneficiaries to curate Instagram Stories, post on TikTok, or host live Q&As, sharing what matters most to them—from daily challenges to their dreams for the future. This fresh, authentic content can amplify youth perspectives, engage wider audiences and build leadership skills among participants.
2. Creative changemakers hackathon: Organise a one-day innovation challenge (either in-person or online) where young people team up to develop solutions to pressing local issues—like climate action, mental health support or social inclusion. Provide brief mentorship sessions, creative materials and a public showcase for their ideas. Incentivise participation with small prizes or features in the charity’s newsletter, reinforcing the message that youth are powerful agents of change.
3. Intergenerational “Reverse Mentoring” café: Facilitate an informal meetup where young people mentor adults or charity leaders on topics where youth insight leads—such as digital trends, activism or mental health advocacy—while also having the chance to seek advice in return.

More charity events and special events to celebrate with your board.

Celebrating our Community Champions

Congratulations to Cheretta Clerkley from APBS! Cheretta 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!

What's trending

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

• Printable board meeting minutes template
• 10 ways to find board members for your mission-driven organisation
• Experts tell us about board engagement

Give your feedback and win!

We love to hear what leaders think about issues and key topics that affect mission-driven organisations. Please take a moment to fill out our latest quick survey on the topic of risks facing your charity for the chance to win a £/€50 gift card!