How to build a stronger charity board

Our nonprofit Diligent Elevate award winner

A huge congratulations to our nonprofit Diligent Elevate award winner, Denise Acton, Assistant Secretary of the University, Rochester Institute of Technology who was named Mission Trailblazer recently at Elevate 2026.

Denise says, “Being named a Mission Trailblazer is meaningful to me because it highlights the value RIT places on collaboration and thoughtful governance. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute behind the scenes in support of our trustees and leadership."

Building stronger charity boards

Strong boards don’t happen by chance. They’re built through intentional development, shared expectations and continuous learning.

This month, we’re focusing on practical approaches to these steps:

• The Board Development Guide takes a deeper look at building board capability over time, from onboarding and training to feedback and culture
• The Board Development Cheat Sheet offers quick, peer-informed tips boards can put to use immediately

Why your Resource Library is critical for onboarding and growth

Board training is most effective when it’s timely, practical, and easy to access. BoardEffect’s Resource Library serves as a central hub for governance best practices and tools, giving board members on‑demand access to articles, templates, guides and checklists. It helps both new and experienced directors build and reinforce core governance knowledge.

Because the library sits within the board’s everyday workflow, training becomes part of how boards operate. Administrators can share resources ahead of meetings, assign reading to support decisions, or curate collections for committees and onboarding. This makes learning more actionable and supports better preparation and stronger discussions.

You might also enjoy reading See your board’s performance in one glance: Customisable reporting in BoardEffect

How Presbyterian Senior Care Network develops new board members

Presbyterian SeniorCare Network takes a thoughtful, structured approach to engaging and training new board members by making orientation consistent, accessible, and rooted in real‑world governance challenges. The organisation uses digital resources and self‑guided materials to help new directors get up to speed quickly and stay engaged beyond their first meeting.

In a recent Leading with Purpose podcast episode, Liz Thompson, Executive Assistant to the President & Corporate Secretary and Corporate Compliance Officer, explains how intentional onboarding, focused on clarity, confidence and continuous learning, sets new board members up to contribute meaningfully from day one.

Read the full story here

News and events

[WEBINAR] Future-proof your board development: Skills, tools, and insights to strengthen your board for what’s next, 19 June 2026

Building a high-performing volunteer board doesn't happen by accident — it takes structure, intention and the right tools. Join us for "Future-proof your board development," our next webinar where governance professionals and leaders share practical strategies for developing, engaging and retaining mission-driven boards.

Register here and don’t worry if you can’t make it, we’ll send you the recording afterwards.

More webinars, all available to watch on demand:

1. Beyond the budget: Smarter financial and risk oversight
2. Getting your charity board on the same page: Strategies for alignment, communication & collaboration
3. Developing high-impact boards: Skills, strategies & tools you need
4. Navigating AI risks & governance: What your charity board should know

Upcoming events where you can visit our booth and connect with our team

June 4-5, 2026 – London, UK: The Fundraising Convention is the UK’s largest gathering of fundraisers returns with practical workshops, inspiring speakers and the latest tools to boost donor engagement.

June 25, 2026 – London, UK. The CFG Annual Conference 2026, also taking place in London this year is focused on financial resilience and strategic impact, this conference aims to equips charity finance professionals with the knowledge to lead through change.

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

Upcoming seasonal events to celebrate with your board

Seasonal events aren't just for the calendar, they help foster community engagement, build trust, educate the community and raise morale.

We’ve compiled a handy list of special events to make it easy to plan ahead and keep your board aligned with key moments throughout the year. Download your free 2026 calendar today to start planning.

Here are some events next month to celebrate with your board and take action on:

5 June World Environment Day: Mark World Environment Day as a simple, mission-aligned moment for board and community engagement: invite your board to pause and ask how your organisation’s decisions today protect the communities you serve tomorrow, then use the day to share one clear commitment (or progress update) with stakeholders, whether that’s reducing waste, improving procurement choices or partnering locally around a practical environmental action.

20 June World Productivity Day: Use this day as a board-level “work smarter” reset: take one agenda slot to identify the decisions that matter most in the next quarter, then streamline how the board gets there, e.g., tighten priorities, improve the quality/timing of materials, and agree one small process change that will make meetings more effective for everyone (for example, clearer owners, fewer low-value updates, or a sharper committee-to-board handoff).

[Podcast] How to run efficient meetings using parliamentary procedure

Listen to our latest Leading with Purpose episode. Running effective meetings shouldn’t feel chaotic or adversarial. Sarah E. Merkle, attorney and certified professional parliamentarian, demystifies parliamentary procedure and explains how it can be used as a practical tool for fairness, efficiency and trust in mission-driven board meetings.

Find links to all our episodes here (and wherever you find your podcasts) and thanks for taking the time to rate the podcast!

What's trending

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

1. 5 ways technology can optimise training for your board members
2. Charity leaders share their go-to governance resources
3. Free template for a board committee charter

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 getting the board on the same page for the chance to win a $50 gift card!

Take part in governance research

Have your voice heard in the 2026 Governance Outlook for Mission‑Driven Organisations, research led by Diligent Institute. Leaders are invited to share how they’re setting priorities, navigating risk and strengthening governance. Take the survey here.