Goal Directive
The composition of the organization's board, staff and clients will reflect the interests, needs and concerns of the constituency it serves and the community in which it operates.
The composition also reflects the distinct needs of the organization at its particular stage of development.
Indicators of Good Governance
- The inclusion of diverse viewpoints and representation adds value to the organization's mission and work and furthers its success. (Funders should be sensitive when exploring this area with grantees, as the definition of inclusion is the organization's prerogative unless it is far off base.)
- The board and the organization have mechanisms in place, that facilitate input (skills, perspective, and resources) from constituent groups and stakeholders, to ensure that the organization understands and is highly responsive to its base of consumers.
Sample Q & A Guide
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Funders’ Questions For Nonprofits |
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Best Board Practices |
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| How does the organization define its constituency in terms of client base, geographic region, board, staff, and other stakeholders? How do you determine the appropriate level of board representation for each segment of your constituency so that its needs and perspectives inform strategic and policy decisions?
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There is an objective and systematic process for attaining inclusion. The organization is sensitive to this issue and actively seeks to achieve a balanced representation of relevant groups and their interests. |
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| What structures do you use to ensure that constituents' needs are understood and addressed? What vehicles do you use to support your goals for representation? How do these activities support the cultivation of future organizational leaders?
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There are in place sustainable structures, such as an advisory council, alliances with representative organizations, or access to designated resources or contacts to provide input to the organization's strategic decisions. The board actively cultivates leadership through these activities. |
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| What challenges do you face, at this stage of the organization's development, in cultivating or maintaining the involvement of the constituent groups, and how do you address them?
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At key phases - founding, growth, alliance/merger, maintenance, dissolution - the board places greater emphasis on particular functional skills and resources. If the lead team does not individually reflect a key constituency group, the organization actively seeks guidance and feedback from external sources who do. |
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