Self-Assessment for a Board of Directors

So often, a nonprofit board of directors can carry on for years doing the "business" of overseeing an organization without evaluating how productive and relevant the guidance actually is. While critique may come from outside sources, there are things that a board of directors can do to assess their own effectiveness from within. A periodic self-assessment can be a useful way to keep board members on track.

Board members need to ask themselves some key questions both individually and as an entity. Some considerations include how effective meetings are run? Do important and relevant topics get discussed or is the board just going through the motions? How well are board decisions conveyed to staff and those who need to carry them out?

What tasks is the board of directors charged with and how well do they do at completing those? While staff members may face an evaluation process, often board members can carry on for years without having their involvement evaluated for effectiveness and usefulness. Board members need to know what is expected of them and they can keep each other on track by assessing whether or not goals and expectations are being met.

Consider a formal or semi-formal process for self-assessment. A form that board members fill out annually or monthly can help individuals to ask themselves tough questions about productivity. Board members may also want to garner opinions and observations from staff, other volunteers or community members but it is equally important to discuss within the board how well the team functions at its tasks.

A periodic retreat or planning meeting should include a self-assessment of the board of directors. It is obvious that there should be focus on programs and operations, but for a nonprofit organization, a functioning board of directors is imperative to the organization's health and productiveness.