In recent years, the governance landscape for nonprofits has become increasingly complex. Between political turmoil and policy change, economic uncertainty, shifting funding patterns, and evolving community needs, nonprofit boards and executive teams are navigating unprecedented challenges together. But are they truly on the same page?
To explore this dynamic, we launched a brief survey to explore how the nonprofit board-executive relationship is evolving in real time. Survey responses reveal some surprising disconnects in how leadership teams perceive their own effectiveness and engagement levels.
Who We Heard From
Our survey gathered responses from 45 individuals, representing organizations ranging from small community-based nonprofits to larger regional organizations:
- 20 nonprofit executives or senior staff leaders
- 25 current nonprofit board members
This dual perspective offered a valuable opportunity to compare how both sides of the table are experiencing board engagement, where they align, and where gaps are emerging.
A note on methodology: While this exploratory study provides valuable preliminary findings, organizations should view these insights as conversation starters rather than definitive conclusions. The response rate imbalance (more board members than nonprofit executives) and potential self-selection bias should be considered when interpreting results. Organizations might also consider supplementing these findings with their own assessment processes.
A Perception Gap on Engagement
The most striking finding? A clear disconnect in how board engagement is perceived.
84% of board members described themselves as “highly engaged” — proactive, responsive, and deeply involved in strategic issues. Yet, only 20% of nonprofit executives described their boards the same way.
Conversely, 30% of nonprofit executives said their boards were “minimally engaged” — attending meetings but offering limited involvement otherwise.
We believe this isn’t just a difference in experience, but it points to a larger, more systemic opportunity: a difference in how we define and measure board engagement. What does “engagement” really mean? Is it attending meetings? Providing strategic guidance? Fundraising? Something else entirely? For many organizations, that answer is still evolving.
What’s Changing — and What’s Not
When asked how board engagement has shifted in the past six months:
- 45% of executives reported no major change.
- 40% saw engagement increase somewhat or significantly.
- 15% experienced a slight decline.
Contrary to what we might expect in today’s volatile environment, nearly half of nonprofit executives reported no major change in board engagement due to external factors over the past six months. However, among those who have seen changes, increases in engagement outpaced decreases significantly.
The organizations experiencing increased engagement often cited heightened urgency around their mission as a driving factor, suggesting that crisis can indeed catalyze commitment, but it’s not universal. When asked how board engagement has changed, one executive said: “We’re watching the macroeconomic conditions that would impact inflation, employment, and discretionary giving.” Others shared their boards are “being proactive” and “very supportive.”
Those experiencing decreased engagement shared a nuanced reality about the volunteer nature of board roles: “There are fewer people willing to take on voluntary roles,” while another noted: “Some of them own and run their own businesses, so they’ve had to step away from our board so they can concentrate more on keeping their businesses thriving.”
Many comments related to decreased engagement focused on a reluctance around fundraising:
“I feel like my board members have a lot more on their plates personally and professionally, giving little to no time for board engagement, especially in fundraising areas.”
“They continue to remain interested in operations with the external pressures, but aren’t willing to be the solution in raising funds.”
What’s Driving (or Draining) Board Engagement?
Board members, on the other hand, shared what’s helping and hindering their ability to stay engaged. The top positive driver? Increased urgency or relevance of the organization’s work (15 responses).
Top challenges:
- Competing personal or professional demands (15 responses)
- Frustration or lack of clarity around strategic priorities (6 responses)
- Uncertainty about role expectations (4 responses)
Taken together, these responses paint a picture of well-intentioned leaders navigating time constraints and a desire for clearer direction.
When asked what would increase their engagement, board members requested:
- Peer relationships and mentorship opportunities (15 responses)
- More context about external challenges (10 responses)
- Clearer strategic direction and priorities (9 responses)
- Better communication timing and structure (9 responses)
Building Empathy
In closing, we asked survey participants to respond to optional qualitative questions exploring what they wished their counterparts understood about their roles, as well as a single word or phrase that described their current board culture. Here’s a sample of their responses.
What nonprofit executives wish they could tell their board members:
“How hard it is to manage everything as the only full-time employee. How much I need their help in fundraising.”
“That I wear many hats, from trash collector to Major Donor ‘Friend’, and I have very little staff capacity to assist in the needed work.”
“I wish they’d see the amount of time spent on administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings, taking notes, handling ALL the logistics of events, meetings, and programs, in addition to my key roles of fundraising, leading the organization, etc.”
“I wish the board realized that this isn’t a small business that I own. It’s a shared partnership.”
“The impact it has on our team and mission when board members don’t follow through on their commitments.”
What board members wish their nonprofit executive peers understood:
“Sometimes I feel used and not like a partner.”
“I feel like we have important needs to fulfill as a board (stronger governance, structure, nominating), but they aren’t “assigned” to anyone on the board to execute or follow up. We often talk about the importance of these things, but it’s just talk.
“I think it’s critical for everyone employed at the nonprofit to understand that this is a volunteer role, and it can often be challenging to juggle our full-time work commitments and the demands of the board.”
“We’re not full-time employees; keep in mind this is a volunteer role; need to be reminded often & at board meetings why we are doing the work-don’t forget the mission’s moment.”
“The lull in between meetings can be challenging to re-engage where we left off.”
What’s one word or phrase that best describes your board’s current culture?
The Path Forward: Three Recommendations
This survey comes just weeks after our team explored another facet of governance: the growing difficulty of recruiting and retaining board members. Overreliance on the same small pool of leaders is creating burnout, redundancy, and a lack of fresh perspectives.
The findings from this engagement survey reinforce that challenge (and expand on it). It’s not just about getting the right people on the board. It’s about making sure they understand their role, feel equipped to engage fully, and are meaningfully connected to the mission.
For nonprofit leadership teams looking for ways to build a stronger board culture and cultivate deeper engagement, here are three areas to explore:
Expectation Alignment on “Engagement”: The perception gap suggests boards and executives are operating with different definitions of “engagement.” While board members may view strategic oversight and governance as high engagement, executives need more tactical partnership. Organizations need to have explicit conversations about what meaningful board involvement actually looks like in today’s resource-constrained environment.
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Fundraising Skill Development: Fundraising remains one of the greatest pressure points in board-executive dynamics. While many board members express discomfort or uncertainty around donor engagement, nonprofit leaders are looking for more hands-on support. Closing this gap means moving beyond expectations to skill-building — equipping board members with the tools, language, and confidence to engage authentically in resource development.
- Partnership Mindset Shift: Many of the most engaged boards operate from a place of true partnership, not just oversight. This means cultivating a culture where board members feel both responsibility and agency, understanding that their leadership extends beyond bimonthly meetings. Building that mindset starts with clearer role design, better communication, and an emphasis on shared outcomes over formal titles.
What’s Next?
The governance challenges facing nonprofits aren’t going away (if anything, they’re intensifying). But organizations that invest in bridging the executive-board engagement gap will be better positioned to navigate whatever comes next.
The question isn’t whether your board is “good” or “bad” — it’s whether your leadership team is aligned around shared expectations, clear roles, and genuine partnership in service of your mission.
What resonates most with your experience? We’d love to hear how your organization is navigating these governance dynamics.
Stay tuned for the next survey in our 2025 nonprofit leadership series by subscribing to our monthly newsletter, and thank you for being part of this work!
Want help translating insight into strategy? Next Stage helps nonprofits and other social good organizations with organizational strengthening and team building. Let’s talk today.