Assessment Tools
Board Self-Assessment Kit
Organizational Checklist published by the United Way of Canada

Self-Assessment for Better Governance
Deborah S. Hechinger discusses how self-assessment leads to better governance in this futureAge article.

Organizational Checklist
Organizational Checklist published by the United Way of Canada

Governance Check-up
Nathan Garber and Associates produced this handy check-up for boards.

Checklist to Evaluate a Nonprofit Board of Directors
Greater Twin Cities United Way's checklist for evaluating nonprofit boards

Governance Effectiveness 'Quick Check'
Use this quick survey from the The Institute on Governance to learn where your board is headed.

How Good is our Board?
This Institute On Governance document discusses how board evaluations can improve governance.

Board Education
Driving for Quality in Long-Term Care: A Board of Directors Dashboard
A Report on the Office of Inspector General and Health Care Compliance Association Roundtable on Long-Term Care Board of Directors’ Oversight of Quality of Care

Board of Directors Resource Digest
The digest contains summaries of recently published articles, guides, scholarly papers and policy briefs that focus on the challenges and responsibilities of not-for-profit boards. It also contains practical tools, such as sample governance documents, checklists and questionnaires.

Building Board Diversity
Find out more about how to build your board's diversity.

Free Complete Toolkit for Boards
Management Library produced this toolkit to help nonprofit boards understand their role.

Ongoing Board Education: Ensuring Board Members Have the Knowledge They Need
Hildy Gottlieb discusses ongoing board education in this Community Driven Institute article.

Board Development Worksheets
Information to help Board members manage recruitment, nominations, orientation, training, and evaluation in accordance with the by-laws of the organization.

Meeting the Governing Challenge
This guidebook describes the key elements of author Doug Eadie's High-Impact Governing Model™ — a tool for developing the kind of board leadership and board-CEO partnership that organizations need to succeed in carrying out their missions. Enter the code “AAHSA” in the Discount Code box at checkout for a 20% discount.

Board Director Orientation
This manual includes sample forms and worksheets useful in every step of board recruitment.

The Nonprofit Board's Guide to Bylaws
Creating a Framework for Effective Governance. By Kim Arthur Zeitlin and Susan E. Dorn.

Keeping Up With Sarbanes-Oxley
A white paper on implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for nonprofits. Co-produced by BoardSource and Independent Sector.

Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
An ideal reference from BoardSource for drafting job descriptions, assessing board performance and orienting board members to their responsibilities.

International Policy Governance Association
The IPGA promotes Policy Governance®, a framework of principles designed by Dr. John Carver to promote owner-accountable, effective governance.

Looking for CEOs in All the Wrong Places
In this article for McKnight's Assisted Living, Jaime Todd explores why board members may pick the wrong CEO for their organization, and what these individuals should look for to find the right one.

AAHSA White Paper Explains How Boards can Participate in Fundraising
Members of the board of trustees can help build relationships with donors who share an organization's mission, vision and values. "The Non-Profit Board's Pivotal Role in Philanthropy" provides strategies that board members to become active fundraisers for their organization.

The Board Source -- Building Effective Nonprofit Boards
BoardSource, formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards, is a premier resource for practical information, tools and best practices, training, and leadership development for board members of nonprofit organizations worldwide. Through highly acclaimed programs and services, BoardSource enables organizations to fulfill their missions by helping build strong and effective nonprofit boards.

Guidelines for Evaluating an Organization's CEO
Evaluating an organization's CEO is the primary responsibility of its board of directors. Using this resource can help board members evaluate his or her organization's leader in an efficient and effective way.

Board Recruitment
Board of Directors Recruitment Packet and Job Description
This Alliance for Nonprofit Management publication discusses what is expected from board members.

Developing a Board Recruitment Plan
This Web site provides guidance in creating a board recruitment plan.

Who Can Sue a Nonprofit Board?
This Nonprofit Risk Management Center fact sheet examines who can sue nonprofit boards.

Case Studies
Governance From 12,000 Feet
Why generative thinking should be built into every board.

Less Management, More Thinking
How one aging-services organization's board adopted generative governance.

Pillars of Accountability: A Risk Management Guide for Nonprofit Boards
Pillars of Accountability: A Risk Management Guide for Nonprofit Boards offers advice and action steps to build and strengthen the foundation of a nonprofit organization. It can be purchased from the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.

Passing the Torch: Mastering the Art of Continuity Planning
Succession planning is vital to ensure smooth transition to the next generation of leaders.

The Board-Management Partnership
An interview with governance expert-and retirement community resident-Fisher Howe.

Best Practices in Board Self-Evaluation
As the the level of services provided to seniors-and the number of seniors-continues to grow, there's increasing recognition of the importance of dynamic, insightful governance to aging services providers.