Many boards are just a set of accumulated practices that don’t necessarily follow a governance design. This article is an exciting approach to what the primary Design principles in nonprofit governance are, and how they should be considered in the development of boards. Designs that enable an agency to achieve its goals are grounded in a solid understanding of its mission, vision, core values, the nature of its work, and the characteristics of its operating environment. Building from this understanding of the context and results we seek, we can begin to clarify which types of boards may be better aligned with the needs of our agencies.
