For the type of museums discussed in this paper, the nonprofit organization type, the board of directors is the governing body. The board approves the policies that guide the staff in administering the museum. The relationship between the board and the staff should be one of respect and cooperation; but often the relationship is fraught with controversy and antagonism. The purpose of this study is to examine the duties and the relationships between the staffs and the boards of small history museums in Oregon. A comparison will be made between the ideal duties and responsibilities of boards of directors of a museum as set forth in the professional literature and how those duties and responsibilities are perceived and performed in actual practice as revealed by information gathered from a questionnaire distributed to selected small history museums in Oregon with a staff of six or less. The hypothesis that the board of trustees is a deterrent to the smooth operation of a museum was not entirely borne out by the study. A more democratic view, as discovered in conducting the research for this study, is that boards and staff may be insufficiently trained to understand their respective roles in the organization. To that end, guidelines to sue in development of an orientation meeting and manual are included in Appendix B.

Nonprofit organizations in the social service sector are critical instruments for providing programs and services that meet the needs of vulnerable individuals. Although new and persistent social problems demonstrate a compelling need for the existence of these organizations, environmental shifts have created uncertainty with regard to long-term sustainability (Mulroy, 2004; Schmid, 2004). While the existing literature has expanded knowledge regarding strategies employed by nonprofit organizations during times of environmental turbulence (Board Source, 2005; Independent Sector, 2007), few studies have utilized a qualitative approach or resource dependence and contingency theories to understand how boards of directors and management staff work together in fundraising to achieve organizational sustainability (Ahmed, 2005; Brown, 2005). This study employed a multiple case study design utilizing qualitative research methodology to explore nonprofit board chair and executive director perceptions of board and management staff roles and responsibilities in fundraising. A grounded theory approach to data analysis, guided by a constructivist epistemology, helped describe the multiple realities that exist in the nonprofit social service sector concerning fundraising. The study included a non-probability, purposive sample involving nine nonprofit social service organizations serving children and families. The findings suggest that environmental shifts such as changes in funding, social or public policies, and client demographics influence perceptions about roles and responsibilities in fundraising. Additionally, management staff, as opposed to the board of directors, are recognized as critical in leading fundraising efforts. Further, boards of directors and management staff are perceived as a "dynamic duo" for engaging in boundary-spanning activities. Finally, organizational demographics such as revenue sources for the annual budget, board structure, and board composition influence perceptions about roles and responsibilities in fundraising. These findings have the potential to shape future empirical research studies and inform the development of educational programs that prepare social workers for leadership as executive-level administrators.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the decision-making process of art museums when hiring executive directors. To understand this phenomenon, semi-structured interviews were conducted with board of trustee members and search firm consultants who had been part of an executive director search at an art museum with at least a five million budget during the past six years. The interviews were informed by literature from the field of museology focused on museums governance and behavioral economics. Analysis of the data revealed five findings: art museum mission statements drove the decision-making process, fundraising was the most important skill desired in candidates, museums did not have minimum education level requirements for executive directors to have a PhD, participants believed their decision-making was unbiased, and decisions that were made were made collaboratively as a group. These five findings suggest agreement in what art museums value in an executive director and practices they similarly follow. These results have the ability to assist in future art museum executive director searches and can inform the museum community of the values held by decision makers. The primary limitation of this study was the small sample size due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Templates for Trustees is a four-part series designed by the Museum Trustee Association to focus attention on key processes and tasks of governance. The books and web-based customizable templates include tools that collect information and then guide the board in using that information to organize their thoughts, identify their priorities, and plan their actions. All templates in the series have two parts: a printed guide and an on-line website. Purchasers of the books have access to the ongoing assistance of MTA staff. Building Museum Boards examines emerging practices in nonprofit governance including diversifying board composition, improving board effectiveness, and strengthening the governance committee. The text and templates guide the governance committee through every step of the nomination and board-building process including identifying and cultivating board prospects; crafting job descriptions for members, officers, and committees; ensuring compliance with conflict of interest standards; and orienting and activating new board members. The entire process is summarized in an interactive calendar.

This Element is an excerpt from Corporate Governance Matters: A Closer Look at Organizational Choices and Their Consequences (9780132180269) by David Larcker and Brian Tayan. Available in print and digital formats. A primer on what corporate board members should be doing: expert guidance on advisory and monitoring functions, compliance, fiduciary duty, independence, and more. When asked what areas directors should pay most attention to, other than profitability and shareholder value, directors list future growth, risk management, and development of human capital as top priorities. Other areas of focus include cultural development, executive compensation, and compliance. Still, some evidence indicates that directors prefer advisory functions to monitoring functions....