What if your board isn’t the center of governance, but just one piece of it? 

Nic Gagliardi, Governance & Strategy Lead at Rise & Run Co., a capacity-building consulting firm, makes a bold proposal to foundation leaders: Rethink everything you’ve been taught about what a board is supposed to be. 

For many small and mid-sized nonprofits, governance feels like a constant struggle. Board members are disengaged. CEOs are overwhelmed. Staff (and board members themselves!) are left wondering what, exactly, their board is supposed to be doing—and why it matters. 

And yet, most organizations respond to these symptoms the same way: more training, better policies, new committees, revised reports. But as Nic pointed out, if everyone is struggling with the same issues across different missions, models, and regions, maybe the problem isn’t how we’re doing governance. Maybe it’s why. 

The Problem with Board-Centric Governance 

The traditional model of nonprofit governance places the board at the center of everything: the ultimate authority, the sole stewards of oversight, the gatekeepers of strategy. Every decision must be reviewed, approved, or delegated by the board. This model, which Nic calls “board-centric governance,” creates a bottleneck. 

Even worse, it generates confusion. Many board members don’t understand their role or how their work connects to the mission. Leaders feel pressure to “manage the board” rather than activate it. The board becomes something to serve, rather than a mechanism for serving purpose. 

Nic challenges you to let go of that paradigm. 

Instead of centering governance on the board, Nic proposes a shift to purpose-led governance: a model where decision-making systems are designed to advance the organization’s core purpose. In this view, the board is still essential, but no longer the sun around which everything orbits. Governance becomes broader, more intuitive, and more flexible. 

What Is Purpose-Led Governance? 

In a purpose-led governance model, the central question isn’t “what should the board be doing?” but rather: 

“What decision-making systems do we need to effectively navigate toward our mission?” 

This shift opens up space to question old assumptions. Do board members really need to weigh in on operational details? Are they the right people to lead fundraising initiatives? Is your governance structure enabling progress or creating roadblocks? 

Nic offers a simple, intuitive definition of governance: “decision-making that advances core purpose.” When you apply that lens, it becomes clear that governance is already happening across your organization, and it’s not only happening with the board. It’s on the desks of executive directors, in volunteer coordination, and even at the frontlines of service. 

Embracing that reality frees organizations to design governance systems that reflect their size, stage, and needs—not outdated templates from another context. 

So What Should a Board Actually Do? 

If the board isn’t meant to be the center of everything, what is it meant to do? 

Nic recommends the idea of a Minimum Viable Board: a stripped-down model focused exclusively on core governance functions: financial oversight, risk management, strategic direction, legal accountability, and CEO support. 

Rather than stretching board members thin across operations, events, and branding, Nic encourages organizations to protect the board’s energy for this essential work and delegate the rest. 

Trying to make your board “do more” often backfires. The result? Disengagement, role confusion, and burnout. If your board is struggling with engagement, the answer might not be more work. It might be less. 

Practical Steps to Make the Shift 

Nic’s reframing isn’t just theoretical. Here are a few practical ways to begin the transition to purpose-led governance: 

Start with the “Why” 

Help your board reconnect to your organization’s core purpose. Ask: How does our governance structure help us advance our mission. How might it be getting in the way? 

Define Core Functions 

Use Nic’s Core Governance Functions Toolkit (available on their website) to identify what your board is truly responsible for, and what can be handled elsewhere. 

Streamline Board Scope

 Resist the urge to load up your board with additional roles. Simplify expectations and build other channels for volunteer engagement and support. 

Be Transparent About Governance Constraints 

Talk openly about where your governance processes are creating hurdles. Are outdated spending thresholds holding you back? Is dual oversight with a hospital board slowing decision-making? Surface those issues for discussion. 

Resist Dual Roles 

It may be tempting to get some extra hands, especially at small organizations, but don’t ask board members to “wear two hats.” While it might seem efficient to tap their skills for volunteer tasks, it often leads to unclear boundaries, staff discomfort, and unintentional overreach. Board members should serve as board members—full stop. 

Build for Sustainability, Not Personality 

Don’t let individual board members’ professional backgrounds dictate the organization’s approach. Instead, focus on building enabling infrastructure that lasts beyond any one person. 

Rethinking governance means letting go of old assumptions and making it meaningful, not mechanical. When we design systems to serve the mission, not just the board, we get stronger engagement and better outcomes.