1. The State of Board Diversity
Findings from Leading with Intent 2017
Follow the conversation on social media with our special hashtag, #DiversifyYourBoard.
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2. Ramona Johnson Sr. Relationship Manager NeighborWorks America
Today’s Conversation
Anne Wallestad
President & CEO
BoardSource
Vernetta Walker Vice President of Programs & Chief Governance Officer BoardSource
Ramona Johnson Sr. Relationship Manager NeighborWorks America

3. About the Study
Biennial study of board composition, culture, and performance.
First data collected in 1994.
Moment in time snapshots of board strengths and challenges.
Convenience sample of executives and board chairs.
Available for download at leadingwithintent.org.

4. About the Respondents

5. About the Respondents

6. Areas of Focus
The People
The Culture
The Work
The Impact

7. Key Findings
Board Diversity: Boards are no more diverse than they were two years ago and current recruitment priorities indicate this is unlikely to change.
Board Advocacy: Boards are starting to embrace their roles as advocates for their missions, but stronger leadership is still needed.
Board Engagement: Strong understanding of programs is linked to stronger engagement, strategy, and external leadership — including fundraising.
Board Assessment: Boards that assess their performance regularly perform better on core responsibilities.
Board Impact: Chief executives and board chairs agree that the board has an impact on organizational performance, and that two particular board characteristics matter most:
the board’s understanding of its roles and responsibilities, and
the board’s ability to work as a collaborative team toward shared goals.

8. Board Diversity

9. Attitudes Toward Diversity – Executives

10. Attitudes Toward Diversity – Board Chairs

11. Racial & Ethnic Diversity
Both chief executives and board chairs report the highest levels of dissatisfaction with their racial and ethnic diversity.
27% of boards reported that they are 100% white; up from 25% in 2015.

12. How Important is a Diverse Board?

13. The Disconnect: Board Recruitment

14. The Dissonance Between Attitudes & Actions

15. What Will it Take to Change?
Action & Accountability
A New Recruitment Philosophy
Shared Understanding & Values

16. Learn More & Take Action
Download the report at leadingwithintent.org
Join future webinar discussions, hosted by Nonprofit Quarterly:
October 12th: Structuring the Board’s Engagement
November 14th: The Importance of Board Understanding of Programs
December 12th: The Critical Role of Board Chairs
Use “Opportunities for Reflection” as a starting point for board discussion

17. Thank you for joining us!
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Follow the conversation on social media with our special hashtag, #DiversifyYourBoard.
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