This study explores how perceived interactions in the boardroom are associated with perceptions of board effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. The relationships between board chair leadership, board meeting practices, board group dynamics, and the perceived effectiveness of the board in several governance roles and responsibilities are investigated. The results show that interactions in the boardroom matter: they are generally positively associated with both board chairs’ and chief executives’ perceptions of board effectiveness. Based on these results, several practical implications are formulated for boards seeking to improve their effectiveness.

Leadership at the board and executive levels across the nonprofit sector remains predominantly composed of white individuals, despite an increasingly diverse society. Research documents distinct benefits associated with diversity and inclusion, but efforts to move the dial have fallen short. This article explores how voluntary associations can prioritize racial/ethnic equity in their governance and provides specific steps for the examination of culture, practices, and processes required to operationalize change. There are a variety of professional societies and associations, also known as business leagues, established under the Internal Revenue Code. To be exempt, these organizations must be devoted to improving an industry or profession, as distinguished from performing particular services for individuals, and when successful they serve to improve the economic and social well-being of the entire nation.