The Line Between the Executive Director and the Board
Governance fails most often not from bad intentions, but from blurred roles. A practical look at the board's lane and the ED's lane.
One of the most common patterns we see in struggling Indigenous non-profits is role drift between the board and the executive director. Boards begin approving operational decisions; EDs begin shaping governance ones. Over time, no one is sure who is responsible for what.
The cleanest framing: the board governs the organization, the ED runs the organization. The board sets direction, approves the budget, monitors performance, and hires and supports the ED. The ED implements direction, manages staff, and brings forward the information the board needs to govern well.
When this line is clear, the relationship works. When it blurs, accountability disappears in both directions — boards take on work they were never meant to, and EDs make decisions they should never have to defend alone.
Resetting the line is not about restructuring; it's about practice. A written delegation of authority, a regular ED report against agreed metrics, and an annual board self-evaluation are usually enough to bring things back into balance.
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Through practical learning, real-world tools, and a growing national network of governance resources, we are committed to helping Indigenous organizations build stronger governance systems and support the people working behind the Board table.
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