Boards serve an essential governance role within foundations. Each board varies in terms of its policies and procedures depending on the structure required to achieve its strategic goals and organizational mission. Foundations may choose between a wide spectrum of board terms, ranging from strict term limits to lifetime appointments. This document explores the pros and cons of board term limits and provides insights on how to choose an optimal term limit length.

Leaders of community foundations agree on the importance of strategy, but new research indicates that few actually use it in the programmatic and donor-related work of their organizations. That key finding is contained in the report titled Rhetoric Versus Reality: A Strategic Disconnect at Community Foundations, released by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). The report draws from in-depth interviews with CEOs of community foundations that were selected to represent the population of larger American community foundations. Three profiles are included in the report, looking at the issue of strategy in the context of the circumstances of community foundations, poised among constituent groups including donors, grantees, and community stakeholders.

This collection of resources from the Chronicle of Philanthropy spans guidance on board development, strategies for overcoming common challenges, building diversity, and implementing effective practices for board members & trustees.