A guide to resigning from a nonprofit board
Nonprofit board service is immensely rewarding but demands serious dedication and energy. Yet, sometimes life throws curveballs and board members find they must resign before their term is up. This can disrupt the board’s flow and, potentially, the organization’s stability.
But don’t worry — there’s a way to handle this gracefully (and through smart succession and transition planning, your board can navigate this change smoothly too). Our blog will show you how to prepare for and manage your board member resignation, to help ensure the organization remains resilient and effective.
When nonprofit board members resign
Sometimes, members find it necessary to resign from their board position before their term is over. There are many reasons why individuals decide they can no longer serve on their board. Regardless of the circumstances, a resignation will impact the board and potentially disrupt the organization. Boards can anticipate and mitigate the potential for disruption through succession and transition planning.
These plans outline the steps to take when board members leave before their term to ensure there are no gaps in governance functions or decision-making. The departing board member, too, can play a part in minimizing the disruption that resignations can cause.
“Resigning from a nonprofit board is a significant decision that should be handled with professionalism and respect for the organization and its mission.” – National Council of Nonprofits
Reasons why board members resign
A member might have personal and unavoidable reasons for resigning, such as a family illness or other emergency. They might take a new job that could present a conflict of interest or require travel or other time commitments that would take time away from board service. Sometimes the reasons have to do with the board and board service. Members may discover that they aren’t suited for board and governance service. They may have had unrealistic expectations for what board service would be like or even misconceptions about their role.
Before accepting a position on a nonprofit board, board candidates need to consider their reasons for accepting the position. They need to be sure that they’re serving for the public good without regard to what they may gain from their service.
Be aware that the board speaks with one voice. Even if a member has the lone dissenting vote, the majority rules and all board members must be willing to accept the group’s decisions as their own.
Common reasons that cause nonprofit board members to resign include:
- Lack of communication that leads to disengagement
- Members feeling like they are not making a difference
- Lack of training and support for board members
- Board member missing too many meetings
- Board member conflict of interest.
- Not being willing or able to fulfill board duties
In addition to the reasons listed above, board members may be unable or unwilling to fulfill the duties they promised to undertake when they were sworn in as board members.
Lack of financial literacy
Nonprofit board members have a fiduciary duty to place the organization’s interest above their own. They are obliged to attend all board meetings unless something extremely important prevents them from doing so.
Board members must spend time reviewing and understanding financial reports and reports on other agenda items. Many organizations expect board members to contribute their money, time and personal connections.
Lack of time or willingness to bring new ideas forward
Board members should also spend time thinking about ways to advance the nonprofit’s mission and be willing to share their ideas with the board.
A clash of commitments
Board members should avoid conflicts of interest. This means they can’t have a financial interest in a transaction with a person or organization where they stand to benefit financially. Board members who have regular conflicts of interest may resign to preserve the integrity of the nonprofit’s reputation.
Inconsistent values
While the organization’s cause may be one that a board member is passionate about, the organization may hold values and activities that are inconsistent with a board member’s personal or professional values.
Board drama or dysfunction
Poor board dynamics and lack of collaboration may make it too difficult for some board directors to provide meaningful service. Boards where one or two people run the show and don’t inform the rest of the board about results, activities, and important events make it difficult for other board members to feel engaged. This situation doesn’t support good governance because it doesn’t present the board with opportunities to explore multiple perspectives on issues.
Poor board dynamics can also develop when a few board members don’t attend meetings regularly and actively participate in meetings and other events. If, for the reasons described above or any other reason, a board member is not able to fulfill their duties, resignation could be the best way forward.
Unsure about your resignation? Discover how to stay energized, effective and truly transformative in your role, despite the challenges that come with board responsibilities with our free guide. Unlock your purpose and potential and become a superstar board member, download the guide today to find out how.
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The best way to resign
The resignation of a board member will most likely leave an imprint on the director, the rest of the board and possibly the organization as well. If you are resigning, it is usually best to be truthful about the reasons. Being candid about the reason for resigning can help the remaining board members to understand any problems that caused you to leave and will help improve things as they move forward. Before offering a formal resignation, it’s best to raise your concerns to the board president.
It’s possible that the rest of the board isn’t aware of the concerns. It’s also possible that other board members may have some of the same concerns, and voicing them may bring those concerns out in the open, providing an opportunity for the board to discuss and resolve them. If your reason for leaving the board is that you just feel out of step with the other board directors, it’s best to admit that. If you feel like there isn’t enough room for you to make a meaningful contribution to the board, just say so.
If the problem lies with you, admit that you haven’t been willing or able to fulfill your responsibilities to your expectations and let them know that you don’t want to let the board or the organization down. Perhaps try to ease the transition by agreeing to wrap up any loose ends and offering a few final volunteer hours.
How to resign from a nonprofit board
There are a couple of ways to resign from a nonprofit board of directors.
One way is to write a letter to the board and ask to read it out loud at your final board meeting. The board should include your letter as part of the board meeting minutes.
The other way is to follow the chain of command. Tell the board chair first, then the executive director and then the whole board.
Board software can be a valuable tool for succession planning
Nonprofit boards go through position transitions and predictable board development cycles. Nominating and governance committees can be instrumental in developing a pipeline of board candidates that becomes a valuable aid in succession planning. This will help the board replace a resigning member quickly and easily.
A board solution, such as BoardEffect, provides an online platform through which boards can monitor all stages of board member development, including recruiting, nominating, orientation, onboarding, continuing board education and board resignations. Surveys can also be created for exit feedback. BoardEffect is a secure online space ideal for confidential board discussions.
