GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP
Association Board
Best practices for building and running an effective association board — the board's core duties, the right size, typical officer positions and how to keep your board strong year after year.
THE BOARD'S JOB
Govern, don't manage
A board's job is to set direction, oversee the association's resources and hold leadership accountable — not to run day-to-day operations. That work belongs to the executive director, staff and committees.
When a board gets pulled into the weeds, big-picture planning suffers and volunteers burn out. Keep board meetings focused on strategy, finances, policy and the mission.
Every board member's three legal duties
Duty of Care
Pay attention, come prepared, ask questions, and use the association's money and assets prudently.
Duty of Loyalty
Put the association's interests first, disclose any conflicts of interest, and step out of decisions where you have one.
Duty of Obedience
Make sure the association follows the law, its own bylaws and its mission.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Ten things every board must do
Adapted from BoardSource's widely used list of the basic responsibilities of non-profit boards.
- 1Set the mission and purpose
Keep the association's mission clear, current and in front of every decision. - 2Select the executive director
Hire the right person to lead day-to-day operations, if your association has one. - 3Support and evaluate the executive director
Give clear expectations and an honest performance review every year. - 4Plan for the future
Set goals and priorities through a strategic plan, and check progress against it. - 5Oversee programs and services
Make sure member benefits, events and programs actually serve the mission. - 6Ensure enough money
Help raise funds and support dues, sponsorships and fundraisers. - 7Protect assets and oversee finances
Approve the budget, review financial reports and make sure the books are audited or reviewed. - 8Build a strong board
Recruit good members, orient them and evaluate the board's own performance. - 9Ensure legal and ethical integrity
Follow the bylaws, file required reports and adopt sound policies. - 10Promote the association
Be an ambassador to members, partners, legislators and the community.
BOARD SIZE
How big should your board be?
There's no single right answer, but there are useful benchmarks. Most states require at least three directors. According to BoardSource surveys, the average non-profit board has about 15 members, with a median around 13.
Many governance experts suggest that smaller boards make decisions faster, and recommend an odd number of voting members to avoid tie votes.
For a state enlisted association
A common structure is a small core of elected officers — President, Vice President(s), Secretary and Treasurer — plus the Past President and a few at-large or unit representatives. That keeps the voting board manageable while giving every part of the membership a voice.
If you use an executive committee to act between meetings, define its limits in the bylaws. It should never replace the full board.
| Smaller board (about 7–11) | Larger board (about 15 or more) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | Easier to schedule and meet more often; faster, more focused decisions; every member participates; stronger working relationships | Workload shared across more people; wider networks for sponsors and fundraising; more perspectives and skills; more institutional memory |
| Cons | Each member carries more of the load and can feel stretched thin; fewer connections and skills to draw on | Harder to schedule; longer, less focused meetings; members can disengage or form cliques; more work to coordinate |
| Works best when | You have a clear mission, active committees doing the hands-on work, and an executive director | You have many units or regions to represent, a big fundraising program, and strong committees to keep everyone engaged |
OFFICER POSITIONS
Typical board positions and duties
Exact duties should be spelled out in your bylaws. These are the responsibilities most associations assign to each officer.
President
Chair · Chief elected officer
- Presides over board and membership meetings
- Sets meeting agendas with the executive director
- Appoints committee chairs and members, as the bylaws allow
- Serves as the association's chief spokesperson
- Leads the executive director's annual evaluation
- Oversees orientation of new board members and the board's annual self-evaluation
- Helps recruit future board members and leaders
Vice President
Assistant to the President
- Presides when the President is absent and steps in if the office becomes vacant
- Assists the President and takes on special assignments
- Often chairs a major committee or project
- May serve as President-Elect, preparing to lead the association next
- Some associations elect a VP for each component — for example, VP–Army and VP–Air
Treasurer
Chief financial officer
- Oversees the association's finances and bank accounts
- Leads development of the annual budget
- Presents financial reports at every board meeting
- Makes sure income and expenses are recorded accurately
- Chairs the finance committee and leads the annual audit or financial review
- Makes sure tax filings, like the IRS Form 990, are completed on time
Secretary
Keeper of the records
- Records accurate minutes and gets them approved
- Takes attendance and confirms a quorum
- Sends meeting notices and agendas as the bylaws require
- Keeps official records: bylaws, minutes, policies and contracts
- Tracks board members' terms
- Helps keep the association compliant with its bylaws and state filings
Past President
Immediate Past President
- Advises and mentors the current President
- Provides continuity and institutional memory
- Often chairs the nominating committee
- May lead special projects such as awards, bylaws review or long-range planning
- Represents the association at events and with partners
- Helps orient new officers
Other common positions
Depending on your bylaws
- President-Elect: serves a year learning the role before becoming President
- Parliamentarian: advises on bylaws and Robert's Rules during meetings
- Executive Director: runs day-to-day operations, often non-voting
- Members-at-large: represent units or regions and serve on committees
BEST PRACTICES
Keep your board strong
Written job descriptions
Give every officer and board member a written description of their role and time commitment before they're nominated. It sets expectations and makes recruiting easier.
Orientation for new members
Walk every new board member through the mission, bylaws, budget, policies and current priorities. Pair them with an experienced mentor.
Term limits and staggered terms
Three-year terms are most common, and most boards limit members to a few consecutive terms. Stagger elections so the whole board never turns over at once.
Core policies
Adopt a conflict-of-interest policy with annual disclosures, a whistleblower policy, a document-retention policy and a code of conduct. The IRS Form 990 asks whether you have them.
Directors and officers insurance
D&O insurance protects volunteer leaders from personal liability for board decisions. It's a small cost that makes it easier to recruit good people.
Well-run meetings
Send the agenda and reports in advance, start and end on time, follow Robert's Rules or your bylaws' procedure, and record clear minutes of every decision.
Annual evaluations
Evaluate the executive director every year, and have the board assess its own performance so it can improve.
Succession planning
Use a President-Elect or Vice President pipeline, and keep the Past President involved, so leadership transitions are smooth and nothing is lost.
One voice after the vote
Debate openly in the boardroom, but once the board decides, every member supports the decision publicly — even those who voted against it.
Need help strengthening your board?
From bylaws and job descriptions to board training and committee structure, we can help your association govern well. See governance services →