Part 1: Purpose-Driven Governance: The Role of Governance in Uncertain Times

By: Devon Turner, Director of Nonprofit Leadership and Effectiveness • April 1, 2026

In this three-part nonprofit blog series and complementary training program, presented in partnership with JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Greater New Orleans Foundation explores the role of governance during uncertain times. We believe that for nonprofits to thrive, board members must move beyond traditional ideas of oversight and toward Purpose-Drive Board Leadership, a governance framework introduced by our partners at BoardSource.

Years ago, I served as a founding board member for a nonprofit I truly loved. In our first few years, we created governance systems and policies shaped by our organization’s core values, a collaborative board culture, and communications protocols. We formalized our practices through regular dialogue and consensus decision-making – processes which demonstrated our organizational values and mirrored the collaborative processes staff practiced. We had clearly articulated roles and expectations for board members that resulted in high engagement. And yet, even with my background as an Executive Director, and with board colleagues who demonstrated commitment to their roles, I was constantly reminded that intentional, values-driven governance is more than compliance. It is a rigorous, intentional act of stewardship.

Today’s board members are governing through unprecedented levels of complexity. As board members, we have to fulfill legal duties of care, loyalty, and obedience – the consequential responsibilities of setting the organization’s vision and strategy, effectively stewarding organizational resources, and securing and supporting the organizational leader. We are called to govern as a collective but must rely on organizational leadership to conduct the day-to-day operations. And today, the sustainability of nonprofits in our region is being affected by seismic political, funding, and economic shifts. In challenging and uncertain times, how can board members govern effectively – not just fulfilling our legal duties, but truly advancing the mission and vision of our nonprofits through such environments?

At the Foundation, we teach that governance is providing guidance to an organization so that it fulfills its mission, advances its vision, and lives its values. Board members do not merely sit at the head of an organization, but are accountable to organizational leadership, the communities we serve, and the laws which regulate nonprofit activities. To navigate these times, we must shift our focus from merely protecting the organization to advancing its broader purpose, which also means governing an organization with our broader ecosystems in mind.

Here are three foundational approaches to governance that can better position your board to lead effectively and with purpose, especially during challenging times:

  1. Lead with Integrity

Integrity is the cornerstone of great governance, and how your board governs sets the standard for the community your organization serves. During uncertain times, the clarity, consistency, and curiosity you demonstrate can elevate the board’s reputation in your nonprofit’s community and encourage community confidence in your leadership.

  • Practice Transparency Proactively: Make information about the organization’s mission, core values, vision, and health easily accessible. Your executive leadership and broader community should know your organization’s goals and progress toward those goals. Clear communication isn’t just a courtesy; it’s an invitation for the community to understand your work and become a true partner in advancing your mission and vision.
  • Cultivate Curiosity: Focus on gathering the right data to move the mission forward rather than just react to the day’s crisis. Ask tactical, strategic, and generative questions. Tactical questions address compliance and goal implementation. Strategic questions ask how your nonprofit can best position itself to achieve its vision in the long term. Generative questions ask how your nonprofit can work better, differently, or innovatively to support the community you serve and the ecosystem within which they exist.

 

  1. Lead toward Equitable Outcomes

Purpose-driven boards recognize they are ultimately accountable to the people they serve. Equitable policies and practices are a clear and proven way boards can drive the sustained outcomes that improve our communities’ quality of life.

  • Diversify Board Membership: Ensure your board membership reflects the diversity of your nonprofit’s community. Governance is most effective when the people directly impacted by the work participate in decision-making. These perspectives provide essential insights for decision-making.
  • Evaluate Impact Regularly: Ask “how will this decision affect those most impacted by our work?” especially during challenging and uncertain times. Your community views board transparency and curiosity as two opportunities to hold you accountable and reflect on your alignment on the organization’s mission and vision. If your current strategy isn’t improving their quality of life, be prepared to pivot.

 

  1. Lead with Trust

Trust – of your executive leader and community – is the engine of a high-functioning board. It is built through active engagement and a shared commitment to your organization’s “North Star” rather than a desire for organizational control. It’s established through consistent presence, action, and alignment.

  • Demonstrate Alignment: Define clear roles, expectations, and communication protocols between the board and executive leadership. When board and staff roles are aligned, the organization can move with the speed and agility that today’s challenges require.
  • Maintain a Consistent Presence: Show up for your community during uncertain times. Be consistently present and actively engaged in board activities. Come prepared and ready to engage with your support, skills, and expertise. Consistency fosters reliability. By staying engaged and responsive, you build the trust necessary to advance the organization’s purpose, even through uncertainty.

Practicing these three approaches to governance will not only increase your effectiveness during changing and uncertain times, but it will also strengthen board member relationships, deepen your community relationships, and support strong partnerships with executive leadership.

If you’d like to learn more, the Foundation offers a variety of programs to help boards strengthen their governance systems and practices. You can register for our upcoming Board Governance Intensive or upcoming governance webinars. Charter school board members can also register for our newly redesigned Charter Board Governance Series.

You can also check out these additional and trusted resources: