What separates a good board from a high-performing one? In a recent Boardable webinar, nationally recognized nonprofit consultants Erin Hedges and Kara Harrison shared their proven strategies for elevating board performance, drawing on 20+ years of experience.
If you’re seeking high-performing nonprofit board insights from Hedges, this recap covers the top takeaways, tools, and templates shared during the session. It’s a must-read for executive directors, board chairs, and governance professionals looking to turn knowledge into action.
Why These Insights from Hedges Matter
As Kara Harrison explained, “A high-performing board is critical to your mission.” And throughout the webinar, both speakers offered practical, real-world guidance on how boards can strengthen alignment, engagement, and accountability.
In a nonprofit sector where time and resources are often stretched then, effective board governance can be the difference between organizational stagnation and strategic momentum. The frameworks presented by Hedges are not just theoretical—they’re battle-tested across hundreds of boardrooms, making them uniquely applicable for nonprofits at any stage of growth.
From foundational roles and responsibilities to strategic planning and mission alignment, these insights from Hedges are designed to help nonprofits navigate the complexities of modern governance with clarity and confidence.
What You’ll Learn: Key Takeaways from Hedges
1. Clarify Board Roles and Responsibilities
A recurring theme in Hedges’ board work is the need for role clarity. Erin Hedges explained how vague or inconcsistent expectations often lead to disengagement, internal confusion, or even conflict.
In the webinar, she introduced the concept of position-specific role descriptions, a move beyond generic expectations. This includes:
- Clear distinctions between governance and operational roles
- Annual commitments for board participation, giving, and engagement
- A structured onboarding process with a 90-day integration checklist
The result? Board members feel empowered and accountable, while staff members gain a clearer sense of how to collaborate with the board.
2. Align Strategy with Mission
High-performing boards don’t operate in a vacuum. Hedges encourages organizations to routinely revisit their mission, vision, and values to guide decision-making and ensure strategic alignment.
Kara Harrison emphasized the importance of annual board retreats or strategy check-ins where board recalibrate their understanding of organizational goals. She offered questions boards can ask themselves:
- Are our actions today building toward the mission of tomorrow?
- Where have we drifted from our core purpose, and why?
These kinds of reflective practices help ensure the board isn’t just functioning, but functioning with intention.
3. Boost Engagement and Ownership
Kara Harrison introduced a Board Recruitment Matrix from BoardSource. This matrix helps organizations measure involvement and re-engage less active members. It’s a key part of building board accountability and long-term effectiveness.
Additional engagement strategies shared in the webinar included:
- Peer mentorship between veteran and new board members
- Using board scorecards to track individual contributions
- Celebrating board wins—publicly and consistently
These are small shifts that, when applied, can turn passive board members into proactive ambassadors for your mission.
Bonus Insights: What the Best Boards Do Differently
During the webinar, Erin and Kara shared some traits they see in high-performing boards:
- They hold themselves accountable to metrics, not just anecdotes.
- They foster a culture of curiousity, where asking questions is encourage, not feared.
- They engage in ongoing board education, bringing in experts on equity, fundraising, or strategy throughout the year—not just once during orientation.
About the Experts
Erin Hedges is the founder of Hedges, which is known for helping nonprofit boards and leadership teams strengthen governance and fundraising. Her team focuses on capacity building through board assessments, planning retreats, and custom governance trainings.
Kara Harrison, Director of Capacity Building, leads board training and organizational strategy efforts nationwide. She specializes in guiding boards through periods of change and growth with a hands-on approach.
Together, they’ve worked with over 175 nonprofits, bringing a wealth of knowledge and real-world solutions to the webinar.
Watch the Webinar Replay
Want to dive deeper? The full session is available to watch on-demand. Catch all the high-performing nonprofit board insights from Hedges, on your schedule.
Apply These Hedges Insights to Your Board Today
Great boards don’t happen by accident. With the frameworks and guidance from Hedges, your organization can start making intentional changes toward stronger, more effective governance.
Here’s how to begin:
- Conduct a self-assessment using Hedges’ framework
- Clarify your board’s purpose and responsibilities
- Use the Board Recruitment Matrix to guide future appointments
- Schedule a strategy session focused on mission alignment
For more nonprofit leadership strategies and board development resources, explore the Boardable blog.
