Board Governance Training

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Board members are integral volunteers at your charity or nonprofit. How do you ensure they join the board with the know-how they need?


Enrol in free Board Governance Training on OWL so board members can upgrade their governance and leadership skills.

Nonprofit organizations are a unique breed of business. Their focus is not just on raising capital but is guided by a mission to serve the world in some important way. Still, not everyone who joins a nonprofit board understands the basics for how to do the job. That's why it is so important to set up a framework for how your board will run and to give members the tools they need to engage with each other and the organization in the best possible way.


Use these tips to empower your board members so they can confidently tackle the unique challenges of running a charity or nonprofit.

 

Good recruiting practices

Have you noticed that people are said to 'serve' on boards, not just sit on them? Choose people who won't just show up but consider it is a privilege to volunteer to help run your charity. Each person should also bring a special expertise to their particular role and demonstrate their knowledge of and connection to the charity's mission.


Orientation essentials

You can't expect someone who has never been on a board to know exactly what to do when they arrive. During orientation, the new board member should be provided with and sign a document that clarifies the expectations for their role. In it, there should be particulars such as meeting attendance, committee participation, fundraising requirements, and ongoing training, etc. 


Personal giving

Many charities expect new board members to make a personal donation to demonstrate their commitment to the charity's mission and success. Even if your charity does not require personal giving, board members should be treated as valuable donors, so they feel that donating their time and effort to your charity is worthwhile.


Online training opportunities

Board members are only as strong as the education they bring to the board table. To ensure that all board members stay current on board practices, strategies, and behaviour, offer online training in the form of eLearning courses and programs, including a board governance in the non-profit sector onboarding program and optional board refreshers they can access at any time. 


Structure and focus

Make sure board meetings are both structured and focused, so members get into the swing of it and don't sit around bored on the board! Have the meeting location and snacks set, and agenda circulated beforehand. That way, everyone will come prepared and ready to tackle decisions and strategy.


4 free courses to help you communicate better in the nonprofit sector

By Emma Browne • July 8, 2026
Running a nonprofit means wearing a dozen hats at once — board liaison, team manager, grant writer, fundraiser, and more, often all before lunch. That's why we're excited to announce 4 new courses on OWL (Open World Learning) designed specifically for nonprofit and charity professionals who want practical, real-world skills without the fluff. We launch new courses every quarter to best serve our nonprofit champions. If you're interested in our last course drop, you can browse through 13 free nonprofit courses we released in March 2026 . Why These Courses, Why Now Nonprofits are being asked to do more with less — tighter budgets, smaller teams, and higher expectations from donors and boards alike. These four courses were built to address the exact pressure points that come up again and again in the sector: governance, people management, funding, and fundraising. Each course is self-paced, practical, and built by people who understand nonprofit work isn't a scaled-down version of the corporate world — it's its own discipline with its own challenges.

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By Emma Browne • March 17, 2026
We’re excited to announce a new set of courses on the OWL Learning Platform , designed to support nonprofit professionals, board members, and organizational leaders. These new additions focus on the core skills needed to run, grow, and sustain effective nonprofit organizations. You'll find these courses under the following categories on your dashboard.