BOARDS and BEYOND
UNDERSTANDING the CHANGING REALITIES of NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION GOVERNANCE

A Conference for Practitioners and Researchers

 Sponsored by
The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership
and
The Nonprofit Quarterly

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 March 31- April 1, 2005
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.

Effective governance is integral to the nonprofit sector and the communities it serves.  Yet scholars and practitioners alike continue to be intrigued and challenged by the complex and changing nature of nonprofit governance and the boards that engage in it.  Even as we learn more about the breadth and depth of variety in context, design, and practices, it is clear that we do not fully understand this element of nonprofit leadership and how it is or should be practiced. Are most nonprofit boards effective in providing adequate governance?  Are there new and more effective ways to address nonprofit governance needs?  This is a time of significant change for nonprofit governance.  But what is changing and what is not? 

 The purpose of this conference is to advance our knowledge about nonprofit governance by bringing together researchers and practitioners who have a serious interest in the changing world of nonprofit and nongovernmental organization governance.  This innovative conference offers a collegial forum for dialogue, learning, and creative thinking as we explore the increasingly challenging dynamics of effective governance.  In addition, four keynote and plenary presentations will inform the conference dialogue:

• Governance of Nonprofits: What We Know, Where We Should Go:
  • Melissa Middleton Stone, University of Minnesota
  • Ruth McCambridge, Nonprofit Quarterly
• Governance as Leadership: William Ryan, Harvard University
• The Search for Innovative Governance: What We Found and Didn't Find, and What It All Means: Kathleen Fletcher, University of San Francisco

 This highly participative conference will employ the Midwest Center model that has been so successful for previous academic-practitioner conferences.  It will offer multiple opportunities for formal and informal discussion and dialogue among the consultants, executives, and academics who are most engaged in addressing these challenges.  One key element of the conference will be sharing highlights and insights emerging from recent governance research.  Fifteen of the leading researchers and writers in the field will discuss their work to explore the changing sphere of governance through case studies, empirical research and conceptual papers.  Current research into new forms of governance, the dynamics of alliances and collaborations, and more will be discussed.

 Equally valuable will be the opportunities to build on and go beyond the theory and research – for experienced leaders who are exploring new and innovative strategies and approaches in their communities and organizations to participate in facilitated and informed discussions.  Half of the conference breakout sessions will be facilitated (non-presentation) dialogue sessions, each focused on a specific issue or interest.

 The conference is designed to be a relatively intimate gathering of those who are serious about sharing and shaping governance ideas and learning.  To facilitate active dialogue, the conference will be limited to 150 participants, about half of whom will be nonprofit and community leaders and practitioners.