For Board Members Archives - Spokes | Resources for Nonprofits

7 Simple Habits to Strengthen Your Nonprofit’s Digital Security

October 20, 2026 by Jordan Jerkovich

When was the last time you stopped to think about how your everyday work habits might be putting your nonprofit at risk?

From checking email and sharing files to working remotely and managing passwords, we make dozens of decisions every day that can affect our organization’s digital security. And when we’re busy juggling responsibilities, it’s easy to let convenience take priority over caution.

Spokes recently attended Protecting Our Movements: Digital Security 101 for Activists & Community Organizations, a workshop offered by The Fund for Santa Barbara and presented by Josh Berthume of Rogue Metrics.

One of the key messages? Protecting our organizations isn’t just about having the right technology in place. It’s also about the way we work.

The good news is that a few simple changes in our everyday habits can go a long way toward reducing risk.

Here are seven takeaways worth sharing with your team.

1. Stop checking email on autopilot.

We’ve all done it. You’re on the go, on your phone, moving quickly through your inbox, opening messages and clicking links without giving them much thought. But that’s exactly when you’re more likely to fall for a phishing attempt.

Slow down, especially when an email contains an unexpected link, attachment or request. Take a moment to consider who sent it and whether it’s something you were expecting.

2. Don’t reuse passwords across platforms.

Using the same password for multiple accounts may be convenient, but it also means that if one account is compromised, others could be vulnerable.

Consider adopting an organizational password manager, such as 1Password, to generate and securely store unique passwords for your various accounts. This makes it easier to maintain strong passwords without having to remember them all.

3. Think twice before connecting to public Wi-Fi.

Working from a coffee shop, airport or hotel? Be cautious about connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.

Cybercriminals can create fraudulent networks that mimic legitimate ones, potentially allowing them to intercept information or direct users to malicious websites.

A safer option is to use your phone’s password-protected hotspot. If you need to use public Wi-Fi, consider using a trusted virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your connection.

4. Require two-factor authentication within your organization wherever possible.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds another layer of protection by requiring a second form of verification when someone logs in.

Even if a password is compromised, 2FA makes it much harder for someone to gain access to an account.

Berthume’s advice was straightforward: If your organization has the ability to require two-factor authentication, do it.

5. Regularly review who has access to your organization’s files.

Think about everyone who has access to your organization’s Google Drive or other shared platforms. Do they all still need it?

It’s common for employees, volunteers, board members and outside partners to receive access to files for a particular project and retain that access long after their involvement ends.

Make it a regular practice to review sharing permissions, remove unnecessary access and ensure sensitive information is available only to those who need it.

6. Use organization-specific email accounts to manage access.

Rather than granting access to organizational files through someone’s personal email address, consider creating organization-managed accounts for staff, volunteers and others who need access.

This gives your nonprofit greater control over permissions and makes it easier to revoke access when someone’s role changes or their involvement ends.

It’s a particularly useful practice for nonprofits that rely heavily on volunteers or experience regular board turnover.

7. Not expecting that attachment or invoice? Verify it first.

Phishing attempts aren’t always obvious. A fraudulent email can appear to come from someone you know, including a colleague, vendor or community partner.

If you receive an unexpected invoice, attachment or request for information, don’t assume it’s legitimate simply because you recognize the sender.

Instead, confirm the request through another trusted communication channel, such as Slack, a phone call or a separate message to the person.

That extra step could prevent a costly mistake.

Digital security is everyone’s responsibility.

Protecting an organization doesn’t necessarily require sophisticated technology or a dedicated IT department. It starts with being intentional about the way people work.

For nonprofit leaders, that means taking time to establish good habits, review existing practices and make sure staff, board members and volunteers understand their roles in keeping organizational information secure.

A good place to start? Share these seven takeaways at your next staff meeting and identify one or two changes your organization can make right away.

Small steps today can help prevent much bigger problems tomorrow.

Want to learn more?

Watch the full presentation, Protecting Our Movements: Digital Security 101 for Activists & Community Organizations, featuring Josh Berthume of Rogue Metrics, or review Josh’s presentation slides, Digital Risk Awareness & Mitigation.

Special thanks to The Fund for Santa Barbara for offering this valuable learning opportunity and to Josh for sharing his expertise.

Are Your Board Meetings Making the Best Use of Everyone’s Time?

October 1, 2026 by Jordan Jerkovich

At a recent Spokes workshop, The 5-Star Board Chair, presenter Alisa Chatinsky, CEO of NPO Success Inc., shared strategies for helping board chairs lead more effective, strategic meetings. Judging by the conversation in the room and feedback afterward, a couple of ideas really hit home with our nonprofit leaders.

Spend less time reporting and more time governing

One of the biggest takeaways? A board meeting shouldn’t be dominated by reports.

It’s easy for a meeting to become a series of updates: the Executive Director reports, committees report, financials are reviewed, and suddenly most of the meeting is gone.

Instead, consider what information board members truly need to hear during the meeting versus what they can review beforehand.

One strategy Alisa discussed is using a simple board dashboard to give members an at-a-glance look at the organization’s most important information and indicators. Rather than walking through lengthy reports, a dashboard can quickly orient the board to what is on track, what has changed and what may require attention.

That leaves valuable meeting time for what is difficult to accomplish over email or in a report: discussion, questions, problem-solving and strategic decision-making.

Give every meeting a purpose

Another idea that resonated with participants was creating an annual board meeting calendar.

Rather than building each agenda from scratch, map important governance and strategic topics across the year. One meeting might include a deeper look at finances, another board recruitment and succession, another programs and impact, and another progress on the strategic plan.

A calendar doesn’t mean those are the only topics the board can discuss that month. Instead, it helps ensure important conversations don’t continually get pushed aside by whatever feels most urgent.

It also helps board members see the bigger picture: What is our board responsible for accomplishing this year, and when will we make time to do it?

View a sample annual board meeting calendar.

A few more ways to make board meetings count

The National Council of Nonprofits offers additional recommendations for making meetings more strategic, outcome-oriented and productive. Among them:

Send the agenda in advance so members arrive prepared for the conversations and decisions ahead.
Assign timeframes to agenda items to keep the meeting moving and demonstrate respect for everyone’s time.
Consider a consent agenda for routine, noncontroversial items requiring board approval, preserving more meeting time for substantive discussion.
Park off-topic discussions for another time rather than allowing tangents to derail the agenda.
Periodically ask how meetings are working. A quick board self-assessment or post-meeting survey can identify what’s working and what needs to change.
Document decisions. Minutes provide an important legal record as well as institutional memory for the organization.

Explore the National Council of Nonprofits’ Effective Board Meetings for Good Governance for additional tips and resources.

Building a Better Board of Directors

September 18, 2026 by Jordan Jerkovich

Finding people willing to serve on a nonprofit board can be difficult. Finding the right people can be even harder.

It can be tempting, particularly when there are empty seats to fill, to focus on who is available and willing to say yes. But filling a seat doesn’t necessarily strengthen a board. A new member may care deeply about the mission but lack the skills the organization currently needs. Someone else may enthusiastically agree to serve, only to become an infrequent participant once the meetings begin.

A recent Blue Avocado article, “7 Ideas to Build a Healthy Board Nominating Process,” by Rand E. Morgan, makes the case for approaching board recruitment differently: as a strategic, intentional and ongoing responsibility rather than something a board tackles shortly before it needs new members.

Here are seven ideas from the article worth considering:

1. Recruit year-round.

Don’t wait until a board vacancy appears to start thinking about candidates. Morgan recommends that board members, staff and the nominating committee continually identify prospective members and maintain a running list of people who might bring value to the organization. He also encourages nonprofits to look beyond the most obvious or established community leaders and consider emerging leaders who may bring different perspectives.

2. Make nominating an ongoing responsibility.

Similarly, the nominating committee shouldn’t spring into action once a year and then disappear. The article recommends maintaining an active committee that continually develops and evaluates the organization’s pool of potential board members. It doesn’t have to be large; Morgan suggests a small group of board and community members who know the organization well.

3. Know what your board actually needs.

Rather than starting with Who do we know?, start with What do we need?

Look at the skills and experience already represented on your board, the gaps that will emerge as members rotate off and the challenges your organization is likely to face in the future. Then consider the characteristics, expertise, perspectives and experience that would help address those needs.

Morgan suggests keeping the organization’s strategic plan at the center of this conversation: Who can help the organization accomplish the goals it has identified?

4. Look beyond your existing circle.

A promising board candidate doesn’t need to be someone a current board or staff member already knows. In fact, someone less familiar with the organization may bring valuable new ideas and perspectives.

If you identify someone whose background and strengths align with what your board needs, don’t automatically rule them out simply because no one can make a personal introduction.

5. Consider a trial run.

Not sure how someone will perform as a board member? Consider inviting them to serve on a committee first.

Committee participation provides an opportunity to see whether a prospective member comes prepared, asks thoughtful questions, contributes useful ideas, works well with others and follows through on responsibilities. It also gives the prospective member an opportunity to become more familiar with the organization before making a larger commitment.

6. Consider temperament, not just a résumé.

Expertise matters, but so does how someone works with others.

Healthy boards don’t necessarily agree on everything. Constructive disagreement and thoughtful questioning can improve decision-making and accountability. The goal is to recruit people who are willing to raise difficult questions while remaining respectful, collaborative and focused on the organization’s mission.

7. Prioritize candidates before approaching them.

Instead of informally asking several people whether they’d be interested in serving and deciding what to do afterward, the article suggests first developing and prioritizing a list of candidates based on the board’s needs.

The nominating committee can then approach its preferred candidate and move to the next person if that individual declines. Other strong candidates can remain on the list for future openings.

Don’t fill a seat just to fill a seat

Perhaps the most useful takeaway is also one of the simplest: an empty board seat isn’t necessarily a problem that needs to be solved immediately.

As Morgan points out, provided an organization has enough directors to meet its bylaws requirements, it may be better to leave a position vacant while searching for the right person than to fill it with someone who isn’t a good fit.

Board recruitment isn’t just about finding volunteers. It’s an opportunity to think strategically about where your organization is headed and who can help it get there.

Source: Rand E. Morgan, “7 Ideas to Build a Healthy Board Nominating Process,” Blue Avocado, September 15, 2026.

Does Your Nonprofit Have the Right Policies in Place?

August 9, 2026 by Jordan Jerkovich

Organizational policies—and the updates they require—can easily fall to the bottom of an overworked nonprofit’s to-do list. It’s the kind of paperwork no one ever feels like tackling. But when an unexpected leadership transition, challenging personnel matter, or board conflict arises, clear and current policies are essential.

Outdated or missing policies can expose your nonprofit to unnecessary financial, legal, and reputational risks.

Check out this helpful article from NonProfitPRO to learn which policies and documentation can help safeguard your organization. It even includes a comprehensive checklist to help you identify gaps and prioritize the policies your nonprofit needs most.

Remember: Your board policies can evolve as your organization grows, and you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Start with the most important policies and build from there.

Board Conflict Happens. Are You Prepared to Handle it?

July 24, 2026 by Jordan Jerkovich

A key message we emphasized in our recent Board Officer Training was this: once the board has made a decision, the board should speak with one voice. Healthy debate and differing viewpoints are essential to good governance, but once a vote is complete, board members have a responsibility to support the board’s decision publicly—even if they voted differently.

It’s not always easy, which is why we’re sharing this recent Blue Avocado article on navigating board conflict and fostering productive disagreement. It features a compilation of some of the best insights submitted by nonprofit leaders who have navigated these challenges firsthand, offering practical perspectives for boards striving to govern more effectively.

Read the article HERE.

At Spokes, we’re committed to helping nonprofit boards and leaders build these skills before challenges arise. Through our annual Board Academy, Board Officer Training, and customized on-site board training and consulting, we equip directors and officers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to fulfill their roles and practice strong, effective governance.