Governance of nonprofit organizations

Nonprofit governance systems are designed to monitor, motivate, and guide managers to ensure they are working to achieve their organization’s mission and fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. Considerable heterogeneity exists in governance practices across the nonprofit sector. We first describe the multidimensional set of governance mechanisms that can be implemented by boards, in conjunction with regulators, donors, creditors, and other stakeholders. We then discuss prior accounting research on the consequences and determinants of governance. Studies generally document positive outcomes from adopting effective governance, including enhanced stewardship, improved procurement of resources, and more useful disclosure. Research also suggests that organizational characteristics, board characteristics, and funding sources influence an organization’s governance structure. Finally, we note that there is still much to learn and encourage future research that addresses causality, identifies distinct contexts where specific governance mechanisms may be more or less beneficial, and investigates the role of governance in programmatic accomplishments.