Nonprofit Board Culture and the Public Trust: Reconciling Rival Ideals

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between the underlying culture of a nonprofit board of directors and its ability to negotiate conflict, which in turn may enable the board to better uphold the public trust. Using three “hard cases,” the article highlights the importance of values such as inclusiveness, responsiveness, and communication in developing a shared way of thinking that helps the board reconcile competing legal and moral obligations. It is shown that boards with clearly articulated goals and objectives are apt to develop strong norms around the sharing of knowledge and the integration of multiple perspectives. These stable group norms are essential if the board is to become a reflective community of interpretation and uphold the public trust.