BoardSource and GuideStar Partner to Create Transparency around Nonprofit Governance
Washington, DC (PRWEB) March 06, 2014 -- BoardSource and GuideStar are pleased to announce a new initiative that will enable nonprofit organizations to share information about how their organizations are governed, shedding light on a critical indicator of organizational strength and stability that is often hidden from public understanding or view.
As of today, nonprofit organizations will be asked to share information about essential board leadership practices as a part of their profile on the GuideStar Exchange. BoardSource and GuideStar worked together to create this new section, which features questions about board orientation and education, CEO oversight, ethics and transparency, board composition, and board performance.
“We believe that this initiative will create a seismic shift in the public’s understanding of governance and board leadership as a critical factor in organizational strength and accountability, and will lead to stronger governance practices by individual nonprofits,” said Anne Wallestad, president & CEO of BoardSource.
“GuideStar is regularly used as a source for data on nonprofit finances, leadership, and impact, and BoardSource is known as the definitive source for board leadership best practices and guidance,” said Jacob Harold, president & CEO of GuideStar. “Together, we’re going to be able to provide the millions of people who come to GuideStar each year to learn about nonprofits with vital information about an organization’s governance practices as well as educate organizations and the general public about the importance of effective board leadership. We’re thrilled.”
The GuideStar Exchange is the only program of its kind that allows nonprofit organizational leaders to supplement the public information that is available from the IRS. Beginning today, nonprofit organizational leaders are encouraged to update their GuideStar Exchange profiles by answering the new governance and board leadership questions, the first step in this initiative to help organizations transparently share information about their board leadership practices. In a few months, that information will be visible to the public in a new section of the GuideStar profile focused on “People and Governance.”
About BoardSource
BoardSource is the recognized leader in nonprofit board leadership and supports, trains, and educates 90,000 nonprofit board leaders from across the country each year. With 25 years of experience, BoardSource provides leaders with an extensive range of tools and resources to increase boards’ effectiveness and strengthen organizational impact. It also serves as the national voice for inspired and effective board leadership. BoardSource is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit http://www.boardsource.org.
About GuideStar
GuideStar, http://www.guidestar.org, connects people and organizations with information on the programs, finances, and impact of more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized nonprofits. GuideStar serves a wide audience inside and outside the nonprofit sector, including individual donors, nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, government officials, academic researchers, and the media.
Lindsay Nichols, GuideStar USA, Inc., http://www.guidestar.org, +1 202-637-7614, [email protected]
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