ELEV-LS 026: Executive Board Fundamentals

ELEV-LS 026: Executive Board Fundamentals

Course Number: ELEV-LS 026

Duration: One day

Course Description:

Effective governance is essential to creating and sustaining strong leadership and organizational success. Executive boards play a critical role in setting direction, ensuring accountability, managing risk, and supporting long-term sustainability. Board members must understand their responsibilities in governance, financial oversight, strategic planning, and leadership succession in order to fulfill their roles effectively.

The Executive Board Fundamentals course helps learners develop a clear understanding of board governance principles and best practices. Learners will explore board roles and structures, legal and ethical responsibilities, financial oversight, fundraising, strategic planning, risk management, succession planning, and performance evaluation. By strengthening governance knowledge and skills, learners can contribute more effectively to board leadership and organizational impact.

By the end of this course, learners should be able to:

• Explain the purpose and principles of effective governance
• Identify board roles, responsibilities, and structures
• Understand the board–chief executive relationship
• Apply best practices for financial oversight and risk management
• Support strategic planning and organizational sustainability
• Participate effectively in succession planning and evaluation processes
• Contribute to productive board dynamics and meetings

Course Modules:

Module One: Governance Principles, Roles, and Structure

• Introduction to governance and service
• Defining governance
• Governance roles
• Governance structure
• The board–chief executive relationship

Module Two: Governance Practices

• Building an effective board
• Legal and ethical responsibilities
• Financial oversight
• Fundraising responsibilities
• Strategic thinking and strategic planning
• Communications and outreach
• Succession planning and executive transitions
• Evaluation of the board, executives, and organization
• Bylaws and policies
• Conducting effective board meetings
• Managing board dynamics

The Executive Board Fundamentals course supports learners in strengthening governance practices and board effectiveness. Join now to build the knowledge and confidence needed to lead responsibly, govern effectively, and support long-term organizational success.