The board chair is the most important position on the board, and it should be filled by a seasoned ministry board member. He or she becomes your go-to person for ministry questions. Your board chair should be available for phone consultations, encouragement over a cup of coffee, or financial accountability. The two of you will collaborate on the board agenda and brainstorm on strategy and implementation. The board chair is a player/coach, available to lick stamps or accompany the ministry leader on a fundraising visit.

• As the leader of the ministry, you are accountable to the board of directors, and your board chair represents them in demanding that accountability. It’s a big mistake for you to serve simultaneously as board chair and ministry leader. Having both jobs does not work well in either the for-profit or nonprofit world. This mixing of roles dilutes accountability; in some cases, accountability even ceases to exist. The proverbial fox is keeping an eye on the hen house!
• Therefore, prayerfully seek out your board chair, someone who is a leader, experienced in ministry boards, and with whom you have good chemistry. Look for someone who can get in your face and pat you on the back at the same time. This person, second only to you as the ministry leader, will set the tone for the board and the ministry. While the board is the executive director’s boss, practically the board chair communicates most with the executive director. Is your board chair relationship effective and growing?
• Consider this excerpt from “How to Build a Better Nonprofit Board” by Alice Korngold:
• “Here's how an effective chair uses her time for the greatest benefit to the nonprofit:
• 1. Understands and communicates the mission to investors and key constituents, including
• making the case for support.
• 2. Works in partnership with the CEO to create board meeting agendas that are focused on
• key strategic issues, and engages board members in productive and meaningful discussions, and decision-making.
• 3. Identifies and develops board members for future leadership. Leadership succession
• planning is vital for the organization's longer term sustainability.
• 4. Works in collaboration with the Board Governance Committee and the CEO to identify
• and recruit new board members from diverse backgrounds and perspectives who have the experience and relationships to be valuable to the organization.
• 5. Is a lead financial contributor to the organization and asks other board members for
• their support.
• 6. Meets with each board member individually at least once a year to help each person
• to discover how they can be most useful.”