A growing demand for funding to address increasingly complex problems means it’s more important than ever for the boards of grantmaking organisations to perform as effectively as possible, says governance expert Graeme Nahkies.

He has identified effective performance as one of three key governance issues facing the philanthropic sector. The other two are the importance of having boards whose members have a wide range of skills and experience, and the need for better communication between boards and grantees.

Graeme, who will facilitate the governance modules at our popular Governance and Investment Workshops in Wellington on October 11, 12 & 13, says most grantmakers have limited resources, while the problems their grantees are dealing with are becoming more urgent and more complex.

“It’s important for boards to work as effectively as they can so they can leverage their funds to get the best possible results.”

He says this growing demand for funding also makes it important for boards to have members with the right combination of skills and experience.

“It’s not just what’s on their CV —they also have to have time to commit to their board responsibilities, though once a board is making the best possible use of the skills available the amount of time required can be relatively small.”

Graeme, who is co-founder and director of BoardWorks International, says the third big issue facing boards at the moment is the need for better communication between grantmaking organisations and their grant applicants.

“It’s important for the grantmaker to really understand the needs of their applicants, but it’s a two-way process—grant recipients also need to be able to communicate how their funding is being used.”