How big should a Nonprofit Board be?
Greater Governance Series
A common question I get from board clients is: “How many people should we have on our board?”
And my honest answer is it depends.
That’s just the reality of governance. There are very few universal “best practices” that apply to every organization. Whenever trying to figure out what ‘best’ is, I encourage boards to think in terms of guiding principles--ones that help you make the right decision for your context, not someone else’s.
So when it comes to the size of your board, here are some questions you can ask, guiding principles, and general recommendations.
Key Questions to Ask
What does our board need to do?
Every organization requires different leadership and work from their Board. While there is a core set of legal and fiduciary duties, the additional domains in which boards provide strategic and operational support vary org to org. Some questions you can ask are:
What is the vision for how the board operates in support of the mission?
What is the scale and scope of the board’s specific responsibilities in a year?
Are we a working board (hands-on, operational) or a governing board (strategic, oversight)?
How often will the board need to meet, and how much work will be done between meetings?
What culture and dynamic are we trying to build . collaborative, strategic, hands-on, advisory?
What expertise do we need and who needs to be represented?
Every organization has its own necessary blend of professional expertise, lived experience, and stakeholder representation that reflects its mission. When thinking about what that may be, ask:
What skills and knowledge are essential to the vision of how your board operates? Some of the most common and sought after skillsets are finance, legal, executive leadership, fundraising, and HR.
Who needs to be represented? Think about the people and communities you serve. Constituents, members, artists, educators, veterans, or those with lived experience. Who do you need in the board space in order to effectively guide the organization?
Do we have the right balance of independence, diversity, and cohesion to make decisions effectively?
What capacity do we realistically have to support and engage board members?
Having a large board can be detrimental if your board members have limited opportunity to leverage their expertise, engage with the mission, and learn about their legal and fiduciary duties. When thinking about the right size, ask:
Do we have the systems and leadership in place to keep everyone informed, trained, and engaged?
Guiding Principles
More people = more complexity. Larger boards are harder to schedule, slower to reach consensus, and require more effort to train and engage everyone.
Fewer people = more risk. Too few members means fewer perspectives and less capacity to do the work.
Depth brings stability. Having at least two members with critical expertise (e.g., finance) helps avoid disruptions when someone leaves.
People cycle. You can’t forget life happens. Directors move, step back, or leave early. Your board should be large enough to absorb normal turnover without losing function.
General Recommendations
5 or Less: The IRS requires nonprofits to have at least three board members (and some states mandate even more). Operating with so few is risky, however. One unexpected departure or conflict of interest can put you out of compliance or leave you scrambling. You’ll likely also lack depth in key functions like finance, fundraising, or governance. That said, a very small board can work temporarily in a startup phase when you need agility and quick decision-making. The challenge is to transition early... Once the organization stabilizes, broaden representation and skill diversity before burnout or blind spots set in.
7–12 members: This range tends to suit most small to mid-sized organizations. It provides enough diversity of perspectives and skills to support strategic discussions, while keeping coordination and communication manageable. However, success here depends heavily on clarity of role and focus. Board and staff leadership must be discerning about what the board takes on, with strengths in balancing oversight with strategic contribution. The opportunity: in this range, you can build strong relationships, maintain accountability, and still be nimble enough to adapt quickly when needed.
More than 12: As a board grows into a larger body, structure and leadership become critical. Larger boards can bring incredible diversity of experience, networks, and capacity .... especially for organizations with complex programs or fundraising needs. But this scale requires intentional governance systems, including (1) clear delineation between board and staff work (2) Well defined committees, charters, and reporting mechanisms (3) An annual work plan outlining deliverables and accountability, and (4) Strong, diplomatic leadership, especially from the chair and executive director, in order to keep meetings productive and engagement high. When well-managed, larger boards can be a boon to an organization. When undermanaged, they can drift into dysfunction and disengagement.
More than 20: Generally speaking, your board should only be this large with a very good reason, such as a federated structure, or an organization that intentionally seeks broad stakeholder representation. At this size, engagement, accountability, and meeting logistics become significant challenges. It’s harder to maintain cohesion, ensure everyone is contributing, and even reach quorum consistently. If you do operate at this scale, strong leadership and structure are non-negotiable: clear committees, frequent communication outside meetings, and defined expectations for participation. The upside? With thoughtful management, a large board can be a powerful ambassador network, expanding reach and influence far beyond what a smaller board could achieve.
In Short
To end with where we began: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. There’s only the number that lets your board do its best work based on the mission and needs of the organization as well as the scope of board work. You need to work together with your fellow board members and organizational leadership, have a realistic conversation, and