What if you could just... skip the whole "having a board of directors" part of running a nonprofit? Turns out, you're not the only one who've thought about it!

We all know every nonprofit pro has quietly wondered at some point whether they really need a board at all. This week's listener question puts that quiet part out loud, and we dig into what's really going on when a board goes off the rails.

Real Listener Question:

"I work for a small business league and our whole board is useless. They do nothing to help us but keep finding random projects for us to do. The directors all say they're too busy for their normal board duties. My ED and I are wondering if there's a way to get all the board members to just sign away their roles so we don't have to have a board at all. Can we do that?"

Meghan and I break down what a board is actually supposed to do, why some people join boards for reasons that have nothing to do with the mission, and why "let's just get rid of them" is a fantasy (even though the underlying frustration is very real).

What You'll Learn:

• What the core job of every nonprofit board actually is
• Why some boards drift into micromanaging staff and how it happens
• Why "signing away" board roles isn't a legal option (sorry!)
• What to do when board members treat staff like their personal assistants
• Why board and staff relationships are hard for every nonprofit
• When it's time to bring in outside training for your board

Bottom line: It's completely normal to be frustrated with your board. You're not alone. But the answer isn't getting rid of them. It's figuring out what your board is actually there to do and getting them back on track.

Resources from this Episode

• Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct169-nonprofit-retirement-christopher-tipper/
• Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CT_Ep170_Transcript.pdf

Connect with Us

• Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/
• Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/

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