This year, your non-profit board will likely face many difficult questions. Among economic uncertainty, how do you secure donor confidence? Is artificial intelligence technology to be trusted? If yes, how do you protect against fraud risk and use it responsibly? Beyond every question, one major foundational question that continues to challenge organizations is how many individuals should serve on your non-profit’s board. To properly handle all that comes your way this year, it’s crucial to understand the pros and cons of a small vs. large board and what is right for your non-profit.
The Trade-Offs At Each End Of The Spectrum
Both small and large boards come with perks and drawbacks. For example, smaller boards often facilitate easier communication and greater cohesiveness among members. Scheduling is less complicated, and meetings tend to be shorter and more focused. Several studies have shown that collective decision-making is most effective when the group comprises five to eight people. But boards on the smaller end of this range may lack the experience or diversity needed to facilitate healthy deliberation and debate. What’s more, members may feel overworked and burn out easily.
Larger boards, by contrast, can spread the workload more evenly, reducing burnout, increasing sustainability, and expanding an organization’s reach and fundraising network. Large boards also may include more perspectives and a broader base of professional expertise — financial, legal, community outreach, and more. At the same time, large boards may struggle with engagement if members feel disconnected from decision-making or unclear about their roles. Larger boards also require more staffing support to manage onboarding, communications, logistics, and more.
There’s No Magic Number
State law generally sets a minimum number of directors for non-profit organizations. But beyond that baseline, board size is essentially a governance choice. When forming or resizing a board, non-profit leaders should carefully consider director responsibilities, required skills and expertise, fundraising expectations, and staffing resources. A board that’s too small or too large relative to these factors can struggle to fulfill its fiduciary and strategic duties.
And while there’s a touch of wisdom in settling on an uneven number of board members (to avoid 50/50 votes), keep in mind that your board chair can break a tie when appropriate. Moreover, a split vote often signals that an issue deserves deeper exploration rather than a rushed decision.
Designing For Strong Governance
From a governance standpoint, growing a board is usually easier than shrinking one. Asking directors to step down can be uncomfortable, and reducing board size may require amendments to an organization’s bylaws. Many non-profits benefit from defining a range for board size — rather than a fixed number — in their governing documents. This approach sets clear expectations while allowing for flexibility as the organization evolves. Ultimately, the “right” board size is that which supports thoughtful decision-making, meaningful engagement, and long-term mission success. Contact us for further guidance for strong governance practices for your organization.
