The author is making some broad generalizations ("Board members often know almost nothing about the organization they have complete power over") that don't matc

The author is making some broad generalizations ("Board members often know almost nothing about the organization they have complete power over") that don't match what I've seen as a nonprofit board member. There are certainly best practices out there, as nonprofit management is a very developed "industry" in the United States and I suspect other countries as well. I don't know why he had trouble locating this information. Identifying a capable and engaged executive committee and limiting tactical committees and projects in favor of strategic planning will go a long way to making for an effective board. Small nonprofits will seem chaotic as there are too many things to do, (usually) no full-time staff to manage it, board members who don't participate and/or make demands that are not practical, poor financial management, launching important tasks that are never completed, and badly written bylaws at foundation that cause problems for years after they are written.