S.F. nonprofit boards have some issues
Santa Fe has a nonprofit board problem. While I appreciate the coverage in Pasatiempo (“Running the show,” April 5) addressing the issues of the challenges of board governance in the arts in our community, I want to address the wider issue that board challenges exist across the entire nonprofit sector in Santa Fe, in New Mexico and nationally, to be honest.
Since 2012, I have been witness to the burnout of myriad nonprofit staff and executive directors, board issues, internal organizational conflict and lack of funding as a consultant and facilitator in our nonprofit leadership workshops and strategic nonprofit consulting work.
In fact, we launched an Executive Directors’ Circle in 2023 to address these issues and provide a safe and brave space for EDs to convene with their peers and share their struggles, and get support and coaching. And, in 2015, in partnership with the Santa Fe Community Foundation, we launched an Emerging Leaders program and have had over 300 participants from across New Mexico, learning from each other and sharing challenges and solutions about their work in the nonprofit sector.
I have served as an executive director in Santa Fe myself (of the now-defunct Santa Fe Independent Business Alliance), and I can tell you that being an ED is an impossible job. Tasked with doing all the daily functions of the organization, fundraising, managing board and staff, and ensuring the mission and vision are fulfilled, all while trying to advocate for (and/or raise the actual money for) your own salary and salary increases can feel insurmountable.
As well, nonprofit staffers are leaving their positions in record numbers, moving on to other organizations they hope are less toxic and hopefully more organized. So, one of the first problems is that the expectations placed on executive directors and staff by boards are often not realistic, nor are they achievable.
Board members in Santa Fe are generally in one of two camps — deep pockets and connections with no nonprofit experience, or hands on “do-ers” with no nonprofit experience. We expect board members to govern organizations but then put people in those positions who have no skills or background in the nonprofit sector.
Often they are retired and have the time to give but not the skills necessary to lead in this ever-changing world, one which now requires implementing equitable practices to thrive. No amount of diversity, equity and inclusion board workshop training will change the culture of an organization with a dozen retired white people in positions of power.
It’s time for a new generation of leadership and for nonprofits to embrace practicing new leadership models in Santa Fe. EDs are often working against stifling power dynamics (read: white supremacy and patriarchy issues — board egos, deep pockets, power holders) in isolation, unable to go to their staff with their challenges, and certainly not able to move their board toward more equitable practices.
In our 12 years of consulting work with nonprofits, we are not happy to report that a large number of New Mexico-based executive directors resigned from their positions, citing board challenges as the main driver in this decision. We are exploring how to support boards through a community of practice in 2024 rooted in how to share power, how to provide oversight and share responsibilities with the executive director and staff, exploring new models like minimally viable boards, and other ways to help board members and boards as a whole provide the support needed to not lead to staff burnout.