All boards should, in principle, aspire to a place in this upper tier of governing bodies. But what does excellence mean for a nonprofit board, and how is it measured? More important, how does a board map a path to that goal? This paper attempts to serve as a guide for trustees and boards that aspire to excel, with particular emphasis on the board's fiduciary role. We identify the practices and policies of excellent boards and the steps that nonprofits can take to put them into practice. While reviewing the functions of a board and its members, we also attempt to show what boards look like when they are at the top of their game
