About the Global Forum on NGO Governance

The Global Forum on NGO Governance is a worldwide online forum that supports resource-sharing and idea exchange for all who work with, or serve on, the boards of nongovernmental (NGO) organizations. Our Web site serves as an “online platform” for discussions and advice exchange on NGO governance issues, and as a place to share governance-related documents such as e-books, papers and surveys. The site also includes a member directory, a listing of governance technical assistance providers around the world, and a listing of NGO governance-related events. The site, which is built on the interactive content-management system Drupal, is configured so that members themselves can add resources, participate in discussions, post comments, and add events.

The Global Forum for NGO Governance is an initiative sponsored by BoardSource, the U.S.-based organization that works to improve the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by strengthening their boards of directors. From 1996 to 2005, BoardSource ran a global program that helped create resources and build capacity among indigenous groups around the world so that they could better serve the governance needs of NGOs in their regions.

In 2005, BoardSource commissioned a study to evaluate the effectiveness of its global work. The evaluation found that BoardSource’s global program had indeed increased awareness of good governance practices and helped build the capacity of its partners. The evaluation also suggested that moving forward, BoardSource should pursue a networked model of service delivery, which emphasizes peer-to-peer learning and nurtures the development of governance knowledge and solutions that better relate to and reflect the civil society contexts of various regions in the world.

Based on the recommendations of the evaluation and a subsequent survey of the alumni of BoardSource’s global program, BoardSource launched the Global Forum on NGO Governance.