Two Keys to Nonprofit Strength & Accountability
Kris Kewitsch | Executive Director, Charities Review Council | September 2026
Strong governance and good working relationships between boards and executive directors are key to nonprofit strength and accountability. Heather Durenberger and Jenny Eldredge of A Better Way for Good are in pursuit of the best ways to get there.
Read the blog below to hear more from these two industry experts on their path ahead, and how you can join the conversation.
“I don’t know how much longer I can do this. My board expects me to hold it all together.”
An executive director shared those words with us recently, and they’ve stayed with us. Not because the sentiment was surprising, but because it gives voice to something we see every day — and something our early research confirms about nonprofit leadership.
In our recent survey, 80% of executive directors tell us they feel isolated carrying the responsibility of their role, 73% do not experience complete safety to disagree or raise concerns, and 40% say decisions feel harder than necessary.
They aren’t venting or complaining. They are telling us they are at or near a breaking point. We launched A Better Way for Good to offer a lifeboat.
We know executive directors occupy a tricky middle ground: expected to project confidence to the board, stability to staff, vision to funders, and responsiveness to the community. They must know how to be transparent without creating alarm and when to ask for help while still looking capable.
Over time, an unintended message takes hold: You’re the executive director. You should be able to handle this.
So why don’t leaders lean more on their boards? Often, it starts with a common spiral. An executive director mentions a staffing concern to the board chair, simply looking for a trusted thought partner. The chair mentions it to another board member. Soon, several people hold different pieces of the story, and a simple operational challenge starts looking like a crisis. Sensing the board’s anxiety, the executive director shares less. Sensing they’re missing information, the board asks more questions. Trust erodes on both sides—despite everyone having good intentions.
Where does a leader go when they need to think out loud without triggering a fire drill?
That question sits at the heart of A Better Way for Good. We believe boards and executive directors can build stronger partnerships grounded in clear authority, deeper trust, and the safety to address tensions early.
We are still learning, and we need your voice to shape what comes next. If you are an executive director, please take 5 minutes to share your experience in our brief survey. Where does your role feel harder than it needs to be? What would a healthier partnership look like?
Find the survey, called What’s Your View from the Helm?, on the top of this page.
You can also join the conversation with us on LinkedIn. A better way forward doesn’t mean asking leaders to get better at holding everything together. It starts by building relationships where no one has to carry the work alone.
Learn more and set up a time to visit about your experiences at abetterwayforgood.com.
