Board Checkup, Self Assessment Software Services Inc.

Empirical research has shown that boards of directors of nonprofit organizations that take time to regularly assess their performance are more effective than those that do not. Very often board members themselves, and those who connect to the board on a regular basis, have many ideas about what is working and what might be done better. One of the best ways to surface performance challenges and tap the potential for board members and others to contribute leadership that positively impacts the governance process is to have them complete a well designed and empirically tested questionnaire covering all facets of board performance. When summarized and analyzed, the results provide an excellent basis for board learning and development (see Harrison and Murray, 2015; Murray and Harrison, 2014).

This website provides access to a confidential, theory-based, online board performance management system based on empirical research on the impact of self-assessment of board performance on changes in board leadership and governance behavior and practices. The data collected through use of the Board Checkup is part of a longitudinal research project being carried out by Professor Yvonne Cafik Harrison of the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo, USA in collaboration with Professor Vic Murray of the School of Public Administration, University of Victoria, CANADA.

Nonprofit boards who register to take the Board Checkup will be provided access to the Board Effectiveness Survey Application (BESA), an online self-assessment software application designed to safely and securely surface and discuss board performance challenges as seen by board members and others who relate to the board. To date, thousands of individuals have used the application to assess board performance with 80 % of boards reporting significant positive changes in board performance and governance effectiveness.  Boards of directors can now subscribe to this service to conduct due diligence assessments of performance, store and access performance data, and monitor changes in effectiveness and impact over time. 

Click on Testimonials above to see other's reactions to participating in this governance self-improvement project.