April 22, 1999 | Read Time: 1 minute
Governance of National Federated Organizations, by Candace Widmer and Susan Houchin, examines the governing structures of roughly 50 national charities, such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Lung Association, that operate affiliate organizations or enlist individual members. Through a mail survey, a review of the organizations’ bylaws, and telephone interviews, the authors sought to gain a better understanding of the governance of these large groups, and uncover why conflicts often arise between national board members, national staff members, and local affiliates. Ms. Widmer, professor of human services and sociology at Elmira College, and Ms. Houchin, director of national services for Girls Incorporated, write that organizations often do not strictly follow their bylaws, and that more groups are drifting toward increasing the power of their national staff members, among other findings. The authors conclude with several recommendations for governing federated organizations: Avoid serious changes to governance structures, improve communications among people in power, adopt clearer bylaws, and regard occasional conflict between national boards and membership groups as a healthy thing. The publication is part of the National Center for Nonprofit Boards’”Research in Action” series, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Publisher: National Center for Nonprofit Boards Publications Department, P.O. Box 92294, Washington 20090-2294; (202) 452-6262 or (800) 883-6262; fax (202) 452-6299; e-mail ncnb@ncnb.org; World-Wide Web http://www.ncnb.org; 28 pages; $12 for N.C.N.B. members, $16 for non-members; I.S.B.N. 0-925299-92-8.
