How many directors does your nonprofit really need?

For nonprofit boards, 2026 looks to be a year of difficult questions. How do you encourage donor confidence amid economic uncertainty? Should you embrace artificial intelligence (AI) technology? If so, how do you do so responsibly while guarding against increasingly complex fraud risks? And behind all of this, one foundational question continues to challenge many nonprofits: How big should your board be? Understanding the pros and cons of small vs. large boards can help you design a sustainably sized governing body that’s equipped to engage whatever comes your way this year.

The trade-offs at each end of the spectrum

Both small and large boards come with perks and drawbacks. For example, smaller boards often facilitate easier communication and greater cohesiveness among members. Scheduling is less complicated, and meetings tend to be shorter and more focused. Several studies have shown that collective decision-making is most effective when the group comprises five to eight people. But boards on the smaller end of this range may lack the experience or diversity needed to facilitate healthy deliberation and debate. What’s more, members may feel overworked and burn out easily.

Larger boards, by contrast, can spread the workload more evenly, reducing burnout, increasing sustainability, and expanding an organization’s reach and fundraising network. Large boards also may include more perspectives and a broader base of professional expertise — financial, legal, community outreach and more. At the same time, large boards may struggle with engagement if members feel disconnected from decision-making or unclear about their roles. Larger boards also require more staffing support to manage onboarding, communications, logistics and more.

There’s no magic number

State law generally sets a minimum number of directors for nonprofit organizations. But beyond that baseline, board size is essentially a governance choice. When forming or resizing a board, nonprofit leaders should carefully consider director responsibilities, required skills and expertise, fundraising expectations, and staffing resources. A board that’s too small or too large relative to these factors can struggle to fulfill its fiduciary and strategic duties.

And while there’s a touch of wisdom in settling on an uneven number of board members (to avoid 50/50 votes), keep in mind that your board chair can break a tie when appropriate. Moreover, a split vote often signals that an issue deserves deeper exploration rather than a rushed decision.

Designing for strong governance

From a governance standpoint, growing a board is usually easier than shrinking one. Asking directors to step down can be uncomfortable, and reducing board size may require amendments to an organization’s bylaws. Many nonprofits benefit from defining a range for board size — rather than a fixed number — in their governing documents. This approach sets clear expectations while allowing for flexibility as the organization evolves. Ultimately, the “right” board size is that which supports thoughtful decision-making, meaningful engagement and long-term mission success.

© 2026