Nonprofit boards of directors: Perceptions of collaborative governance

This study examined nonprofit boards of directors' perceptions of collaborative governance. Specific elements of the contingency theory of collaborative governance were selected to formulate Jackson's theoretical model for nonprofit boards of directors' perceptions of collaborative governance for the purpose of addressing one central and three secondary research questions. Multiple case studies, the primary research design, were combined with content analysis to conduct face-to-face interviews with nine African American nonprofit board members, ages 24--64. Six board members were from the state of Georgia, and three were from the state of Illinois. Six study participants were female, three were male. The study participants identified the primary factor driving them toward participation in collaborative governance processes as their desire to deliver benefit to the community. Nonprofit boards of directors may also be willing to engage in collaborative governance activities if the collaborative governance structure contains elements or mechanisms that promote empowerment, equality, mutual benefit for stakeholders, transparency, and public interest as a higher priority than personal interest, community inclusion, and strong trust relationships. Nonprofit boards of directors may not be willing to participate in collaborative governance structures where there is the perception that governmental representation in the collaborative governance model threatens the loss of autonomy at the local level. Additional research may focus on the development of relevant grounded theory as well as on the examination of the practicality of introducing and implementing complex structures such as collaborative governance models within the nonprofit sector.