Just-in-Time Leadership Resources for Nonprofit Boards
BoardSync delivers immediately applicable guidance when you need it most—whether it's tonight's board meeting or next month's strategic planning session.
Strengthen your leadership, accelerate your impact, and maximize your community outcomes with flexible, expert-led resources designed for busy nonprofit leaders.
BoardSync Solutions
BoardSync includes the following comprehensive resources:
Standardized Onboarding
Board orientation and governance toolkits with guided discussions
Just-in-Time Learning Library
Brief (<15 minutes), searchable video/podcast sessions for immediate problem-solving and preparation, including a fundamentals series that takes about an hour to complete
Expert-Led Masterclasses
Monthly webinars with seasoned nonprofit leaders sharing lessons learned and best practices
Resource Hub
Personalizable resource templates, crisis management protocols, and organizational assessments
Document Link
Secure, convenient link for board members to access foundational documents and ongoing resources
Ready to transform your nonprofit leadership?
Introduction to BoardSync
Watch our introductory video to learn how BoardSync can transform your nonprofit leadership
Role-Specific Learning Plans and Pathways
Customized learning journeys designed for your specific role and responsibilities
New Board Members
The 101 Foundations:
- Introduction
- Board Governance 101
- Board Structures 101
- Board Meetings 101
- Finance 101: Part 1
- Finance 101: Part 2
- Fund Development and Advocacy 101
- Do's and Don'ts of Being a Great Board Member
New Officers and Executive Directors
- Roles of the Board Officers, Committee Chairs, and ED
- Efficient Meetings
- Parliamentary Procedure 201
- Do's & Don'ts/Top 10 Tips/What You Wish You Had Known
- Planning a Productive Board Retreat
- Risk Management & Liability
- Onboarding Best Practices
Committee Chairs
- Roles of the Board Officers, Committee Chairs, and ED
- Efficient Meetings
- Board Minutes Basics
Deeper Dives
For any or all Board Members depending on needs and context:
- Finance Deep Dive
- ED Evaluation & Compensation Review
- Board Development Best Practices
- Parliamentary Procedure 201
- Succession Planning
- Strategic Planning
- Finance 201
- Committees & Advisory Boards Best Practices
- Fund Development
- Advocacy 201
- Hiring an Executive Director
Access to Communities of Practice and Office Hours
BoardSync provides additional support for participating Board Members and Executive Directors through two primary channels:
Office Hours
Each Board has access to up to 4 hours of support each year. Access Office Hours time slots to work with an expert on your specific challenges and questions.
Communities of Practice
Monthly discussions through role-based communities for Executive Directors, Board Chairs & Vice Chairs, and New Board Members. These include brief presentations on pertinent topics, Q&A sessions, experience sharing, and resource identification.
Questions about how BoardSync can work for your organization?
Meet the Founders of BoardSync
BoardSync is built by leaders who have faced the challenges and opportunities nonprofits experience firsthand. Our founding team brings decades of hands-on experience as nonprofit executive directors and board members. We've navigated sleepless nights before board meetings, managed leadership transitions during crises, and felt the frustration of recreating governance tools that should already exist. The team has extensive experience with adult learning and instructional design, including creating and implementing professional learning across space and time to ensure meaningful opportunities for thousands of participants.
Marisa Bryant
MPAMarisa brings 25+ years experience as an employee, board member, and volunteer in the nonprofit, higher ed, faith, and education fields. She has served as board chair for multiple nonprofits and as Chair of Church Council for one of the largest churches in North Carolina. Marisa is also a certified Community Action Network Poverty Simulation facilitator and holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Board Consulting from BoardSource. She received a BS in Political Science from Elon College and a Master's in Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Alex Dreier
MEdAlex brings over 20 years of experience designing and delivering professional learning for educators and nonprofit leaders. He specializes in research-grounded instructional design and adult learning principles. His work spans blended and asynchronous learning experiences, including developing MOOCs that have served 15,000+ educators globally. Previously, as Associate Director of Online Learning at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, Alex led national initiatives in competency-based learning, Universal Design for Learning, and equitable learning environments. He holds a Master's in Education from Harvard and presents regularly at national conferences on learning design.
Dr. Mary Ann Wolf
PhDDr. Mary Ann Wolf has nearly thirty years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, including serving as an Executive Director for national and state-based, highly effective nonprofits; as a board member, chair, and vice chair of a local school board; and as a board member of local and national organizations. She developed and implemented online and in-person professional learning that served thousands of participants around the world and facilitated year-long, face-to-face small cohorts. Mary Ann holds a PhD in Education Leadership & Policy from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor's in Accounting & Marketing from Georgetown University.
We created BoardSync to address problems we've personally faced, and we want to provide others with the solutions we wish we'd had.
Research Base
BoardSync is grounded in extensive academic research on effective board governance, nonprofit leadership, and adult learning design
Our platform addresses the core challenges nonprofit boards face: inefficient communication, limited access to timely resources, and lack of structured professional development. Through research on organizational behavior, collaborative decision-making, and digital learning design, we've created a solution that meets boards where they are.
Ready for the Next Step?
Let's explore how BoardSync can strengthen your nonprofit leadership and maximize your community impact.