Charity Governance Software: 5 Best Options

Selecting the right charity governance software empowers your board to maximise its investment. This is especially crucial for nonprofit boards that often operate with limited donated funds. To help you make an informed decision, here are key insights into 5 popular charity governance software options.

1. OnBoard

OnBoard offers a comprehensive solution for managing every stage of the charity board life cycle. The user-friendly platform tracks and analyses board performance over time, highlighting specific areas for improvement to support informed decision-making.

With a vast library of templates, OnBoard enables you to quickly and accurately create agendas, minutes, voting records, charity annual reports, technology grant applications, and other essential documents. Its integration with Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Teams streamlines the use of multiple digital tools during board meetings.

OnBoard also facilitates succession planning. Charity boards often experience frequent leadership changes, especially as members typically receive lower compensation than those in the for-profit sector. By choosing OnBoard, you equip your board with the tools it needs to adapt and grow as new directors or CEOs join your leadership team.

2. Board Intelligence

Board Intelligence is a relatively costly charity governance platform, which can make it challenging for smaller organisations to accommodate with tight budgets. While this may pose less of an issue for businesses, nonprofits depend heavily on limited donations and must demonstrate prudent financial management. Many users report that Board Intelligence has a steeper learning curve than other platforms. It also lacks native video calling functionality and offers minimal offline access, limiting flexibility.

3. BoardPro 

BoardPro streamlines board meetings, making it a practical choice for small charities largely run by volunteers who don’t need or want to pay for a feature-heavy platform. It covers the essentials, agenda building, schedule planning, sub-committee management, voting tools, and straightforward board packs.

However, BoardPro’s agenda builder lacks the functionality and ease of use found in competing platforms. Limited customisation options make it a less suitable choice for larger organisations seeking more control over their software environment. Furthermore, meeting hosts cannot restrict participation or document access to invited attendees, which may raise security concerns.

4. BoardEffect

BoardEffect promotes board engagement by supporting strong communication and collaborative work among charity board members. It’s widely recognised for its reliable and efficient agenda management features.

That said, many users feel the platform falls short when it comes to integration with other tools and the availability of advanced features. These limitations can hinder the management of grants and other complex projects.

5. Diligent

Diligent specialises in market intelligence and analytics, helping boards gain a better understanding of their target audiences. Its intuitive interface makes it an appealing solution for large charities with diverse governance needs.

Like BoardEffect, Diligent does not disclose its pricing publicly, an obstacle for cost-conscious boards. Known as one of the more expensive platforms, it often relies on external resources, which can drive up costs and reduce convenience. Some users also report that its administrative tools are too limited to meet all their governance requirements in one centralised system.