Documenting Governance
Access sample governance documents for board and committee operations, including charters, calendars, policies, evaluations, bylaws, and other foundational resources.
Governance Resources
Boardroom Tools
Put NACD Research to Work
Governance Research
Governance Surveys
Directorship Magazine
Turn Governance Insights into Action
NACD Boardroom Tools translate our research and guidance into practical resources directors can bring into the boardroom. Access templates, checklists, questionnaires, and discussion guides designed to support board operations, strengthen board effectiveness, and help boards address complex issues.
Run the Board
Resources for the essential work of board and committee operations.
Delegated Authority: Key Roles of the Board and Management
Clarify where the board’s responsibilities end and management’s authority begins.
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Sample
Board Candidate Profile
Define desired skills for director recruitment that align with long-term strategy.
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Checklist
Director Recruitment
Explore an overview of the key steps to effective director selection.
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Discussion Guide
Board Interview Best Practices
Leverage sector-specific questions to screen and select directors.
Strengthen Board Effectiveness
Tools to improve board performance and working relationships.
Setting Strategy: A Road Map for the Board’s Engagement With Management
Clarify how the board can engage with management on strategy while maintaining appropriate oversight and accountability.
How to Educate and Upskill Directors and Boards on Critical Issues
Explore insights on preparing boards for today’s most pressing governance challenges.
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Checklist
Red Flags in the Board–CEO Relationship
Recognize warning signs that may indicate breakdowns in trust, communication, or alignment.
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Discussion Guide
Board’s Role in CEO Well-Being
Explore how boards can support CEO effectiveness and resilience while maintaining appropriate oversight.
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Checklist
Executive Sessions Effectiveness
Three keys steps to enhance executive sessions and support a strong board-CEO relationship.
Tackle Complex Boardroom Issues
Resources for navigating evolving risks, emerging technologies, and consequential oversight decisions.
2026 Cyber-Risk Oversight Toolkit
Equip the board for cyber-risk oversight with practical tools covering incident response, AI, ransomware, cloud security, third-party risk, reporting, metrics, and more.
Applying Climate Governance Principles
Discover practical director insights, research, and surveys to support US boards in effectively governing this evolving area.
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Questionnaire
Ethics and Compliance Oversight
Facilitate discussions among the board and executive leadership on ethics and compliance program effectiveness.
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Discussion Guide
Board Strategy in a New Era of Activism
Support board readiness and effective company response in an increasingly dynamic activism “market.”
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Questionnaire
The Phases of M&A
Understand the board’s role and key considerations across the stages of a transaction.