ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the institutional framework, the nonprofit governing board, in which the policy-making game is played. It examines the profiles of and the procedures for recruiting and selecting some members of the team, the public members. Institutional demography as it relates to board members, in general, and public members, in particular, is of consequence. Noting that much time and effort are required for meaningful board member performance, some survey respondents suggested that people might not be willing to serve without remuneration. Boards of directors are of supreme significance to the survival and performance of associations in the third sector. The status of women on third sector governing bodies has shown much better penetration than that of ethnic and racial minorities. Traditionally the nonprofit sector has been gendered female, meaning that it identifies with hierarchical power relationships in which men dominate women.
